18th BCCE

Restaurants In and Around Ames

Dining in Ames is fun and healthy. All of the restaurants have the four basic food groups: cow, pig, corn and soybean. For a town its size, Ames has a variety of special menus to choose from. The Iowa Games athletes and supporters will be in town Friday and Saturday, so every restaurant in Ames will be booked solid on these nights. For a list of restaurants in Ames, please go to http://.

This page was up-dated on April 2, 2004.

Restaurants

We offer comments about the following restaurants based on our personal experience. Over the past 14 years, we have taken seminar speakers, candidates, and colleagues to all of the restaurants mentioned below. When we need a seasonal break from the stove and sink, these are the restaurants we go to. You will need a car or you will need to use Cy-Ride in order to get to most of these restarauants. Please remember that our dining experience is limited. We don’t go to fancy California, New York, or Miami restaurants. When we say great wine list, we mean by small town Iowa standards. If you are looking for a five star dining extravaganza, be prepared to drive four hours north, east, south or west.

If you are looking forward to good food at moderate prices, you will find it in Ames. Most people in Ames have jobs that start between 6:00 AM -8:00 AM, late dinning is not an option. Because chemistry is a required course for most majors at ISU, many cooks, waiters and waitresses have had chemistry. Some have passed, some have failed. As a chemistry professor, the trick to dining in Ames is to know which restaurants hired cooks who passed and enjoyed your chemistry course.

Audubon’s is an excellent restaurant for professional business dining and conversation. They prepare one of the best Iowa Chops in central Iowa. The meals are prepared to perfection. The specials are always a good choice. Great wine list. Great desserts. The waiters and waitresses are professional and courteous. Our family always enjoys dining at Audubon’s. The Gateway Center, US 30 and Elwood Drive, Ames, IA 50014 515-292-8600. Open Daily. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Aunt Maudes is what we call a "fancy" restaraunt. This is not a jeans and shorts place, summer business causal will do. 547 Main Street, Ames, Iowa. 233-4136. Located in downtown Ames. A long walk from the MWL dorms, but you can do it if you take the shady side of the street. Lunch: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM; Dinner daily, 5:00 PM - closing. Reservations accepted.

Bali Satay House. Chinese and Indonesian Restaraunt. If you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just want great tasing food at graduate student prices, this is the place to go in Ames.Located in Campustown.Within walking distance from MWL Dorms and Frederiksen Court. Open seven days a week. Monday - Thursday Lunch: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Dinner: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Sunday noon - 9:00 PM. 2424 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa. 292-7719

Battle’s Bar-B-Q. Whenever Tom’s sons return to Ames for a visit, they head to Battle’s for some of the best tasting Texas Style BBQ between Denver and Chicago. Some of us think the beef and pork ribs are a cross between Texas and Kansas City style BBQ. Whatever the secret ingredients are, this is one fine BBQ sauce. This is a small, blue-collar place located in Campustown. No need to dress up because you are going to get messy. Roll up your sleeves (but in July you will be wearing short sleeve shirts), put on a bib and dig in. Carry-out available. Owner George Battle will take off on vacation and close the shop whenever he feels the need to get away. Great desserts. Graduate student prices. No reservations accepted. Within walking distance from MWL Dorms and Frederiksen Court. 112 Hayward, Ames, IA. 515 292-1670. Open Monday – Saturday 11 am - 9 pm.

Burgie’s Espresso Café. 110 Airport Road, Ames, Ames, Iowa . 233-9004. Located in a gas station and next to the credit union. If coffee or other hot beverages are your thing, this is one of the best places to go in Ames. Fresh roasted coffee beans prepared on the premises. You can sit next to the roaster. Couches, stuffed chairs, tables, local newspapers, books, games, and wireless internet connection. High quality ice cream, smoothies, shakes, muffins, sandwiches, desserts, and more. Tom’s oldest daughter works here so be sure to tip if the service is good. Open daily.

The Café is becoming one of our regular places to dine. An eclectic menu featuring garden fresh, local and regional foods. The specials are truly outstanding. Specialty breads and desserts. Several colleagues have asked me to mention that they have great desserts and two of these desserts (both start with crem) earn a five start rating. A wine list that will not break your budget. This is a nice place to go if you have 2-6 people in your group and you want a place you can relax and enjoy good conversation. The lunch menu has a variety of dishes, including soup, sandwiches, and salads. For lunch, they can get you served and on you way in 45 minutes. For dinner, it is a cozy place to go. The dinner menu features several dishes that are not usually available in the mid-west. Friendly service. Six of Tom’s former students work here. Catering. Strawberry lemonade. 2616 Northridge Parkway, In Somerset Village, Ames, 515 292-0100. Open daily. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Within walking distance from Frederiksen Court.

The Cottage on Broad is located a 15 minute drive north of Ames in Story City. If you are looking for an unusually fine restaurant in a small town setting, The Cottage on Broad is well worth your visit. This restaurant has two levels and an outside eating area. It is in a refurbished home. A bit pricy, by Ames standards, but certainly within a chemistry instructor’s budget. The menu has a variety of fine selections. The specials are worth it. Prime rib, seafood, and pasta. The vegetables are fixed to perfection. A great wine list. A nice place to go to relax and have a good conversation with friends. Private rooms available. Tom’s oldest son worked here. After your meal, take a 10 minute walk around downtown Story City and take in a $1.50 movie on Friday and Saturday nights. This will be a good place go Friday or Saturday before the conference. Dinner 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm Monday – Saturday.

Fazoli’s. Italian food fast. Free bread sticks. Free refills. Great service. The waitresses always receive big tips. Tom’s youngest daughter works here. East side of the North Grand Mall, 2435 Grand Ave. Ames, IA 50010. On Cy-Ride bus route.

Flame and Skewer. Friday night is prime rib night.. Great Gyros. Great salads. Great prices. Owner Mohammad Younis has developed a long list of clients who frequent his establishment. Mention soccer and Tom Greenbowe and Mo will treat you with several stories about soccer coaching soccer refereeing experiences. Tom’s youngest son was a soccer player for one of Mo’s teams. North Grand Mall, Ames, IA 50010. 515-232-0931. Lunch Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Dinner Monday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Carry-out available.On Cy-Ride bus route.

Great Plains Sauce & Dough Company. Unique mid-western style pizza. Thick crust, a variety of dough selections. If you are in the mood for pizza, and you want to experinece something different, this is worth it. Located in downtown Ames.129 Main Street, Ames, IA. 232-4263.

Grove Cafe. To rub shoulders with blue-collar workers, farmers, and ranchers and experience a genuine mid-west small-town atmosphere, this is the place to go for a hearty breakfast. Arriving in a pick-up truck with a gun rack helps. 124 Main Street, Ames, Iowa. 232-9784.

Hickory Park is the most popular place to go in Ames. Hickory smoked BBQ specialties, burgers, shakes, malts, and ice cream desserts. This is often a fun, loud, boisterous place. This restaurant has a unique mid-western atmosphere that you must experience. Come as you are, no dress-up fancy clothes allowed. There will be a queue on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the conference. Several of Tom’s neighbors and over 50 of his former students work here. 1404 South Duff, Ames, Iowa. 232-8940. Sunday – Thursday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm. Friday – Saturday 10:30 am – 10:00 pm. Carry-out available.

Mandarin Chinese Restaurant. Authentic Mandarin, Szechwan cuisine. Reasonable prices.Heaping platefuls of food. Carry-out. Available. Gary Pei, Owner/Manager and his staff know how to treat customers. 415 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50010. 515-233-5300. Lunch Monday – Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Dinner Monday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 9 pm., Sunday 11:30 am – 9 pm. Carry-out available.

O'Malley's and McGee's Mexican Cafe & Bar.This is the only Irish Mexican Restaurant in the mid-west. Several of dishes are consistently highly recommended by everyone we know. 716 South Duff ve, Ames, Iowa. 232-8807. Was voted the best place for singles to meet in a 40 mile radius of Ames..

Papa John's Pizza. Carry-out or delivery. With coupon, this pizza is great tasting and moderately priced. 3335 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa. 296-4949.

This web page was up-dated on March 19, 2004 by Tom Greenbowe, Department of Chemistry, 1608 Gilman Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3111 (bcce@iastate.edu).