Three Courses for $20. No Tipping Required. What's the Catch?
Dinner at Vita is shockingly inexpensive ... but not for everyone.
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UPDATE: After I wrote this piece, I heard from Wesley Life’s VP of Philanthropy, Sophia S. Ahmad. About tipping, she wrote:
While our servers cannot accept tips, charitable gifts may be made in their honor to our Wesley on Grand Team Member Culinary Impact Fund, which supports the culinary team member’s continuing education and the tools they need to be successful in creating outstanding dining experiences.
If you’d like to honor your server, you can do so here.
Now, on to the post:
Take a Look at Vita
Imagine sitting down to a three-course meal for just $20 at a local spot, with the entree options veering towards upscale: one week, choose from veal Parmesan with homemade tomato coulis or grilled mahi-mahi with slow-roasted pineapple. Another week: lamb chops marinated with garlic and rosemary or pan-seared sea scallops in lemon butter. Just last week, they offered sea bass, “flown in fresh and filleted in-house.”
Other recent offerings have included a roasted duck quarter, trout amandine, chicken Marsala, and fresh Alaskan King salmon—all served with a soup or salad starter and a dessert of the week, from tiramisu to chocolate cheesecake.
It’s a rare deal where $20 truly means $20—albeit plus tax, but with service included. (They have a no tipping policy). Oh, and they don’t stick it to you on the wine; glasses here go for $5 to $8, and the pours are reasonably generous.
In many ways, it feels like a steal.
So, what’s the catch? You’ll be dining in the retirement complex formerly known as Wesley Acres, now rebranded as Wesley on Grand.
Wait! Stay with me—this place welcomes everyone.
Review of Vita at Wesley on Grand
3520 Grand Ave., Des Moines (Best to enter through Chamberlain Mansion)
(515) 697-0074. (Reservations not required, but advised for larger parties.)
Find menus on Vita’s Facebook page.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wesley on Grand’s Vita Restaurant is distinct from the community’s daily dining hall, providing residents a refined alternative to routine meals. The spot is also open to the public—you neither need to dine with nor be a guest of a resident (you can pay with your credit card); yes, you can just walk in off the street, though you can also reserve a table.
While it’s neither buzzy (like Centro) nor cozy (like Simon’s), the space offers a polished comfort reminiscent of a modern hotel dining room. The roomy booths are the real draw—perfect for groups of four and maybe even six.
In fact, my best visits here have always been with a lively group of friends. It’s not ideal for date night or a scene-y night out, but rather, it’s the kind of place where you create your own energy with people you enjoy.
And the Food?
On my first visit, last summer, I was thoroughly taken by the grilled marinated flank steak, seasoned with Greek herbs and surrounded by dabs and scatterings of fresh veggies—sauteed spinach, roasted sweet peppers, asparagus, and onions—as well as a polenta cake. The firm and flavorful orange roughy, served with the same assortment of veggies, also satisfied.
Though oddly heavy on walnuts, the pear and blue cheese salad was a welcome departure from the usual Caesar or green salad (which are also available). For dessert, the crème brûlée was a gratifying classic.
And when the bill arrived, I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting away with something.
Since then, across two more visits, the kitchen’s aim has wobbled here and there. One night, a stuffed pork loin arrived distressingly dry; my tablemate fared a little better with sautéed trout topped with a parsley/crabmeat meunière—it had potential, but ultimately veered towards the dry side as well, or at least lacking the lushness a dish like that promises.
On our third visit, we were mostly back on track. I practically swooned when the server brought the day’s bread—popovers (aka Yorkshire pudding)—with their golden, crispy exterior and tender, custardy interior. I’d forgotten how much I loved these things.
A chicken soup with a springy matzoh ball was a nice alternative to the ubiquitous chicken-noodle soup. After the first course, the server brought a little scoop of passion-fruit sorbet. Billed as an “intermezzo,” this cool, intensely bright scoop had me climbing aboard a culinary time machine, whisking me back to an era when fine dining took itself just a bit more seriously. I enjoyed the trip.
The scallops were everything you’d want—plump, sweet, succulent, and seared to a burnished-golden brilliance. The grilled flat-iron steak brought plenty of bold, beefy flavor and looked sharp alongside sautéed fresh mushrooms, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver the tenderness I was hoping for.
Dessert was one of those warm-cookie-topped-with-ice-cream things that 80% of people are going to love. Me? I went for the refreshing peppermint-stick ice cream (ice cream is always an alternative to the weekly dessert).
A Few More Things You Should Know:
• Each week, the weekly prix-fixe menu is posted on Facebook.
• If you’re not up for the prix-fixe menu, you can order à la carte. Check out the current menu. (Scroll down a bit.)
• While service is generally prompt and attentive, on one visit, the initial approach to our table was notably delayed, setting a slow tone for the rest of the evening.
• Vita serves wine and beer; however, if you want a mixed drink, you’ll need to get it yourself in the Chamberlain Pub, a zig-zaggy walk down a hall or two. And because the Chamberlain Pub is only open Wednesday through Friday, you won’t be able to get a mixed drink on Tuesdays or Saturdays. Plan accordingly.
• Given the above, I suggest timing your visit for Wednesday through Friday, when you can first enjoy a drink in the handsome pub before moving onto dinner.
Bottom Line:
While sometimes inconsistent, the food strikes a thoughtful balance between modern flair and old-school comfort, all at prices that respect diners who know better than to overpay for a simple night out. Let’s be clear, though: Vita is a place for diners who aren’t looking for flash—where gray hair and button-downs are more common than cleavage and crop tops.
As for me, I feel comforted by the older clientele. I have a soft spot for the generations before me; with time, I've come to appreciate just how much they rooted for me, quietly cheering me on through my youth and, in a way, still doing so. There’s something forever reassuring about their presence. Sharing a dining space with them, especially when it’s a well-priced and satisfying meal, feels like a privilege worth savoring.
What an interesting thing—homing a “fancy” restaurant in a retirement home! Is this common, Wini?
My mom lives in a retrement home and while she prefers to cook for herself, her neighbors frequently complain about meal quality (if you were offered cocktail sauce with your shrimp scampi, you might, too!). In a former life, I supported a nonprofit project in Iowa City that included building a professional grade kitchen that primarily served the free lunch program but could also be rented by private parties in need of a professional-grade kitchen.
It seems to me that encouraging promising chefs and would-be restaurateurs to join forces with retirement facilities already equipped with commercial-grade kitchens could be a win for all involved, incuding the residents, if the dining rooms could be open to the public in some capacity. … just a thought—but I’m not in the restaurant business, so what would I know? 🤷🏼♀️
Thanks as always for such an inviting look at area dining opportunities, Wini!
4 of us ate at Vita about a year ago. None of us are residents. While I can’t remember what everyone had, I do recall that we were all impressed with the quality and the excellent service. There were only 2 other tables of diners that night. We have also frequented the Chamberlain Pub several times over the last year and thoroughly enjoyed that experience. Reasonable priced wine and mixed drinks. The appetizer list in the Pub is another plus. Flatbread pizza and sharing another appetizer can result in a light dinner.
One note on tipping. It is certainly not expected and, in fact, if you pay by credit card, tipping cannot be added to the card. However, we have always left cash tips each time. I think it is greatly appreciated, but again, not expected.