Inspiring Iowans: Kathy Fehrman on her inspiration to open Oak Park
Hear Oak Park owner Kathy Fehrman share the her motivation and vision behind Oak Park in Des Moines.
Three Iowa restaurants were recognized by Midwest Living as serving some of the best dishes in the Midwest last year.
The magazine dedicated to the region’s culture and lifestyle recently released its list of the best dishes in the Midwest in 2025. Staff were asked about the best meals they had across the Midwest all year, and they came up with a list of 18 dishes spanning eight states.
What were the best dishes in Iowa in 2025, according to Midwest Living?
Here are the two restaurants featured on Midwest Living’s list and the dishes they chose:
Lavender Eggs at Masao in Des MoinesCampanelle with Caledonian Blue Prawns from Oak Park in Des MoinesTie Dye New York-Style Pizza at Driftless Pizza Co in DubuqueWhat makes Masao’s Lavender Eggs one of the best dishes in the Midwest?
Hannah Agran, Midwest Living’s executive editor, praised the Japanese- and French-inspired restaurant’s luxuriant take on the classic breakfast dish.
“I would never have thought I’d order a plate of scrambled eggs during a special-occasion dinner — but that’s exactly what I did at Masao,” Agran wrote. “These are not the eggs of Tuesday morning craziness, nor even the eggs of Sunday morning laziness. They are a luxuriant, buttery puddle of plush, soft-set goodness, infused with lavender and topped with caviar and crème fraîche.”
Nick Hanke, owner of Masao, opened the restaurant in spring 2025 at the former Miyabi 9 space in Des Moines’ East Village. Hanke, who learned sushi techniques from the former owner of Miyabi, crafted Masao’s menu to focus on high-quality ingredients and a blend of Japanese and French culinary approaches.
What makes Campanelle with Caledonian Blue Prawns from Oak Park one of the best dishes in the Midwest?
“As someone who lives in Des Moines, I feel incredibly lucky to have Oak Park in my city,” wrote Julia Sayers Gokhale, senior travel editor at Midwest Living. “I celebrated my birthday here in October, just in time to catch the last week of their seasonal campanelle dish. Plump Scottish prawns and handmade pasta swam in a luscious saffron beurre monte (butter sauce), complemented with Iowa sweet corn and crispy fried shallots.”
Oak Park is a New American restaurant that opened in 2023 and leans into French cooking techniques. The Ingersoll Avenue restaurant was one of 44 named to USA TODAY’s Restaurants of the Year list in 2025.
Where: 3901 Ingersoll Ave., Des MoinesContact: 515-620-2185 or oakparkdsm.comWhat makes the Tie Dye Pizza at Driftless Pizza Co. one of the best dishes in the Midwest?
“When it comes to pizza, sometimes simplicity really is best. The Tie Dye pizza from Driftless Pizza Co. surprised me in the best way and had me going back for more,” wrote Erin Keeffer, associate art director at Midwest Living. “The slow-fermented dough was really delicious with a subtle, tangy flavor you can really taste.”
Driftless Pizza Co. opened in Dubuque in June 2024 by Jacob Simmons, co-founder of Backpocket Brewing. Driftless Pizza offers both New York- and Detroit-style pizza.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
Dining and Cooking