Could The Webster Become Iowa's First Michelin-Starred Restaurant?
The Iowa City venue upholds sky-high standards amidst a relaxed and welcoming vibe.
I was absolutely smitten with The Webster the moment I walked through the doors, and by the time I left, I felt downright giddy-in-love with the place. Such gushing does not come easily to me … but in this case, I can’t stop myself. It’s an incredibly uplifting spot.
I’ve dined at Michelin-starred restaurants (alas, one- and two-starred venues, not, as of yet, three), and I’d venture to say that The Webster is as fine as any of them.
Whether or not the Michelin judges ever make their way to Iowa City (the guides do tend to focus on larger markets in the U.S.), let me break down my own thoughts into five reasons this place is worth any food-lover’s attention, and definitely worth a drive from Des Moines.
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Now, back to the top five things I loved about The Webster.
1. They Do First Impressions Well
The number-one thing this diner wants to feel upon entering a restaurant is that, out of all the other places she could have dined in town, she’s arrived exactly where she needs to be.
Dave and I soon felt that sense of calming reassurance at The Webster. The minute we walked through the door, two front-of-house pros in the reception area looked up from their task and smiled as if they’d been hoping to see us all day. Another woman, occupied with something a few steps away, turned around and greeted us warmly. (They had no idea of my role as a restaurant reporter, by the way.)
With its floor-to-ceiling windows with views of century-plus-old buildings, plus a buzzy open kitchen, high-spirited bar, and inviting banquette seating, this spot is dashing and energetic, without being overwhelming.
It’s hard for a place to be both buzzy and relaxing, but this place manages it. The color scheme helps: “The blues and greens were specifically chosen to be welcoming and soothing,” owner (and front-of-the-house pro) Riene Gelman told me.
That welcoming and soothing ethos pervades everything they do here.
2. The Chef with Major East Coast/Big-City Bona Fides Sharply Hones a Midwest-Hugging, Passionately American Menu
Chef-owner Sam Gelman (spouse of Riene) has worked for world-renowned chefs and restaurateurs, including long stretches with Momofuko sensation David Chang. Gelman served as sous-chef at and helped open Manhattan’s Momofuku Ko, which earned and maintained two Michelin stars during Gelman’s tenure. Later, he took on the role of opening/executive chef at Momofuku’s Toronto restaurants.
How did Iowa City get so lucky? Sam Gelman was raised and still has family here. Riene explained that “Iowa seemed more and more appealing to us as our son got older.” Plus, the duo wanted to work for themselves, and as they considered the daunting challenges of opening a restaurant in NYC, Iowa made sense. They moved back in 2019, and after building a restaurant (during the pandemic, no less), they opened in 2021.
The menu focuses on contemporary American cuisine, and while that’s a dynamic, ever-evolving genre, if you go here you’ll get a solid sense of its leanings.
In this case “contemporary American” means that right now, the menu brims with many things seasonal in all their midsummer glory. It means there’s some Americana on the menu (it kicks off gussied-up biscuits, sourdough bread, and cornbread, after all). It also means there’s going to be global influences, ingredients, and techniques: inventive takes on kimchi and confit for example.
It means that the chef works closely with local farmers, including Sam Gelman’s boyhood friend David Braverman, owner of Friendly Farm in Iowa City. “David and Sam meet in the fall to dork out with one another and plan what David will grow for the restaurant next year,” says Reine.
And it means that many products are homemade, hand-crafted, house-finessed, like certain meats, for example. Whole pigs, cows and sometimes lambs and goats make their way into the kitchen, with cuts appearing all over the menu and a sous-chef going to town with the extra bits, making cooked or cured ham, pancetta, terrines, and the like.
But here’s another thing I love about The Webster: Such things are a given, a matter of course. When I asked Riene if all the pasta was homemade she said, “100%, yes,” and even seemed curious about my question.
I explained that while the pasta certainly tasted homemade, it wasn’t touted that way on the menu.
“We don’t say handmade this or homemade that, because it just is,” she said.
3. The Menu Lets You Savor a Gratifying Arc of the
Meal (or Not)
The menu is divided into sections that make it wonderfully easy to dine in an immensely rewarding, Italian-leaning way: First course, pasta course, main course, dessert. When presented thoughtfully and in sane portions, each course should make you excited for the next and gratified (rather than done-in) by the end of the meal. Akin to the arc of a traditional narrative (rising action, peak, resolution), dining in discreet courses lets you enjoy “the arc of the meal.” It’s my all-time favorite way to dine.
Our waiter pointed out that most plates are eminently shareable, and that ordering course-by-course, with each dish in every course shared by everyone at the table, is the way many people dine here.
It’s refreshing. We’ve all been spending years jostling small plates to nab half a scallop each or jabbing our forks into each other’s dinners to get tastes of this and that. And while that may come with its own kind of pleasures, such a thing can be distracting. I found it soothing and welcoming to simply relax and savor a meal served family style, focusing on one dish at a time, rather than a half dozen. Bonus: No order envy!
We found that one starter, one pasta, one main dish, and one dessert, all served in succession, was a satisfying (not by any means over-killing) meal.
But you know what? If you enjoy other modes of dining—say, a table of smaller plates to pick and nibble, or maybe a couple of starters to share and one pasta dish per person—I see nothing here to stop you from doing that. The flexible menu and overall vibe of the place will not strong-arm you into going anywhere you don’t want to go.
4. The Food Is Wonderful
The burrata appetizer alone is worth a drive to Iowa City. The cheese—which oozes that soft, lush, cream-and-curd interior when cut into—arrived smarted up with sweet-tart peaches and spigarello, a veggie with the delightfully ragged texture of broccoli rabe and a light herbaceousness all its own. With crisp-tender toast made from country style bread served alongside, we couldn’t resist making a thoroughly one-of-kind bruschetta of the dish.
For the pasta course, we shared the mafalde (a ridged, ribbonlike pasta) tossed in a delightfully fresh and delicate puree of peas, with lemon thyme and cooked duck egg (think of the way eggs work in a carbonara, only much, much lighter). A thin drape of ham and a light dusting of cheese added satisfaction without heft.
I firmly believe you don’t have to love everything that comes to a table to love a dining experience overall. We liked—but didn’t love—the whole Wisconsin trout: in spite of the promise of horseradish, a shower of beets prepared five ways, a scattering of arugula leaves, and trout roe, there was an overall mildness to the dish that—I hate to say—had me looking for a salt shaker (oops—this isn’t a salt-and-pepper-on-the-table kind of place).
I did, however, very much appreciate the communal nature of the dish—it was the meatiest trout I’ve ever enjoyed, and separated easily into large chunks to share. I also love it that trout is a mainstay on the menu, with its finery adjusted to the season. I will be trying it again another time of year. I cannot resist trout.
We were back aboard the love train with dessert: a tarte tatin made of drippingly ripe yet citrusy-tart apricots topped with cool, creamy ice cream. It provided a refreshing finish on a hot, summery night.
5. Service is Polished Yet Casual
Our polished and approachable server, and the staff who assisted him, ensured we enjoyed every aspect of our meal. These were the kind of pros who can tell you where the peaches and apricots come from (Southern Illinois and Iowa City’s Friendly Farm, respectively), without getting tiresome about it. To wit: When the food runner set down our trout dish, she described it briefly and even with a little abbreviation: “Beets cooked five ways,” was among the descriptors.
Yes, she could most certainly tell us all five ways in which the beets were cooked, and she happily did when we asked (they were roasted, powdered, pureed, pickled, and raw, by the way). What I appreciated, however, was her awareness: Some guests will want to hear everything about this beautifully crafted food; others might simply want to dig in and/or get back to the conversation at the table. Not every diner needs a docent.
Lightweight that I am, I had to drink the lowest-alcohol beer on the menu, which was … Miller High Life. No eyebrows raised by the staff; instead, the bottle was presented with as much finesse as Dave’s glasses of fine wine. The staff made me feel like I’d ordered a bottle of French Champagne rather than the Champagne of Beers.
That’s just the way it is here.
The Webster
202 N Linn St., Iowa City
(319) 800-0720
Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
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Today, I’d like to highlight renowned writer Mary Swander (she even has a plaque on the Iowa City’s Lit Walk, among many other accolades). With her Substack, Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, she offers glimpses into her life as a neighbor of the Amish—with insights that reflect on the greater world. For a great sense of what Mary’s column is all about, start with this article on an Amish wedding.
I notice this morning that the New York Times lists The Webster as one of the 50 most exciting restaurants in the U.S.
Linn Street has been a favorite Iowa City dining destination for years. Many's the time I would stop at the now-shuttered Linn Street Cafe for an early evening meal before teaching a class at the Tippie College of Business. And, if you need a tub of hummus, Oasis is right there, and the Wine Shop at John's Grocery is just around the corner. As you say, The Webster certainly looks to be "worth a visit."