Click here for New Year’s Eve dining in Iowa 2023.
Kick-start 2023 with bubbly Champagne and celebratory cuisine at an Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience before making the final countdown with all of your favorite people.
Aposto at the Scala House
Des Moines
There’s no better New Year’s Eve destination than Downtown Des Moines in a glamorous 1880 Victorian mansion. Aposto at the Scala House will be opening its doors for an opulent evening of modern classical cuisine and Champagne galore. Guests will be wowed by a four-course Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience. The first three courses will be more on the savory side, with dishes like roasted squash and shallot salad, braised beef short rib and duck ragu. Finally, the finale to your festive feast will surely be the dessert duo of prosecco cake with passion fruit jam and chocolate ice cream with hazelnut toffee. The four-course menu is $80 per person. For more information, visit apostodm.com.
the Webster
Iowa City
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at the Webster, a chic, cosmopolitan restaurant in charming Downtown Iowa City. So put on something sparkly and get ready for an unforgettable Iowa New Year’s Eve dinner. The four-course menu is filled with black truffle-seared diver scallops, dry-aged prime beef and chicken tortellini. And you can’t miss out on the one-of-a-kind wintery flavors of the chestnut soup with lobster sausage and vanilla cognac. Last but certainly not least, the edible experience will end on a sweet note with buttermilk panna cotta and chocolate fruit tarts. The four-course dinner is $165 per person. For more information, visit thewebsteric.com.
HoQ Restaurant
Des Moines
The only thing better than Champagne on New Year’s Eve is wine. Luckily, wine lovers can ring in the New Year at HoQ Restaurant with a four-course feast complete with perfect wine pairings. At the dining table, guests can look forward to delicious starters, like a soup sampling dish with three varieties of winter soups and a tri-color beet carpaccio. Some other menu highlights include chicken and waffles, brown butter Alaskan halibut and grass-fed tenderloin wrapped in bacon. Even if you’re not a fan of wine, there will also be plenty of specialty cocktails available. And vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options will also be available for all courses. The four-course menu is $79 per person, and wine pairings are $45 per person. For more information, visit hoqtable.com.
Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery
Swisher
Prepare to be wined and dined like never before at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery’s annual New Year’s Eve cocktail and wine-pairing dinner. With four courses on the menu, there will be no shortage of sips to accompany the dining experience. The menu is contemporary yet classic, ranging from an elevated caprese salad to cream of crab soup. But the most popular course will likely be the pan-seared filet and oven-roasted wild halibut with garlic cream, perfectly paired with a dark double oak reserve. This Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience will take place at both 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. The four-course dinner is $70 per person. For more information, visit crwine.com.
The Crane & Pelican Cafe
Le Claire
Head into the new year with a full stomach and visit The Crane & Pelican Cafe for a chef-made, three-course holiday dinner crafted with love. Things will start off on a festive note with Champagne salad and creamy lobster bisque. From there, slow-roasted prime rib, chicken piccata, pesto gnocchi and sauteed sea scallops will complement the first course flawlessly. Finally, a celebratory crème brûlée gleaming with crispy caramelized sugar will be the grand finale of this Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience. The three-course dinner is $69.95 per person and will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit craneandpelican.com.
The Republic on Grand
Des Moines
If you’re looking for dinner with an after-party to ring in the New Year, look no further than The Republic on Grand. This year, guests can start their exciting evening with an elevated Iowa New Year’s Eve dinner buffet. From carving stations to cocktail shrimp ice displays, the buffet will have it all. There will even be goat cheese crostini bruschetta, garlic butter-grilled scallops with black-tie pasta, ahi tuna wontons and plenty of desserts made fresh by chefs throughout the evening. In addition, afterwards, guests can also stick around for live music, a toast, hors d’oeuvres and a party surrounded by the best views in Downtown Des Moines. The elevated dinner is $75 per person and will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. The after-party is $20 per person and will be held from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. For more information, visit therepublicongrand.com.
Cyd’s Catering
Johnston
Planning on hosting a New Year’s Eve party? Save yourself some time and check out the special New Year’s Eve menu at Cyd’s Catering. The effortlessly elegant meal spread will turn your kitchen into a true Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience for everyone to enjoy. The stunning shareables include gourmet cheese boards, shrimp cocktails and crudité platters. In addition, Montreal filet mignon accompanied by alfredo parmesan penne pasta will be a hit with guests. Plus, everyone knows that bubbly goes best with something sweet, like chocolate-covered strawberries. Luckily, scrumptious strawberries and La Marca prosecco are also included. The New Year’s Eve catering package costs between $50 and $120, depending on the size of the package and whether or not wine is included. For more information, visit cateringbycyd.online.
L.May Eatery
Dubuque
Make the most of the last day of the year by taking a trip to the beautifully restored historic Main Street in Downtown Dubuque to visit L.May Eatery. The charmingly chic eatery will invite guests to dine-in from 4:30 to 9 p.m. to get some grub before hitting a local bar for the final countdown. As always, L.May Eatery will be serving up comforting classics like butternut sage cream pasta, salmon croquettes and even a special “You’re in Dubuque” pizza topped with locally-sourced applewood-smoked bacon and sausage. And, of course, the bar will be stocked with plenty of Champagne as well as a full beer, wine and cocktail menu, which includes fancy holiday cocktails. For more information, visit lmayeatery.com.
Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel
Tama
If you’re looking for a New Year’s Eve experience that has the casino atmosphere and cuisine of vibrant Las Vegas, then be sure to spend your final night of 2022 at Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel. First, guests will be greeted by a buffet brimming with all-you-can-eat crab legs and carved prime rib. This unlimited buffet will be open for six whole hours, so between hitting the slot machines and socializing over some cocktails, guests can continuously cure their cravings. From shrimp scampi and lobster pot pie to smoked beef brisket and loaded baked beans, the buffet will not disappoint. This Iowa New Year’s Eve dining experience will last from 3 to 9 p.m. and is $32.99 per person. For more information, visit meskwaki.com.
Kalona Brewing Company
Kalona
The perfect combination of casual and celebratory, Kalona Brewing Company will be hosting a New Year’s Eve five-course pairing dinner. There’s no better time to visit this must-try destination for craft brews and Iowa New Year’s Eve dining. After all, who could pass up a one-of-a-kind menu featuring seasonal ingredients and super-small batch beers created specifically for this event? Celebrate New Year’s in style at Kalona Brewing Company from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 and include five courses with a choice of beer or wine pairing. For more information, visit kalonabrewing.com.