Noodle Zoo
601 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA, 50309
Noodle Zoo Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Des Moines for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
601 E Locust St
Des Moines, IA, 50309 - Phone (515) 282-6281
- Website https://www.noodlezoo.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 5:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Michael G.
Walk by this place everyday on my lunch break and finally decided to try it. Food was decent however packaged to go badly. My salad was so warm I couldn't tell if it was suppose to be that way or not. The pasta was excellent except cooler than the salad and a bit greasey but I didn't mind. The wife had a sandwich and salad with same observation of her salad as me. The sandwich was ok nothing special. The smell of this place every time we walked by was deceiving we may need to give it another try and eat in.
(2)Edward F.
The sun dried tomato chicken sandwich is amazing.I wish I was in the downtown area more to enjoy this place. May have to take a long lunch more often.
(4)Chris B.
In my experience thus far, Noodle Zoo has proven to be a solid lunch spot with the potential to become one of my favorites. The side salads that come with both noodles and sandwiches are actually pretty good - more than just lettuce and dressing. The focaccia bread is great. Was served warm, very soft, and had just a slight crunch to it. I'm honestly not sure how it could have been better. Having had both a noodle dish and a pretty great sandwich, I would recommend both. The chicken here is way better than at someplace like Noodles and Company. Way better. I have but two complaints: 1. The prices (everything is a buck or so more than it should be) and I guess the management(?). I have seen the employees get overwhelmed during a particularly busy period; one of them straight up admitted that. It is also so damn dark from the outside that it is hard to ever tell whether or not they are actually open. It is not like I could do better but if those in charge could get things more figured out, then that would elevate things for themselves and for their customers.
(4)Teal R.
Still don't understand the Noodle Zoo hype. It is an OK option for lunch, but there are so many other great options just blocks away. It's a pretty pricey spot as well and their menu is just kind of 'blah'.
(2)Kristyn M.
This is my favorite guilty, delicious, pleasure of a lunch. Love this East side treasure. I don't get to that part of town very often in time for lunch. Once in a great while I get the pleasure to stop in and I order the house salad and I get it to go. This takes only moments as it's always a quick meal to prepare. I have been coming to this place for a long long while. Maybe not just this location but the other delicious locations they used to have. The ambiance is fun and fancy together. Very chic decorations. Sometimes it's hard to tell if they are open but if the doors are wide open you ate in for some good food. Walk up to the counter and the menus are fun and easy to ready. Once you put in the order you have a seat and have a short wait. I am never disappointed with the food and never ever disappointed with portion size. Even on the orders to go there is so much food. You will not go hungry. I am stuck on the house salad. I just can't get enough. The focaccia bread is delicious and served warm with just the perfect crunch to go with any meal or for their sandwich. This family owned place is a great Des Moines gem.
(5)Jeff B.
Nice downtown place to catch lunch. Nice variety in the menu. Staff are very nice. We had a group of 10-11 people and we sat at 3 different tables, but amazingly our food all arrived almost at the same time.
(4)Diane A.
Noodle Zoo's menu is very reminiscent of Corner Bakery's Menu (in the west coast)... I made it a point to come in after the lunch hour...to avoid the crowds, but the interior is nicely and artfully decorated...its actually a really great place to hang out in, if you want to read a book or get some work done. Annnd their bathroom is clean! haha! Okay, now onto the food...my boyfriend and I both ordered pasta dishes. I had the Thai Pasta and he ordered the Pasta Primavera. The owner was at the counter and was very helpful in answering our questions, and she seemed very personable and friendly...and not showy. I like that. When the food came out, it was served on a platter with cesar salad, 2 slices of their Foccacia bread, and a bowl of pasta. The portions looked unassuming and rather small and my boyfriend whispered over to me, "so where are we eating next"...but the serving is actually very adequate! We both left full and our hunger satiated! The Cesar salad was delicious...a little warm considering its a salad, but good nonetheless, and a surprise I enjoyed, little bits of pasta in the salad which made for great texture! The foccacia bread, the boyfriend wolfed down...and when I finally had a bite myself, I could see why. It was delicious! Now onto the pastas, the pasta primavera was delicious and came with huge shrimps! The Thai pasta was okay...I got full quick, and passed it onto my boyfriend for him to finished, and he commented that the cook had a heavy hand on the soy sauce since it was too salty. I enjoyed dining @ Noodle Zoo and will probably continue to visit whenever I'm in the East Village area.
(4)Hillary B.
The food was great... but was it worth the wait? I had the sun-dried tomato chicken grill sandwich with a salad. The food was tasty, but considering I was on my lunch break, the carry-out wait (almost 40 minutes) was very inconvenient. I particularly enjoyed the pasta in my salad. It was quite the tantalizing treat. I would recommend this spot for sit-down only.
(3)Mike G.
Nice little sandwich shop. Prices were not too expensive, but were definitely "Trendy Deli"expensive. They have this odd Caesar Salad with spiral pasta in it. At first I was offset by this "extra" ingredient, but have grown to love it. Recommended lunch spot.
(4)David M.
I'll be honest - the name "Noodle Zoo" conjured up images akin to Fazolis or Noodles & Co. with spaghetti flung on the walls and ceiling fans. My first visit far exceeded my initial expectations. This place has a very Mediterranean refined feel. Lunch deals come with a delicious side Caesar salad and really fresh grilled bread. Portions aren't small, but they won't have you in a food coma afterwards either. I'm going back another time.
(4)C L.
Such a great place for lunch. The Szechuan noodles were surprisingly pretty good though more on the spicy side. Greek Chicken Focaccia was amazing. House salad was fine. Service was good. Decor was fine.
(5)Catherine J.
Best lunch place in Des Moines by far. I go here at least once a week and every time is fantastic. The house salad is a must, and their soups are also great. My mom is in love with the fajita salad, and I've also enjoyed the thai salad wrap. The staff is very friendly. I just wish they were open more hours. Definitely worth a try!
(5)He And She I.
Have been meaning to try this place. Ho hum. Won't be back unless I'm in the area and stumped for a place. Just kind of average.
(3)Justin B.
I appreciate this little restaurant. It is a great atmosphere and the food is quite delicious. They have unique dishes featuring pasta, salads, and sandwiches. When you arrive you form a line at the register, menus are provided near the inside entry door. You take your number and find a table and await your food. The food is cooked fresh so your wait will be around 30 min. It is a good place for the family or a lunch appointment, be warned that seating is set up quite odd, so despite the restaurants size, it fills up quite quickly. My only real complaint is that Noodle Zoo is not open for dinner, this is partially due to Des Moines lacking night life downtown, I think in the future they will be open for dinner, when they realize all the money they could make. You won't be disappointed going here. Enjoy!
(4)Cindy B.
Recently our son married and when thinking of a venue that would show case the uniqueness of Des Moines for a rehearsal dinner, Noodle Zoo came to mind. I did not expect the gift of Verlene VanderPool, the owner extraordinaire. We met, she listened, and I could see the creativity play out in her thought process. This was not just a rehearsal dinner, she made it an event. It was more than I had hoped.....her imprint was in every aspect of the evening. As there is no way to properly convey all the special touches, I guess if you were as I, wanting a special evening in which to celebrate, look no further. Cindy Brady
(5)Koby A.
Was not sure what to expect here but was delighted! Came for a late lunch with family and had the Thai chicken pasta. It was delicious. Spicy though, which I like. Priced at just under $10 and MUCH more impressive than someplace like Noodles and Company. Pasta is a generous portion and came with a small side salad and very soft and cheesy focaccia bread on the side. Will be back and highly recommend. Only complaint is all the tables are chronically sticky.
(5)Daphne S.
Had lunch here for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the place as well as the quality of food! The name of this place didn't quite appeal to me when my coworker suggested it, but I changed my mind the moment I stepped in here. They offer various types of noodles and sandwiches which many of them sounds rather interesting. I ordered the shrimp and roasted red pepper pasta and it was delicious! The side of caesar salad was a little too pepper-ish but the foccacia bread was excellent. It's a great lunch spot and I'll definitely be back!
(5)John P.
Lunch time in east village and where to go? Check out Noodle zoo. Their sandwiches are fantastic. Pair it with a house salad and you are good to go.
(5)Andrea T.
I was so sad when the West Des Moines location closed as both this and the Ankeny location are a decent drive away. I have been able to stop in at this one a couple of times. I like the look of the interior of this place more than the WDM location. It seems more simple and welcoming. Both times I have gone, there has been a decent line and unfortunately, that line does not move too quickly. Even waiting for the food took a while and I have gotten it to go both times. I have always thought the wait is worth it as I love the food, especially the House Salad with chicken. Their garlic bread is delicious as well. I really wish there was one closer to my work and/or home but I guess I will have to make special trips instead.
(4)Janet H.
Never had a bad meal here. Ordered the special. Cavatelli with Parmesan crusted chicken in a pesto sauce. The dish was covered by a layer of baked crunchy parmesan. Served with tasty cheesy bread and a Caesar salad it made for a filling lunch. Live the Noodle Zoo.
(5)Katie L.
Love the sun-dried tomato chicken grill sandwich with house salad (awesome salad with noodles and croutons mixed in ). One of my favorite restaurants in Des Moines!
(5)