13 minute read
Table With a View
GoOd Taste, Great art
Restaurateurs look to local creatives to elevate the dining (and living) experience.
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BY ANDREA TRUITT
Even if you’re in it for the food and drink, a good view never hurts. At restaurants across the CRANDIC, that view is enhanced by artists.
The confluence of art and food is visible in everything from grab-and-go items eaten on brightly painted picnic benches dotting Iowa City’s downtown, to an intentional sit-down meal (with reservations even!) against the backdrop of a bold and colorful mural. Art adds immeasurably to these simple pleasures and ordinary activities.
Marcia Bollinger, City of Iowa City Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator, says that murals offer “a visual reprieve” from the flow and movement of people in commercial areas. “The movement towards murals seems to have blossomed in the past 10 years or so,” Bollinger said, and given the continual requests for proposals, there are no signs that Eastern Iowa’s interest in this genre is waning.
And if you haven’t guessed already, they also provide economic advantages.
“The financial benefit of murals in these commercial spaces is threefold,” Wendy Ford, City of Iowa City Economic Development Coordinator, said. “It is realized by increased foot traffic, interest in locating businesses in an environment that values art, and the motivation of property owners to continue investment in their neighboring properties.”
Another related advantage is that murals and visual art can capture a venue’s personality. In Iowa City, Studio 13 owner Jason Zeman says that Ali Hval’s multicolored and lighted mural outside his space encourages people to linger in the alleyway and use it as a photo-op.
And for Katy Meyer, Trumpet Blossom Cafe’s owner-chef, Thomas Agran’s large-format flowers on the building’s west facade attract passersby with their “striking lushness.” The mural’s emphasis on native flora reflects Meyer’s culinary ethos of providing quality, locally sourced, plant-based food.
These connections create a rootedness and a sense of place.
To Jamie Boling, the best outcome for an establishment is to have art that allows the patron—through an aesthetic experience—to access the establishment’s unique “atmosphere and vibe.” Boling created Freudian Slip on the Map Room in Cedar Rapids, which, along with the restaurant’s patio, marks the space as an oasis in a parking lot.
“Inspired by the theme of the restaurant,” said Nick Ludwig, co-chair of Cedar
Above: Jamie Boling, Freudian Slip, Map Room, Cedar Rapids Zak Neuman / Little Village Right: Thomas Agran, Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City Jordan Sellergren
Rapids-based nonprofit Murals and More, which coordinated the effort, “Jamie created a rendering incorporating elements from century-old maps of Cedar Rapids and Marion.”
Even if the bottom line for art on restaurants and bars is increased foot traffic and sales, it still adds beauty to otherwise drab surroundings. Murals can transform mediocre apartment buildings, parking lots, construction sites and dumpster-filled alleyways. In the case of Drew Etienne’s work, artwork literally transforms the road, as part of the temporary patio arrangement on Iowa City’s North Linn Street.
Murals act as beacons, identifiers, landmarks, brand enhancers, photo opportunities, outdoor décor, points of interest and free entertainment. They are crucial for placemaking, and vital to our community’s wellbeing, artists, city officials and business owners agree. Perhaps most importantly, outdoor murals allow everyone to experience and interact with art—something that, Boling notes, is hard to find in a gallery or museum.
Fresh Brew
Neighborhood coffee joints have remained a source of comfort and caffeine during these uncertain times. The CRANDIC area is overflowing with options, many new to the scene, while others recently expanded or pivoted to meet community needs.
Daydrink, Iowa City Zak Neumann / Little Village
Daydrink
125 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, daydrink.coffee Daydrink opened in September of 2020 within the Basic Goods store at 125 S Dubuque St. The space is small but inviting, lit by large windows and lined with wooden tables and cheery yellow chairs. The menu has all the classics as well as pour-overs for purists who want a well-crafted black coffee. Daydrink roasts and brews their own blend as well as featuring other roasters including Des Moines-based Horizon Line. You can order at the counter inside or from the walk-up window that looks out onto the Ped Mall. To-go beverages are poured into a glass jar that is yours to keep and can be brought back and refilled at your next visit.
Roaster’s Library Edition
405 5th St SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-739-0499, roasterscr.com The NewBo City Market staple has expanded to a new location, taking over the space formerly occupied by the Greyhound Deli inside the downtown location of the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Roaster’s Library Edition has retained some of Greyhound’s menu items while adding items that devotees of the NewBo location will know and love. You can order from the counter while you look for your next favorite read or swing by their drive-through window. Stop in for a full array of coffees, teas, smoothies and a food menu offering a variety of breakfast and lunch items. With menu items as affordable as $3.75, there is a bite for every budget.
Press Coffee
1120 N Dodge St, Iowa City, 319887-1500, presscoffeeco.com Formerly located on Oakdale Boulevard in Coralville, Press Coffee has reopened under new ownership at a new location on Dodge Street. The building that houses Press sat empty for several years and was fully renovated for its new occupant. The location boasts front and back patios and a handy drivethrough window for commuters and the inviting interior is full of gleaming subway tile and cozy nooks perfect for settling in to meet that deadline. In keeping with their name, their specialty is French pressed coffee, available in sizes just right for one person or for sharing with friends. You can also stop by to get your Donutland doughnut fix.
Tru Coffee
287 N Linn St, Iowa City Opened in June 2021 by Dash Coffee Roasters alum Haley Kesterson, Tru Coffee takes its name from the owner’s mother and boasts the motto “People first, coffee second.” The airy space features ample seating, a hand-painted bar and a regularly refreshed selection of vintage and resale clothing from local thrifters. In addition to espresso and pour-over coffees, you can order locally sourced pastries or take-home beans from Cat Cloud and DAYDRINK.
Kismet Coffee & Bloom
1000 3rd St SE Ste 1, Cedar Rapids, 319-200-3218, kismetcoffeebloom.com In November 2021 husband and wife Jeremiah Kasner and
Maya Gonlubol opened Kismet Coffee & Bloom, bringing the unique combo of a coffee shop and floral studio to the NewBo neighborhood. Located in the historic Dostal House, Kismet is a joyful space filled with vintage furniture, Pop art and photos of some well known Cedar Rapids faces. The first floor is given over to a cooler with readymade floral arrangements and a coffee bar where you can order your usual. Choose from one of their regularly changing specials or a bag of beans from East One Coffee Roasters, a sustainable, LGBTQ roaster based in Brooklyn. Head upstairs and treat yourself to the flower bar where you can choose stems for a floral arrangement of your own making. In addition to the options available in-house, you can order bouquets and arrangements for local delivery or sign up for their monthly Bloom and Brew subscription online.
Lightworks Cafe
501 7th Ave SE Ste B, Cedar Rapids, 319-449-4046 lightworkscafe.com This downtown Cedar Rapids staple has adapted to our new COVID-19 reality by switching to a takeout only model, turning their signature garage door into an order and pickup window, complete with art by a local creative. They’ve also expanded their cheery patio to offer additional outdoor seating. In addition to their expertly crafted coffee beverages and menu staples like sandwiches and pastries, they offer regularly changing take-home meal options, including quarts of soup, take-and-bake pot pies and cookies and even their amazing biscuits. All of it is served up with the same kindness and cheer that regulars have come to love. Stop by for a beverage—their seasonal flavored syrups and lattes are dynamite—or their famous buffalo chicken sandwich or a bag of beans from Onyx roasters.
Frankie Schneckloth Daydrink, Iowa City Zak Neumann / Little Village
FOR A HORCHATA FIX
Mammita’s
24 S Linn St Iowa City, (319) 569-1067, mammitascoffee.com A not-too-sweet horchata latte and a pan dulce from Mammita’s makes for a brilliant morning. The Cuban sandwich is also excellent if you find yourself near the shop around lunchtime.
FOR COFFEE AND CURIOSITIES
Fuel
103 1st St W NE, Mt Vernon, 319895-8429, fuelespresso.art At Fuel, they’ll brew you a killer coffee, you can order a slice of The Local Crumb spelt toast slathered with butter and cinnamon sugar and you can browse the selection of unique artisan-made goods.
Made from Scratch
If you’re on the hunt for an award-winning bread program, a neighborhood gem or the most satisfying cookies, these bakers have what you’re looking for.
Deluxe Cakes & Pastries
812 S Summit St, Iowa City, 319-338-5000, deluxeiowa.com Walking in the front door of this neighborhood bakery is an immediate mood-lifter and hits reset on any bad mood, grumbly interaction or sour note. Truly. If you’re having a rotten day, take a break and treat yourself to a
Deluxe Cakes
& Pastries, Iowa City Zak Neumann / Little Village little pause at Deluxe. Tell me you don’t feel better. As soon as you enter, there’s an array of gorgeous baked goods lined up to greet you and a friendly face behind the counter to serve you. The amazing team of skilled years. After settling in Iowa City following stints working in kitchens and bakeries around the world, the team has developed a diverse menu which includes a variety of items ranging from finely layered, shatteringly good croissants and pains au chocolat to old fashioned coffee cake and beautifully nuanced cookies. Bread Worthy mills their own flour and berries in-house and has a keen eye for quality ingredients, using only the finest chocolates, artisan organic flours and silky traditionally crafted French butter.
The Local Crumb
thelocalcrumb.com This first-rate bakery, operated by James Beard Outstanding Baker 2022 semi-finalist Aaron Hall, exists without a true brick and mortar location. The baking operation is housed in a former school-turned-community-center in Mt Vernon, and pre-orders are made online and available for weekly in-person pickup in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Delivery is offered through Gallop Courier. The cornerstone of Hall’s bakery is bread and this narrow focus affords him the ability to craft impeccable loaves of sourdough bread that incorporate heirloom flours and ancient grains. Everything you sample from The Local Crumb, from the seeded sourdough, to the brioche rolls or the everything bagels has been executed with precision and attention to
bakers is on full display so you can sip your espresso and watch someone else work for a bit. The pastries here are exceptional. As mentioned, you’ll find the cases lined with bronzed buttery croissants (order the apricot when it’s available!) and beautifully assembled fruit tarts alongside an assortment of other delights both sweet and savory. The quiche is superb with its crackly, croissant crust and rich savory custard filling. Quite honestly, they make the best baguettes in town, hands down. Come a bit ahead of lunchtime and the bakers have transformed those already perfect baguettes into perfectly unfussy French sammies ripe for midday enjoyment. In the summer months when their ice cream is on offer, stop by for an inventive yet refined twist on classic soft serve.
Bread Worthy Bakery
Breadworthy.com Bread Worthy Bakery is a licensed home bakery located on the east side of Iowa City that creates exceptional pastries and baked goods. Their “Saturday Bake Offs” are open for pre-order throughout the winter months, but when the weather warms, you’ll find them at the Iowa City Farmers Market on Saturdays. The ordering and pickup process is simple and streamlined, and the pre-order process affords you something concrete and guaranteed to look forward to when the weekend arrives—impeccably crafted pastries made just for you. Operated by Colleen Brenann and her partner Erick Dole, the pair met in pastry school in Florence, Italy and dreamed of opening a place of their own for
detail. It’s more than obvious the care Hall takes in producing his goods based on visual appearance alone—the breads are richly colored and beautifully shaped—but the subtle distinction in flavor profiles and the variance in crumb and texture across offerings shows a true understanding and appreciation for the art and science of baking. The Local Crumb partners with many area restaurants to keep them stocked with high-quality bakes. You’ll notice his handiwork on the menu at The Webster and on the weekend-only menu at DAYDRINK in Iowa City and Cobble Hill Restaurant in Cedar Rapids.
Rustic Hearth Bread
3531 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-200-4008, rustichearthbakery.com Rustic Hearth Bread was recently voted Food & Wine’s best bread in Iowa in 2022, and for good reason. The team of bakers begin by milling their own flour before they set out to bake the deep-toned, naturally-leavened loaves they’re known for. While the sourdough loaves might get star billing, the rest of their menu is marvelous, too, more than worthy of sampling your way through. The sandwich breads elevate anything put betwixt a pair of hearty slices, and the Breakfast Loaf—a whole wheat loaf marbled with seeds, nuts and dried fruit—will give you something to look forward to when that alarm sounds in the morning. The baguettes are thick with a beautiful coloration and a chewy, light interior. When asked for their recommendation, the regulars patiently waiting in line first suggested the pretzel rolls, followed by the cookies, before ultimately deciding on the croissants. Not all items are made every day but the bakery peppers in monthly bread specials and Saturday-specific items like filled doughnuts, turnovers and kouign amann. FYI: Having some of their whole wheat pizza dough stashed in your freezer at home is like money in the bank, so it never hurts to throw a few in with your next order.
More Delectable Delights
FOR THE OOEY-GOOEY-FROSTING-LOADED CINNAMON ROLL LOVER
Kettel House Bakery
945 6th Ave, Marion, 319-310-5509 According to staff, the majority of people visiting the shop have their sights set on the bakery’s signature rolls. On many days, these sugary treats are sold out by eight am.
FOR HOUSEBAKED BREAD TURNED INTO LUNCH Great Harvest Bread Company 5070 Lindale Dr NE, Cedar Rapids, 319-826-6357, greatharvestcedarrapids.com Have the bakery staff turn a few slices of the best looking loaf into a hearty sandwich made to your liking, or pair with your favorite soup for a classic combo.
FOR THE COOKIE-LOVER
ShawnnieCakes
1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-412-5000, shawnniecakes.com Don’t be fooled: the Toffee Butter Cookies are super simple, but super good. To the unacquainted, they might not seem like the impressive choice (check out the pies and pound cakes) but when sampling and sharing with family, we all got a little greedy for the last bite.
