Try these 7 women-owned restaurants in the Iowa City area during Women's History Month
There’s always an opportunity to support women-owned businesses, Women’s History Month or not. With the ongoing recognition toward women’s contributions all March, the Press-Citizen presents a sample of just some of the many women-owned or women-led businesses in the dining industry in the Iowa City area.
Her Soup Kitchen
Owner Barb Farnsworth opened the family-run Her Soup Kitchen in 2009, and it has been beloved by visitors for years for its fresh ingredients and homemade food. On the menu are sandwiches, including the pesto chicken, roasted Portobello, and tomato and mozzarella, as well as salads and daily soups.
Location: 625 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Contact: 319-354-1602 or hersoupkitchen.com
I Love Fufu
Regina Dore is the owner of I Love Fufu, which opened in February of 2022. The restaurant sells African and Caribbean food, including jollof rice, popular West African soup egusi, oxtail and more. I Love Fufu was awarded Best African Cuisine or Market in Little Village’s Best of the CRANDIC awards in 2022.
Location: 230 E. Benton St., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Contact: 319-499-8189 or ilovefufuiowacity.com
La Wine Bar & Restaurant
Owned by Shanshan Kong, this Korean and Chinese restaurant off Burlington Street serves the chewy Korean rice cakes tteokbokki, Korean-inspired fried chicken nuggets and plenty of bubble tea. La Wine Bar & Restaurant has been hosting ongoing weekend concerts from area performers from Dave Zollo to the Cedar County Cobras.
Location: 180 E. Burlington St., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Closed on Tuesday.
Contact: 319-519-6999 or la-wine-bar-restaurant.business.site
Mammitas Coffee
Jacqueline Milian opened up the Latin-inspired Mammitas Coffee with a flower shop in the back in early 2020, serving chorizo, egg and potato burritos, a Cuban sandwich and the Mexican street corn elote. Drinks include the cinnamon rice horchata, frappuccinos, and smoothies.
Location: 224 S. Linn St., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Contact: 319-569-1067 or mammitascoffee.com
Sidekick Coffee & Books
Owner Katy Herbold opened the coffee shop and bookstore in University Heights in 2019 with a few unique twists. The bookstore celebrates and routinely hosts programming for children's literature, and you can get scoops of the locally owned Heyn's Ice Cream inside. The coffee shop also serves baked goods from Solon's The Eat Shop.
Location: 1310½ Melrose Ave., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Contact: 319-569-1010 or sidekickcoffeebooks.com
Sugapeach Chicken & Fish Fry
The North Liberty soul food restaurant is the work of Carol Cater-Simmons, whose restaurant name is a nod to the Southern pronunciation of the word “sugar” by her loved ones. The menu includes fried chicken meals, fish sandwiches and sides such as macaroni and cheese, collard greens, fried okra and more.
Location: 650 Pacha Parkway St., Suite 1, North Liberty
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact: 319-826-1809 or iowa.sugapeach.com
Trumpet Blossom Cafe
Katy Meyer is the chef and owner of Trumpet Blossom Cafe, a vegan restaurant that uses both local ingredients and organically grown items. The plant-based restaurant has also served as a performance venue, whether its for Feed Me Weird Things programming or Mission Creek Festival.
Location: 310 E. Prentiss St., Iowa City
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Contact: 319-248-0077 or trumpetblossom.com
Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or 319-519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: The best women-owned restaurants in the Iowa City area
