ENTERTAINMENT

Where to eat and drink in Ankeny

Susan Stapleton

sstapleton@dmreg.com

Iowa's fastest growing city is coming out with some interesting restaurants worth the trip.

Main Street Cafe and Bakery on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 in Ankeny.

Ankeny's Prairie Trail, the mixed use development, has helped drive this need for new places for the 57,000 people who call Iowa's 11th largest city (look out, Dubuque) home to dine and drink.

Here’s a look at 13 places to sit down for a meal, grab a quick bite or quaff a beer in Ankeny, with a glance at two restaurants on the way this fall.

Main Street Café & Bakery

Get to Main Street Café & Bakery after 6 a.m. for breakfast dishes such as French toast, breakfast flatbreads and scrambles. Stick around for steak gorgonzola, Asian chicken and Cobb salads at lunch. Try turkey club sandwiches, tzatziki chicken wraps, pico burgers, New Orleans paninis, taco naan flatbreads and sundried tomato mac and cheese as well.

2510 SW White Birch Drive, Ankeny

515-964-7141; mainstreetcafeandbakery.com

District 36 Wine Bar & Grille

Urbandale’s Urban Grill now has a sister location in Ankeny. District 36, from Dave and Jean Thompson, dishes out more steak and seafood dishes at this location that overlooks a man-made lake in Prairie Trail. Order up items such as lobster-stuffed deviled eggs, Kung Pao calamari and Buffalo chicken egg rolls for appetizers or a steak salad, smoked almond Caesar or Skip’s poke (tuna) noodle salad. Entrées including naked seafood and steaks — with toppings available — fill out the menu along with sandwiches like Philly steak, pretzel rarebit, grilled chicken and salmon burgers.

1375 SW Vintage Pkwy., Ankeny

515-261-2502; district36winebar.com

The Fletcher

The former Dahl’s now partially houses the massive The Fletcher, named for Ankeny’s founder, John Fletcher Ankeny. Find breakfast, lunch, dinner and even brunch on the weekends. Grab pork belly nachos or cheese curds to start, then dive into Kansas City-style smoked ribs, a thick cut Iowa chop or build-your-own pizza. The short breakfast menu spans biscuits and gravy to French toast, while brunch features a buffet with peel-and-eat shrimp, pastas, carved meats, smoked salmon and an omelet station.

1802 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny

515-963-9632; the-fletcher.com

Flavory Bistro

Light Mediterranean fare from chef Lisa Morales includes dishes such as Mediterranean steak, lamb and salmon. Try the Mediterranean platter with cucumber salad, tomatoes, hummus, roasted peppers, eggplant and falafel to start. Flavory Bistro even serves up breakfast with egg scrambles and smoothies as well as paninis and gyros for lunch.

1450 SW Vintage Way, Ankeny

515-443-7272

Alohana Hawaiian Grill

All plates at Alohana are served with rice and their signature macaroni salad.

Crispy chicken katsu, savory kalua pork, loco moco and Spam musubi are just some of the ono Hawaiian fare Alohana Hawaiian Grill serves up.

802 SE Oralabor Road, Ankeny

515-964-2800

Pho 85

Vietnamese fare for lunch and dinner comes with this restaurant. Order pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup made with rice noodles and broth, paired with chicken or beef, in one of three sizes. Try a traditional vermicelli dish mixed with pork or shrimp. Do order Vietnamese ice coffee with some sweetened condensed milk.

1701 SE Delaware Ave., Ankeny

515-964-2388

Sorriso Grille

Grab breakfast or lunch at this little spot. For breakfast, order a chicken fried steak, breakfast bowls or specialty burritos. Sandwiches include a hot Italian sub, Guinea grinder and Reuben, while burgers, hot dogs and salads also make the cut. Always check out the weekly specials, which recently featured homemade chili, hot beef with mashed potatoes, fish filet and a tenderloin with fries.

7015 NE 14th St., Ankeny

515-289-9113

Yanni's Grill & Vineyard

Owner and chef Ozzy Ochoa cooks up the Italian and Greek dishes at this simply appointed restaurant. Try a ravioli casserole, gnocchi, manicotti or fettuccine alfredo from the Italian side of the menu or go Greek with chicken souvlaki, moussaka, spanakopita or gyros. A hearty menu of steak Diane, pollo a la primavera, Mahi Mahi Greek style and veal piccata round out the menu. Do try the baklava, cannoli or tiramisu for dessert. And if wine is your style, the restaurant carries a robust list of favorites.

410 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny

515-965-7802; yannisgrill.com

Jethro’s BBQ n’ LakeHouse

The Jethro’s juggernaut shows no signs of letting up, bringing two 750-pound wood smokers to prep the slow-cooked meats in Ankeny. The full roster of baby back ribs, smoked chicken dinners, pulled pork, smoked sausage, brisket and pit ham make the menu here.

1425 SW Vintage Pkwy., Ankeny

515-289-4444; jethrosdesmoines.com/jethros-lakehouse

Leaning Tower of Pizza

This beloved pizza restaurant opened more than 50 years ago in Des Moines and then moved to Ankeny in the 1970s. Try specialty pizzas such as the Harrington (named for owner Kevin Harrington) with Italian sausage, pepperoni, cheddar and mozzarella cheese or the Potter that uses Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, celery, green olives and green peppers. Pastas, sandwiches and appetizers such as onion rings, jalapeño cheese bread and corn nugget bites round out the menu.

512 SW Third St., Ankeny, 515-964-0401, and DMACC Ankeny Campus, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Building Five, Ankeny, 515-963-0403; ltpizza.com

A Quick Meal

Fong’s Pizza

This second location for the Des Moines favorite features lunch slices, 88 beers on tap and a Tiki bar replete with bamboo woodwork. Yes, you should order the crab Rangoon pizza.

1450 SW Vintage Pkwy., Ste. 120, Ankeny

515-243-8888; fongspizza.com/ankeny

Zombie Burger + Shake Lab

Those ghoulishly good burgers and shakes now have a home in Ankeny. Order They’re Coming to Get You Barbara with a two grilled cheese sandwich bun and carmelized onions and bacon, or go for The Walking Ched with a breaded and deep-fried macaroni and cheese bun. A coconut cream pie shake is the only way to end your meal.

1550 N. Ankeny Blvd. #100, Ankeny

515-207-1089; zombieburgershakelab.com/ankeny

Where to Drink

Firetrucker Brewery

The former Ankeny Fire Department now houses Firetrucker Brewery, the two-year-old brewery from Neil Zaugg, Scott Kaven and Dan Heiderschiet. Try one of the house beers such as the 2 Alarm Red, Brigade Ale or Uptown IPA, or go for something seasonal such as Under Lager IPL, Honey Brewbarb or Silvius Brabo.

716 SW Third St., Ankeny

515-964-1284; firetrucker.com

Coming Attractions

The Whiskey House & Bourbon Grill

David Baruthio teams up with Uriah Mixdorf on this new project in the Prairie Trail Development in Ankeny. Look for dishes meant to pair with whiskeys. Duck wings with a bourbon sauce, sausages, hot dogs made in-house with Berkshire pork, burgers, two to three poutines, vegetarian pasta dishes and desserts with a bourbon base including bread puddings are all teased.

Opening: October

Whiskey River

Ankeny also lands a bar and restaurant with two patios in a 10,000-square-foot space in Prairie Trail. Nicki and Joe Romare, who own Founders Irish Pub in Bondurant and Whiskey River in Ames, are behind the project.

Opening: Late October