The Ankeny Brief
Trying to settle the "where do we eat tonight" debate? Here are Ankeny's highest-rated restaurants by aggregate review score, plus our picks by cuisine - Italian, Mexican, BBQ, seafood, date night, and a beer on a patio. Ratings are point-in-time (mid-2026); a great meal is forever.
🍽 Can't decide? Let us pick your dinner →
The Ankeny Brief sends a free weekly email with new spots, deals, and where to eat tonight. Made for exactly this decision.
Italian & pizza - Portofino's (the 4.6★ favorite) and Nonna's Pizza & Pasta. See the full Ankeny pizza guide.
Mexican - Guadalajara leads at 4.5★; Flame Cantina is the newer option for margaritas and a bigger room. See the full Mexican guide.
Barbecue - Jethro's BBQ 'n LakeHouse, the go-to when you're feeding a crowd.
Seafood - Waterfront Seafood Market, both a market and a sit-down spot.
Dessert - the local scoop shops in our Ankeny ice cream guide.
Irish pub - Magee's, for a Guinness, a burger, and a late night.
Breakfast & coffee - Main Street Cafe & Bakery tops the whole list; see our Ankeny breakfast guide and, for the drive-thru crowd, the Ankeny coffee guide.
For date night in Ankeny, Filet Steakhouse is our dressier in-town pick for a quiet sit-down (kitchen runs til about 8pm, so go early). For a special night out, the metro's chef-driven rooms in Des Moines' East Village and Court Avenue districts are 20 minutes away - see our things-to-do guide for the lay of the land.
Ankeny is growing fast and new restaurants open all the time. We feature them in the weekly Brief - recommend a place and we'll check it out.
Looking for a patio beer instead? See our guide to Ankeny breweries & bars.
The highest-rated restaurants in Ankeny by review score are Main Street Cafe & Bakery (4.7★), Portofino's Italian & Pizza (4.6★), and Guadalajara Mexican (4.5★). Ankeny's restaurants cluster in Uptown and The District at Prairie Trail, spanning Mexican, Italian, barbecue, seafood, and steak.
By aggregate review score, Main Street Cafe & Bakery tops the list (4.7★), followed by Portofino's Italian & Pizza (4.6★) and Guadalajara Mexican (4.5★). "Best" really depends on the craving, so see our picks by cuisine above.
For a dressier sit-down in town, Filet Steakhouse is the pick (go early, since the kitchen runs until about 8pm). For a bigger night out, Des Moines' East Village and Court Avenue are about 20 minutes away.
Trailside Tap in Uptown, right on the High Trestle Trail, is the local favorite, with Firetrucker Brewery and its food truck next door.
Mexican: Guadalajara and Flame Cantina. Italian & pizza: Portofino's and Nonna's. Barbecue: Jethro's BBQ 'n LakeHouse. Seafood: Waterfront Seafood Market.
Yes. Ankeny's top-rated spots are mostly local independents, including Main Street Cafe & Bakery (4.7★), Portofino's Italian & Pizza (4.6★), and Guadalajara Mexican (4.5★). In Uptown, Trailside Tap and Firetrucker Brewery are homegrown favorites right on the High Trestle Trail.
For a crowd, Jethro's BBQ 'n LakeHouse is the go-to for barbecue, and Firetrucker Brewery has a big patio, board games, and a food truck. The sports bars, Whiskey River, Cabaret, and Mullets, bring large patios and late hours.
Main Street Cafe & Bakery is the highest-rated spot on this whole list (4.7★) and our pick for breakfast and lunch. For more options, see our Ankeny breakfast guide.
Ankeny is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa, so new restaurants open often. We track fresh openings every week in the free Brief and in our new businesses roundup.