Where to Dine in Downtown Des Moines: (Caucus Edition) from a Veteran Food Reporter

Whether you're coming to town to cover the Republican caucuses, or you’re a resident who simply loves to get swept into the energy, here's a highly selective list of where to dine.

Greetings! If you’re not a regular reader of this column, I’m glad you found me! If you’re a regular, welcome back.

Clyde’s Fine Diner. A sweet-spot middle-ground between “fine” and “diner.”

For those who don’t know me, a brief introduction: I’ve been writing about the Des Moines dining scene for nearly 25 years, 15 for The Des Moines Register, and quite a few years afterwards for dsm magazine. A few reasons why you can trust me:

1. I’m not an influencer. Nobody pays me for coverage, and I pay my own way for all meals.
2. I don’t scrape info from crowdsourced websites, which I generally do not trust. I have dined at every restaurant I recommend here, and most of them within the past year.
3. Did I mention I’ve been doing this for about 25 years? I’ve also lived in NYC and the U.K., and I travel extensively. I’ve been around the culinary block.

So, that said, let me tell you my top picks on where to dine, which of course depends on your budget and the kind of experience you seek. Let me br…