What better way to mark the end of 2023 than with a delightful meal? From savory bites paired with overflowing Champagne flutes to memorable moments with friends in the most beautiful settings, these options for New Year’s Eve dining in Iowa will ring in 2024 and set the pace for a wonderful year.
Mulberry Street Tavern
Check in for dinner, and stay the night until brunch. Now that’s our kind of New Year’s Eve dining in Iowa! The Surety Hotel Des Moines is offering a New Year’s Eve dinner at Mulberry Street Tavern that welcomes guests to celebrate in style. The menu offers four courses, with tantalizing dishes including oyster on the half shell with preserved lemon, fresco, cucumber juice and Champagne espuma; braised short rib with whipped potatoes, winter vegetables and beef jus; and basque cheesecake with meringue, berry jam and sweet herbs. And if you stay until the ball drops and well into the morning, New Year’s Day brunch begins at 10 a.m. with a day of relaxation, good food and good company.
Cost: $95 per person.
To book: suretyhotel.com/mulberry-street-tavern.
The Webster
Iowa City
The Webster, a cosmopolitan restaurant with a Midwest heart, is serving a five-course holiday dinner curated by Chef Sam and his team for a truly remarkable New Year’s Eve dining in Iowa delight between 7:45 and 10 p.m. Menu highlights include hamachi crudo with radish and fish consume gelee; roasted celery root soup with chicken oyster and black truffle; dry-aged prime beef with squash and potato aligote; and buttermilk panna cotta with citrus marmalade and arbequina olive oil.
Cost: $135 per person (early seating); $170 per person (late seating).
To book: www.thewebsteric.com.
Aposto at The Scala House
Des Moines
For classic Italian cuisine with a modern approach, look no further than Aposto to satisfy your craving for a delightful New Year’s Eve repast. Founded by award-winning restauranteur Tony Lemmo, Aposto offers the warmth of traditional ambiance with the heightened sensation of flavor combinations that will keep your taste buds tingling well into 2024. The New Year’s Eve menu includes arancini with basil pesto and tomato-balsamic jam; risotto with lobster, lemon, carrot puree and pine nuts; braised beef with potato gratin and brussels sprout puree; mango lassi cheesecake with pepita and curry crumble; and more.
Cost: $85.
To book: www.apostodm.com.
One Twenty Six
Iowa City
Why wait until Jan. 1 to start healthy resolutions, when you can enjoy delicious nutritious foods on New Year’s Eve at One Twenty Six? Located in the heart of Iowa City, the bistro’s specialty New Year’s Eve menu, served from 4:30 to 8 p.m., includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. One Twenty Six leans into French classic dishes while working with local farmers to bring fresh, local and organic ingredients into the kitchen. The New Year’s Eve menu is four courses, with highlights including poached scallops with saffron Beurre blanc; sea bass with Italian salsa verde; and eggplant confit with oven-roasted potato and bordelaise sauce.
Cost: $78.
To book: www.onetwentysix.net/new-years-eve.
Cobble Hill
Cedar Rapids
New Year’s Eve is a time of reflection and gratitude–what better time to enjoy these moments than at a restaurant with a menu built on the ethos of connecting food, farmers and community? Guests are invited to join Chef Andy and his team at Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids for a curated six-course tasting menu, beginning with a welcome cocktail. Cobble Hill is a contemporary American restaurant featuring locally sourced ingredients. Lactose allergy and Celiac offerings are available, as well as an optional wine pairing.
Cost: $150.
Reservations: www.cobblehillrestaurant.com.