The Waukee Brief
Trying to settle the "where do we eat tonight" debate? Waukee is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa, and its dining scene has grown up with it, spread along Alice's Road, Hickman Road, and the new Kettlestone district. Here are the local favorites by cuisine, from grill-your-own steaks to New York slices to a burger and a beer. Details are point-in-time (mid-2026); a good meal is forever.
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Steak · Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge, where you grill your own Iowa cut over an open hearth, or Firebirds Wood Fired Grill for a wood-fired sit-down.
Pizza · Taste of New York Pizza for New York slices and Scorno's Pizza & Pasta for East Coast thin crust. See the full Waukee pizza guide.
Mexican · Panchero's Mexican Grill for a fast, build-your-own burrito.
Burgers · Central Standard Craft Burgers & Beer, plus Wayback Burgers, whose first Iowa location opened in Waukee in 2026.
Breakfast & brunch · Littleleaf Luncheonette in Old Town and The Breakfast Club at Kettlestone. See our Waukee breakfast guide.
Coffee · The Coffeesmith on Alice's Road is the independent local favorite; see the Waukee coffee guide.
Note: Barn Town Brewing and Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster sit in the University Avenue complex right on the Waukee and West Des Moines line, so their mailing address reads West Des Moines. Locals count them as Waukee's own.
For date night in Waukee, Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge is the memorable pick, since grilling your own steak makes the night part of the meal. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is the easy wood-fired option, and Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster on University Avenue does a raw bar and Northwoods plates. For a bigger night out, the Jordan Creek area of West Des Moines is about ten minutes east.
Waukee is growing fast, and the Kettlestone district keeps adding restaurants. We feature new openings in the weekly Brief. Recommend a place and we'll check it out.
Waukee's local favorites span cuisines and price points: Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge for grill-your-own Iowa steaks, Taste of New York Pizza and Scorno's Pizza & Pasta for East Coast pizza, Littleleaf Luncheonette in Old Town for a from-scratch breakfast and lunch, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill for a wood-fired dinner, and Central Standard Craft Burgers & Beer for burgers. Waukee is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa, so new spots open often, most clustered along Alice's Road, Hickman Road, and the Kettlestone district.
Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge on Ute Avenue is the one to try first if you have not been: it is a grill-your-own steakhouse, where you cook your own Iowa-raised steak over an open hearth. It is a genuine Dallas County original rather than a chain.
For a dressier sit-down, Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill are the in-town picks. Just over the line on University Avenue, Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster serves Northwoods-style dining and a raw bar. For a bigger night out, the Jordan Creek area of West Des Moines is about ten minutes away.
Yes. Littleleaf Luncheonette in Old Town, Rube's Steakhouse & Lounge, Taste of New York Pizza and Scorno's Pizza & Pasta are all locally owned. Barn Town Brewing, a Waukee-founded brewery on University Avenue, is another homegrown favorite.
Pizza: Taste of New York Pizza (New York style) and Scorno's Pizza & Pasta (East Coast thin crust), plus Pizza Ranch for a buffet. Mexican: Panchero's Mexican Grill. Burgers: Central Standard Craft Burgers & Beer and Wayback Burgers, whose first Iowa location opened in Waukee in 2026.
The Kettlestone district is Waukee's fastest-growing dining area. The Breakfast Club opened a location at Kettlestone Central in 2026, Wayback Burgers opened its first Iowa store in Waukee the same year, and Exile Brewing is bringing a second taproom to the coming Kettlestone Social food hall. We track new openings each week in the free Brief.