Ask Alumni: What Are Your Favorite Iowa City Foods?
PHOTO: JUSTIN TORNER/UI OFFICE OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
UI students enjoy outdoor dining downtown on the Iowa City Ped Mall.
Pregame burgers with friends at Micky’s, falafel pitas between classes at Oasis, and late-night Pokey Stix delivered to the dorm. Years after leaving Iowa City, those flavorful memories remain for alumni.
As Iowa Magazine’s staff cooks up a special food-themed issue for this summer, we recently asked alumni to share with us their favorite Iowa City eats. Here are a few of your responses—an appetizer of the stories to come.
“Despite living across the river in the Quad, we would often make our way to Pagliai’s on Sunday evening when the cafeteria was closed. Best pizza in Iowa City, then and now.”
—Brad Davis (77BA, 16MA), Coralville
“I lived in the dorms for three years and was never disappointed with what the dining halls had to offer. However, I still love stopping by Oasis for their gyros, falafel, and hummus. Oasis is a great local spot that never disappoints.”
—Hayley Masching (21BA, 23JD), Coralville
“For over 30 years, my wife, Kim (98BA), and I have loved Pokey Stix from Gumby’s. These breadsticks bring back fond memories of our time on campus and were a must-have request to bring home to Chicago when Kim was pregnant with our boys. To this day, we still remember the phone number—35-GUMBY!”
—Jake Chung (96BA), Arlington Heights, Illinois
“Mesa Pizza because it had such unique combinations that I haven’t found anywhere else. I also loved Whitey’s Ice Cream—my friends and I would make a habit of stopping there together.”
—Wendy Sweeney (10BBA, 15MA), Dubuque, Iowa
“When going back to Iowa City, a staple I get every time is Pop’s BBQ. The pulled pork sandwich and sweet potato fries with their homemade barbecue sauce brings back memories of warm summer days in Iowa City and the smell of their smoking process.”
—Angie Benda (19BA, 19BS), Omaha, Nebraska
“I lived across the street from the Vine in Iowa City my junior year. It was so easy to run over there and get a late-night drink, listen to some live music, and share some apps. We also used it as a starting place for everyone we were going out with that night. Nice to see it’s still around.”
—Kim White (87BS), Huntington Beach, California
“Hamburg Inn cheeseburgers; the juice would be dripping down your chin, and the cheddar was divine.”
—Kimberly Reed (71BGS), Des Moines
“I was lucky enough to grow up in Iowa City and frequent Dane’s Dairy whenever the moment ‘mooved’ us. There are fond memories of taking elementary field trips to the Danes’ farm and topping off the day with a swirl cone. While attending the UI, I always made sure to introduce Dane’s to friends, and eventually to our kids. Even though we live out of state, Dane’s Dairy is a must-stop to enjoy a sweet treat and sweet memories.”
—Patrice Hynek (88BS), Mount Juliet, Tennessee
“The burger basket at Micky’s was the first meal I had as a student at Iowa during orientation. It became my go-to when it was a weekly special.”
—Matthew Engelbert (93BS), Oxford, Mississippi