One month down, ten more to go!
In January, we kicked off Listener Lunch 2026, announcing our very first of eleven restaurants we are set to dine at this year. We had some fantastic pizza, calzones, and pasta from Dua Pie in Downtown Cedar Rapids, but in February, we’re changing things up! Instead of Italian food, we’ll be enjoying BREAKFAST food from…
Riley’s Cafe on 5th!About Riley’s
Riley’s Cafe, located at 804 5th St SE in Cedar Rapids, is a returning Listener Lunch favorite. We did our first month of Listener Lunch there in early 2025, and we’re very excited to back!
Although Riley’s does have lunch options, it’s really difficult for Brain and I to stray from the all-day breakfast menu. Between the breakfast sandwiches, burritos, omelettes, shipwrecks, benedicts, pancakes, and French toast, there are just too many good options! I mean, just look at this breakfast quesadilla…
But, if you win lunch with us in February, you can choose whatever you want from the menu! That includes the breakfast AND lunch options. Items on the lunch menu include specialty grilled cheeses, salads, tenderloins, burgers, sandwiches, sides, and more.
Riley’s Cafe on 5th is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but if you’d like to join us for a FREE lunch in February, get signed up for Listener Lunch HERE! We take a new work group out each Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. If your group is chosen, you can bring up to six others with you, and we will pick up the tab. We always call our winner on the Friday prior to the next lunch to confirm that they can make it, so if you see us calling, make sure you answer the phone!
If your schedule or location doesn’t fit with our Listener Lunch schedule, no worries! Each Wednesday morning during the show, we give away a $50 gift card to that month’s restaurant, that way you can enjoy a free meal on your own time.
We hope to see you in February!
READ MORE: Courtlin Explores the Cedar Valley 2026 — Part OneRomantic Restaurants in the Corridor
With the help of Google, Yelp, and Trip Advisor, we put together a list of restaurants in the Corridor with menus that are considered to be a little more trendy or “upscale.” Perfect for Valentine’s Day, or just a date night! Here are 25+ restaurants across Linn and Johnson County:
Gallery Credit: Courtlin
The 25 Best Things I Ate At Iowa Restaurants in 2025
In no particular order, here are 25 of the BEST menu items I ate at local restaurants this year in Eastern Iowa (and one in West Des Moines!):
Gallery Credit: Courtlin
Dining and Cooking