How to spend the perfect day in Valley Junction with restaurants, bars and shopping
One in an occasional series of neighborhood guides in the Des Moines metro.
Turn onto Fifth Street from Railroad Avenue in West Des Moines and you’ll be greeted by a large archway spanning from sidewalk to sidewalk.
Welcome to Historic Valley Junction.
Valley Junction was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 and has a rich history that inspired its name.
The town, home to numerous railway companies and railroads, was the site of a junction formed by the rail lines, according to the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. It gets the word valley from the river valley of Raccoon River. But the town also has a connection to another kind of railroad. James C. Jordan, the town’s founder, built a home — now a museum on Fuller Road — that became a stop on the Underground Railroad, according to the Historic Valley Junction Foundation. Now, the area is a popular destination to shop small-businesses.
Throughout the year, find a seasonal farmers market, arts events, and shopping experiences that draw people into these homegrown businesses. Find out about some of the places to eat, drink and shop in Historic Valley Junction with this sampling of businesses.
Where to eat and drink in Valley Junction
For comfort food: Cooper’s on 5th
This restaurant calls itself “West Des Moines' first craft cocktail bar,” but longtime fans of Ryan Cooper’s spot come for the elevate comfort foods, such as eggrolls, filled with different stuffings every week. Diners can add andouille sausage, Buffalo chicken, shrimp and more to smoked gouda mac and cheese, while the restaurant touts a steak de Burgo as its signature dish. Find versions with chicken and pasta as well.
Location: 227 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-255-9895 or cooperson5th.com/
For award-winning wraps: G Mig’s 5th Street Pub
Back in 2012, chef George Migliero left the Wakonda Club after 17 years and took over Valley Junction’s 5th Street Pub, revamping the menu to reflect his more upscale cooking style. He’s turned this restaurant into a destination with dishes such as the Pride of Iowa wrap that came straight from its award-winning days at the Iowa State Fair with a mix of hickory smoked bacon and pork carnitas in a jalapeño cheddar tortilla. Other options here include a walking taco wrap that combines ground beef taco meat and a queso drizzle; George‘s prime rib burger with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and Monterey jack cheese; and the baked potato pizza with a potato wedge stuffed with bacon, a cheddar jack cheese, ranch and green onion on a pizza. Do try the Buffalo chicken dip served with warm pita. Omelets, pancakes, a breakfast croissant sandwich, and the Benedict George with thick Canadian bacon on a toasted French roll with poached eggs and hollandaise make up the weekend breakfast.
Location: 128 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-499-0269 or gmigs.com
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For nostalgic dishes: Bix & Co.
Good food comes in the form of comfort dishes and menu items celebrating Des Moines' favorite restaurants at this Valley Junction spot. Bix & Co. offers around 30 big screen TVs that mean the game is never far away. Chef Joe Formaro serves green pepper rings fried with a light batter, Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds in a beer batter, and Italian nachos with Graziano's sausage and peppers for appetizers, as well as a crispy tavern-crust pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and a smoked Gouda grilled cheese with a caramelized onion and mushroom hash.
Location: 111 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-661-1595 or bixandco-wdm.com
For dishes with musical names: Mitzi’s Kitchen & Cocktails
This cool restaurant has clever names based on bands and song lyrics for each dish, such as great balls of ham (ham and bacon balls), Iggy pops (cream cheese, goat cheese and pepperjack in a panko-crusted jalapeno), Joy Division (two beef patties topped with bacon, a fried egg and cheddar cheese), Some Kind of Wonderful (breakfast poutine), and Breakfast at Mitzi’s (cheesy hash browns with sausage and scrambled eggs). Do try some of the cocktails such as the Sweet Carameline with Bailey’s salted caramel, the London’s Burning bloody Mary or Should I Stay or Should I Go? mimosas.
Location: 206 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-528-2075 or mitziswdm.com
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For divine Chinese and Vietnamese food: Heavenly Asian Cuisine & Lounge
This Valley Junction Chinese restaurant reopened recently. Look for favorites such as empress chicken; chicken, pork, beef or shrimp with snow pea pods; broccoli chicken, pork, beef or shrimp; or twice cooked pork, as well as a range of vegan dishes. Heavenly Asian also serves Vietnamese dishes such as pho, banh mi, and vermicelli noodle bowls. It’s also one of the few Des Moines restaurants serving hot pots.
Location: 225 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-255-5598 or tianluiowa.com
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For Prohibition-style cocktails: Winchester Public House
This bar calls itself a “Prohibition-style pub” that combines its own cocktails with modern takes on classic drinks.
Location: 224 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-449-4002 or winchester.pub
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Where to shop in Valley Junction
For antiques: Memory Lane
Discover antique furniture, vintage toys, dishware, wall decor and so much more inside Memory Lane, an antique and collectible shop that is home to numerous vendors and their curated finds. Rummage through different rooms and areas inside a store that’s larger than what it may appear on the outside.
Location: 208 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-279-5440
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For unique gifts: Bing’s
Plan to take your time inside Bing’s, which advertises one thing: selling things that make people happy. Find gifts for bookworms, cat lovers, merch repping your favorite pop star and all kinds of witty one-liners and phrases across kitchen towels to glassware. Say hi to Penny while you’re there, Bing’s shop dog.
Location: 213 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: bingsdsm.com or 515-279-3141
For Iowa goods: Heart of Iowa Market Place
Gift someone something from Iowa, or something representing Iowa. Find goods from the Amana Colonies, the villages in Eastern Iowa known for its German history and ties, to Iowa State Cyclones goods. Be sure to indulge in some fudge at the souvenir and boutique shop, too.
Location: 211 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-274-4692
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For women's fashion: Hinge
The charming storefront painted Robin’s egg blue is just as aesthetically pleasing on the inside as it is outside. The front of Hinge has trendy women’s apparel. On its second floor, find apparel for babies and toddlers. Make your way toward the back of the shop and find home décor, including pillows, wall hangings and knickknacks to adorn your shelves or gift to others.
Location: 317 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: hingeon5th.com or 515-777-2770
For an independent bookstore: Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe
Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe opened in early 2023, owned by Linzi Murray, a Drake University graduate. Step inside for java and browse the bookstore’s selections, from science fiction and fantasy to young adult. Or, check out buzzworthy titles and newer releases up front.
Location: 315 Fifth Street, suite 100, West Des Moines
Contact: readinginpublic.com
For homemade fudge: Nan’s Nummies
This corner store candy shop known for almond cream cookies, homemade fudge and various candies has treated customers in Valley Junction for 35 years. Indulge in baked goods such as frosted cookies and other sweets in a candy shop that has a classic look.
Location: 501 Elm St., West Des Moines
Contact: nansnummies.com or 515-277-2201
For funky costumes: Atomic Garage
Whether you need a look from the 1970s or not, step into Atomic Garage and take in the retro outfits for sale or to rent. Atomic Garage is perfect for finding a costume or the finishing touches to your funky aesthetic. Find men and women’s apparel, shoes and accessories from the 1980s and earlier, according to its Facebook page.
Location: 127 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: 515-274-8787
For the mixologist in your life: Blind Pig
The intimate shop sells a selection of alcoholic beverages, including rums and the Korean spirit soju, to barware and other equipment to make and serve the perfect drink.
Location: 222 Fifth St., West Des Moines
Contact: blindpig.shop
Things to do in Valley Junction
Go see “Limelight,” the whimsical artwork that looks like plants sprouting, by Tim Adams. A nearby bench makes it easy to people watch or figure out which shop you want to visit next. Find it on the walkway on the west side of the 200 block of Fifth Street.
Then, relax with a cup of coffee and furry, four-legged friends at Coffee Cats, 312 Fifth St. in West Des Moines. Make a reservation and or try your chance as a walk-in. Spend an hour in the cat lounge and meet adoptable felines from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa as you enjoy a beverage, including coffees from Grounds for Celebration, or sweets, according to the cafe.
Art lovers will want to step inside the several galleries in Valley Junction, including the Kavanaugh Art Gallery (228 Fifth St., West Des Moines) and the Olson-Larsen Galleries (542 Fifth St., West Des Moines).
Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Have a dish she should try? You can reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Best places to eat, drink and shop at in historic Valley Junction
