PicoBlog

Review of Mulberry Street Tavern
Surety Hotel, Downtown Des Moines
206 6th Ave.; (515) 985-2066

Recently, when some friends and I were deciding where to dine out, one pal mentioned that her “current obsession” was Mulberry Street Tavern. She’d dined there six or seven times in the past three months. “Lovely service. Good veg options,” she said, especially recommending the cauliflower steak with banana-pepper coulis.

“Plus, it’s cozy,” she added.

I have to admit, I was intrigued—especially since my own recent visit to Mulberry Street Tavern had been a bit mixed.

After a second (and very successful) visit with my friends, I can highly recommend this spot—but with a couple caveats.

I love everything about the dining room—especially the exceedingly warm glow from the buzzy-but-not-noisy open kitchen and the astoundingly generous windows that look out over two of the most beautiful historical buildings in downtown Des Moines: that Beaux-Arts courthouse and the wondrously Art Deco Iowa-Des Moines National Bank building. When the current tenant, U.S. Bank, keeps the lights on at night, the ornate leaded windows are illuminated by the glow from the soaring, three-story lobby inside.

And of course, the Surety Bank Building is a Beaux-Art beauty in itself. The dining room is thoroughly contemporary, but the high-backed booths, warm wood furnishings, and the modern take on the classic zinc bar bring plenty of warmth—and verve. Plus, those windows! The streetscape offers the sense of place I love when dining downtown. Or anywhere.

In short, the entire place glows in a way that makes it perfect on a dark winter night.

What follows is for paid subscribers only. I’m sorry to put up a paywall, but as you can imagine, in-depth coverage of the dining scene takes time and money. I appreciate the support of my paid subscribers, who believe that writers should be compensated for their work.

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