Before we even entered the restaurant, I felt the excitement creep in. Right in front of me was history, Des Moines history: tiled flooring reading “The Empire.”
The Empire, a restaurant both new and old, opened last month in the Court District, at 223 4th St. Just a short DART bus ride away from Drake University, it serves a tight menu of historic-inspired food, coffee, cocktails and some modern energy drinks. While it may not be in Dogtown, The Empire is worth a visit from Drake students, especially history majors or people who are looking for a quick bite in the Court District.
The original Empire opened in 1905, but it closed only a year later. The space has since hosted other eateries, most notably Fong’s Pizza. When Fong’s Pizza moved to the East Village, the owners uncovered the tiling during the move-out. After some research and renovation, The Empire reopened as an eatery with a historic feel.
As a history nut, I’d been meaning to visit for weeks, so when a fellow history-lover, my dad, came to visit, I knew it was the perfect time. We stopped by for dinner before a show at the Des Moines Civic Center, both of us excited to see the restaurant’s interior.
The Empire’s walls are lined with photographs and images of Des Moines from decades past, hanging above wood paneling and tiled floors. The period-appropriate sign hanging outside gives it a fun and welcoming feel, like I could have stepped off a train. Above the counter hangs the menu, written in lovely handwriting on a chalkboard.
I cannot praise the feel of the place enough, which was done with help from a gem of Des Moines, West End Salvage. West End Salvage is an antique store that also serves some of my favorite hot chocolate in the city. The store contributed to giving The Empire its historic feel through its knowledge of history as an antique store.
The menu also has a historic feel, with dishes like a Coney dog and drinks like an Empire old-fashioned. A few of the dishes have their own spin, like the Reuben’s Rich Uncle or The Empire beef sandwich, but most are classic dishes that most people know.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of vegetarian options besides grilled cheese. I would love to see more creativity or expansion in that field, even if that is just period-appropriate salads.
The Empire also offers seasonal drinks. This is always fun and a great way to get me to go back to a place, but those drinks could stand to be more unique. For example, their current fall beverage is pumpkin-flavored, which is a drink I could get in most other places.
For my meal, I enjoyed my shrimp cocktail, especially the sauce, which had a fun kick to it. The shrimp had a nice, chewy texture, and it came in a fun cocktail glass that felt very fancy, at least to this broke college student.
The prices felt very reasonable, too, with no dishes above $12 on the menu. Some sandwiches are even $5, which, for today, is fabulous.
On the counter were some pastries, which looked delicious, and if it were breakfast time, I would have ordered some. I can imagine stopping here for a hot drink and flaky croissant, especially given its convenient location downtown near the DART Central Station and the Civic Center. Most of the restaurants there only offer lunch and dinner, so having a place to purchase hot breakfast beverages is a much-needed addition to the area.
I can’t wait to see where The Empire goes, as I hope it will expand its menu in the future. I could also see some fun events happening here, like murder mystery dinners or themed lunches. But for now, The Empire is a fun way to hop into old Des Moines, and somewhere I look forward to revisiting soon.
