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From over-the-top Christmas-themed bar pop-ups to a classic brunch with Ol’ St. Nick, there is a unique holiday dining experience for every diner’s style in Iowa.
SnowGlobe DSM
Des Moines
Exile Brewing Co. has created the ultimate Christmas pop-up dining experience with over 100,000 Christmas lights, over-the-top decor and music with all of the Mariah Carrey and Michel Buble holiday vibes. A special brunch menu is available with options like the gooey s’mores French toast, crafted with a campfire-style s’more compote on top of French toast, or the Yardbird, a cozy biscuits-and-gravy dish with a fried chicken twist, to name a few. But what most locals are dying to try at the spot are the naughty and nice shots, to be enjoyed together or separately. The naughty shot is a hard bourbon served straight with cinnamon and other holiday spices, whereas the nice shot mixes a sweet rum, peppermint tea and chocolate. SnowGlobe DSM will only be open until Jan. 2, so be sure to check it out before its gone.
To learn more about SnowGlobe DSM, visit snowglobedsm.com.
Brunch with Santa at Vue Rooftop
Iowa City
Santa Claus is coming to Vue Rooftop’s panoramic deck on Dec. 12 for brunch with the family before he makes his big venture on Christmas Eve. For $35 per person, the brunch will include a delicious, surprise holiday meal, photo-ops and meetings with Santa, early Christmas gifts for little ones and refreshing cocktails for adults.
To learn more about Brunch with Santa at Vue Rooftop and to purchase tickets, visit vuerooftop-ic.com.
Naughty List Pop-Up
Des Moines
Good News, Darling has been taken over by the Grinch and transformed into Naughty List, a Christmas-inspired pop-up for those who have been both naughty and only a little nice. Open until it’s “too late,” the spot offers classic cocktails with a unique holiday twist like an Old Fashioned, handcrafted with rye, brandy, scotch and cinnamon smoke, or the hot chocolate, a hot cocktail with mezcal, ancho chili, chipotle, cacao and coconut. The pop-up will only be open until Dec. 23, and be sure to wear your favorite ugly sweater for a drink discount.
To learn more about Naughty List, visit goodnewsdarling.com.
Dine and Drag: Holiday Spectacular
Downtown Des Moines
Tis’ the season for dinner with a drag show at Hilton Des Moines Downtown. The hotel is hosting a Dine and Drag show with holiday-inspired performances featuring comedy acts and your favorite Christmas tunes. Enjoy the show with an elegant four-course meal courtesy of the Hilton, with a menu featuring a crisp winter salad, made with dried cranberries, candied pecans, goat cheese and a cider vinaigrette; shrimp and risotto, pan fried with lemon-herb shrimp and wild mushrooms; and lastly, a confit duck with fresh kale, walnuts and gnocchi. For dessert, guests can expect to enjoy the toasted snow globe, handcrafted with pomegranate curd, hazelnut mousse, gingerbread shortbread, a white chocolate globe and toasted meringue.
To learn more about Dine and Drag: Holiday Spectacular, visit hilton.com.
Juniper Moon
Des Moines
Housed in Des Moines, Juniper Moon is a hip cocktail bar offering a holiday happy hour daily from 4 to 6 p.m. that features festive cocktails and libations. Decorated from head-to-toe in Christmas fun, the local spot’s drink lineup includes a spicy spiked eggnog cocktail, The Stinger, crafted with cognac, white crème de menthe and a dash of absinthe, and many more to get you in the holiday spirit.
To learn more about Juniper Moon’s holiday cocktail lineup, visit junipermoondm.com.
Fleming’s Steakhouse
West Des Moines
Open Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Fleming’s Steakhouse is offering the ultimate holiday dinner to help you and your family create lasting memories at the steakhouse. Guests have the option to dine on their favorite menu items, or try out Fleming’s new holiday four-course meal, featuring a surprising lineup of dishes that will include a wine pairing.
To learn more about Fleming’s Steakhouse, visit flemingssteakhouse.com.
Miracle on Ingersoll
Des Moines
The Station on Ingersoll, a local favorite sports bar, had “Christmas thrown up all over it” and has been reinvented for the holiday season as Miracle on Ingersoll with inflatables, Christmas lights, trees, ornaments–the whole nine yards. Each flat-screen will be playing “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on repeat, and a selfie station will be available for those looking for a more unique family card this year. The menu received a holiday-friendly makeover and features light bites, like cinnamon-and-sugar pretzels and mini yule logs, and a cocktail menu with drinks served in dinosaur cups with Santa hats and Christmas mugs. We highly recommend the Bad Santa, a warm cocktail with rum, mixed spices and oat milk served in a Santa mug.
To learn more about Miracle on Ingersoll, visit thestationdsm.com.