OMG, this place is in such a nice area! They have a huge menu with so many amazing options to choose from. I ordered the Pit Master Sandwich with a side of French onion soup (you get to choose a side with the sandwich). The sandwich was really good! The bread was buttery and soft, and the homemade croutons in the soup were clearly made from fresh bread. The French onion soup wasn't for me--it kind of tasted like acid reflux to me, so I gave it to my mom. She actually thought it was pretty good. The sandwich had perfectly balanced barbecue sauce and cheese, although I thought the barbecue sauce overpowered the cheese a bit. Next time, I'd probably order it without the cheese. The brisket was good, but I would've preferred a fattier cut because I think it would have been more flavorful. I also wasn't a fan of the Gouda since it didn't melt very well, but the other cheese on the sandwich was delicious. Overall, the food was incredible, and this place is an absolute MUST if you're in the area! I noticed they have around 78,000 DoorDash orders, and after eating here, I can definitely see why. I'll actually be coming back in a few days before I leave my vacation because there are so many other delicious items on the menu that I can't wait to try! Staff were also nice! read more

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The food is good service amazing it's a cozy warm bakery smells so good! The sandwiches are good soups good the smoothies are great

Used the kiosk to order but you can order at the counter. Ask a server for hot drink cups unless you have a specialty drink. Water glasses near soda machine. Food came out very quickly and very hot. The dishes can be customized and the breakfast burritos come with a fresh fruit and berry cup. Both the breakfast sandwich and the burrito were very filling and large. The bagel was a little dry but they have a condiments table where butter, syrup, jelly, and peanut butter are in individual single serve containers so you can make your sandwich as you like (I added butter to my bagel sandwich). Has street parking but shares it with other nearby shops. For the winter season there is an outdoor, covered patio pop-up. read more

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If you seek outstanding bakery goods, this is the place. Great spot to stop in and get a drink (hot or cold) and indulge yourself in bakery gems. Service is spot on and timely. Great ambiance to meet a friend and catch up. Their bakery platters for Christmas are unparalleled. Have used Main Street Cafe & Bakery for several years for client Christmas gifts and have received raved reviews. Treat yourself and a friend and see what you've been missing. read more

I wanted to share my incredibly positive experience with Main Street Cafe in Ankeny, who catered our annual conference held at the DMAC FFA enrichment center. For yet another year, everything from the initial communication with Brooke and her catering team to the delivery and setup at the venue over the 2 days was seamless and professional. Our breakfast included pastry trays, plenty of variations of cinnamon rolls, and fresh fruit. For lunch, we chose the backyard picnic option, which included options of the delicious, hot, and fresh pulled pork and chicken served with brioche buns and just the right amount of sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. More on the side if needed! The green lettuce salad was super fresh and came with all the toppings and dressings you could want. The side dishes included their scrumptious mac and cheese and perfect coleslaw. They even provided gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options to accommodate our attendees with special requests. While Main Street Cafe might not be the cheapest option available, the quality of their food is well worth the cost. Year after year, they continue to exceed expectations, delivering some of the highest-quality catering I've ever experienced. If you're looking for a local business that can take the stress out of your event, I highly recommend Main Street Cafe for catering! I already an't wait to go back and eat at the restaurant For your information AI was not used on this review either. read more

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A friend of mine took me here for lunch after his doctor's appointment. We got in line and reviewed the almost overwhelming menu and got I out orders. Food came out very quickly. My friend got the Shrimp Bowl and I got the Turkey Reuben. He decided my Reuben sounded so good that he got one to go, along with a piece of Mint Chocolate Cake. The Shrimp Bowl had a bit of a kick and the Reuben was the perfect blend of kraut, meat, and sauce. A couple of staff came by to deliver food and check in on us. We had a great meal and grabbed up his 'to-go' bag and went home. When my friend got home he discovered they had left the cake he bought out of the bag. I suggested he call and get a credit for it (We probably should have looked in the bag before we left!). He not only got a credit, but the staff insisted on bringing it the 16 miles to his house. What service!! read more

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Sensational decorations throughout the Holidays make it a Can-not-miss stop on the Ankeny world tour! We enjoyed their breakfast for the first time during the Holidays, which was sensational. Their customer service is just as excellent in the early morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Biscuits and Gravy with scrambled eggs (delicious, fluffy) meal. Outstanding! read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Breakfast is awesome too!!! Biscuit and Gravy, with the best scrambled eggs! - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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We went to Main Street to see the Christmas decorations! It was dressed to the gills! So fun! The bathrooms even had decorations on the doors and mirrors! The staff is always so friendly and polite. My chorizo breakfast burrito was delicious. I took half of it home. There was a small bowl of fruit that accompanied. The iced tea wasn't fresh so I had a soda instead. You should go there for the holiday! Good food, and a beautiful atmosphere ! read more

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I meant to update this review a long while back. I have stopped in a couple times over the years. I really enjoy their options. There is always something I want to try. They are always busy. I had a breakfast burrito this time. The others who had dietary needs were able to get things they liked. I have had the Fruit and Avocado Spring Mix. I have had a couple different soups there. I haven't run into something I didn't like. Once you walk in, you can tell if they are busy right away. You order at the counter. The staff has always been nice and understanding on any food restrictions. Then you move into the dining area to snag a seat. I hope to keep repeating these good experiences. read more

Been waiting to visit Main Street Cafe & Bakery, it finally happened in the most busiest day of shopping. Yep Black Friday! After a few morning hours of getting Christmas gifts, it was time to get some so need breakfast. My daughter said let me take you to Main Street. This place smelled amazing when you walked in, and of course the decor is festive for the Holiday season coming up. One part of this visit is it's like a Culver's, order your food, pay, get a number, find a seat and food will be delivered once ready. I get nervous with my food traveling about a place, but the runners found our table quickly and it was all still hot and very tasty. The staff was pleasant and patient as you place your order. As mentioned my daughter has been her and she had lunch, so we picked up the menu and placed our order for two breakfast scrambler, she got Chicken bacon waffle and I got Hawaiian. We also go a raspberry tea and hot caramel macchaito. I do highly recommend this location for some amazing food and atmosphere. They also have an amazing catering options and the baked goods look delicious. Sorry haven't yet tasted what we got. Enjoy the video and photos. read more

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Whenever I visit my sister in Ankeny, she takes me to Main Street Cafe. This time, she took me to see the holiday decor. It was over-the-top gorgeous, with thousands of twinkling lights, hundreds of decorations and a dozen trees. I loved the pesto pasta I got last time so much, I ordered it again. It is basil, garlicky goodness, topped with fresh avocado. I'd you want a memorable holiday treat for the whole family, check out Main Street Cafe. read more

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I come here a lot, so decided to bring my senior residents on a lunch outing to enjoy their Christmas lights set up. The decorations were incredible and I can't imagine the work that went into that! I have the bacon avocado BLT sandwich; it was good as usual. There was a very long line at lunch, but they had tons of staff working and our group got our food very quick. When I go out with the residents, usually I try to get their drinks/silverware/condiments/and all their needy requests :) but the staff was awesome and helped us out a lot. read more

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Let's be honest the food just is not very good and is very much overpriced. The ambiance is nice with the Christmas pop up. But simply the price tag does not match the food quality. read more

We had coffee and pastries to go, service was quick. Menu is extensive, I'll probably come back just to try other dishes.

Ordered for delivery and was very pleased. Breakfast burritos (vegetarian) was a good portion and the flavors were great. Came with a side of fruit and salsa although the burrito itself was so flavorful did not require additional condiments. Would highly recommend. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

We took my sister to the Main Street Cafe on December 16th. She is disabled and uses a walker. When we got there all of the handicapped parking spots were full and we were having trouble managing that considering the recent snowfall. Two employees walked out while we were making this attempt. Their first names were Brian and Ryan. They jumped right in and helped get my sister safely inside. It was really busy and they could have passed us by, but they were so nice and helpful! A special thank you for a Christmas kindness! And I would also mention that once we got our food it was delicious as always. This is my go-to lunch stop when I am in Ankeny! read more

Always love this place when we visit our daughter at Iowa State. All meals. All the time. Love love love.

Really good coffee and baked goods but the standouts are the handhelds. Sandwiches and burritos, breakfast or lunch, we have tried a bunch of items and the flavor, freshness, and quality of ingredients is AAA. read more

Pasta, sandwiches, cakes all good! Love this place! The character count yelp needs is no bueno!

Amazing place, when we walked in for a late lunch we were definitely surprised by the Christmas decorations everywhere. We have never seen anything like this before. We ordered our meal and the menu is extensive- the choice was hard to make but decided on the 1/2 salad and half soup. Our meals came out quickly- Blueberry salad was fresh and plenty of chicken and several different greens. The chicken noodle soup came out nice and hit. My husband had the turkey chili and he said it was super spicy ( and he likes spicy). It brought tears to his eyes. Maybe they added too much in that batch today. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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I was craving a salad after delivering girl scout cookies. I stopped in her a little before 11 on a Friday. I ordered an Asian chicken salad. it's a lettuce mix, thankfully no weird lettuce. I prefer iceberg and romaine. it was a tasty salad. the dressing is quite spicy, so be aware of that. Service was great, restaurant appeared clean and tidy. it was bigger than I expected. lots of seating. lots of yummy looking treats in the cases. I avoided those, but it was hard. salad was wonderful. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - asain chicken salad - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Main Street does so many things very well. It's a comfortable place for meeting with family and friends. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. And the food is great and backed with excellent service. It's become a favorite place to go! read more

Great quick spot for high quality food. It's counter order and then sit, get your own drinks, they bring food to your table. Fantastic baked items including some very good gluten free options. Salads are varied and fresh. Holiday pop decorations are amazing! read more

Great locally owned spot. Diverse menu from breakfast to dessert. Love the brisket mac and cheese. Have never had a bad meal there and the staff is very attentive read more

Food and bakery selections were amazing and they were great hosts for our rehearsal dinner!

A good friend of ours took us there while we were visiting the area. What an awesome place. Beautifully done, spotless eating areas, and clean restrooms too! This place must be able to seat 300 people, it's huge but feels intimate for casual dining. Their 'new' bacon jam burger (Bacon Jam Burger, Brioche Bun, Beef Patty, Bacon Jam, Smoked Cheddar, Bacon) was perfectly cooked, seasoned and served hot from the kitchen. Their tomato basil bisque soup is to die for! Then, go check out their bakery - cookies, cakes, crisps, scones, pos, etc. read more

Great atmosphere and promising menu, almost too much variety to choose from! This food was inexpensive, but less impressive than I'd hoped. The blueberry salad was great- would have been better if the chicken wasn't overly salted. The tomato soup tasted good but did not impress--it seemed canned with maybe a few added seasonings. Baguette on the side was also bland. Overall not bad for the price- I was with a large party and we were able to get a community table and food came very quickly. Their bakery items/cakes made to order looked excellent so if I come again I will order baked goods instead of cooked items. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - 1/2 Tomato Basil Soup, 1/2 Blueberry Medley Salad - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

This place is very popular! You have to order at the counter and then find a seat. Our food arrives quickly to our table and is always fresh. The atmosphere if better than fast food but designed for a quick meal not a dining experience. We have also had delivery from here and the orders are always correct. read more

The service was amazing the baker called back right away she knew exactly what to do and all of the flavors came together amazingly read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Chocolate 3 layer cake with strawberry cream frosting fudge drip with white chocolate covered strawberries! - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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Always have a great selection of desserts! Prompt service and quality setting! Close to home or will deliver if needed.

This restaurant is always busy! That is a good thing. They have great food. Lots of healthy options. Soup and salad combo is amazing! The Asian salad is great in the salad or the wrap. Desserts are a must! Homemade cakes and cookies. The coffee selection and omelets are plentiful. read more

Everything at this place is always great! I was overwhelmed with everything lookin good on the menu but when I saw the caramel pecan crème brûlée waffle, it was all over. I went in at 10am and there was only 1 person in line in front of me. Staff was friendly. My food was out to me in 5 min at the most. I would recommend this to anyone craving a great waffle read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Caramel pecan crème brûlée waffle - Amazing! - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Really great food and super fast service. Great environment to also have meetings or get some work done!

Wide variety of items to choose from, plenty of seating and their bakery goods look divine. Think Panera, but more upscale. Order at the counter and your food is brought to you. Service was fantastic. Food was great. Definitely one we need to add to our rotation. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Salmon Sandwich and bowl of soup - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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We went out of the way to go here after our first experience was so good! At breakfast they have wonderful choices - but our first trip was for dinner and although I didn't want a heavy meal, we passed a table with mac n cheese and I couldn't pass it up! Great soups and sandwiches of all kinds and gluten-free desserts, too! We also ordered a cake for our daughters 30th bday and it tasted amazing - if not a little roughly decorated. We are truly spoiled with all the amazing cake decorators in the Tampa Bay Area, so my standards might be unreasonably high. But flavor was spot on!! Bathrooms are very clean as is their handling of virus protocols. Very impressed! I would highly recommend this for breakfast, lunch or dinner! They also have a huge seating area that can be separated out with fake walls for parties, business meetings, etc. Will we EVER have those things again?? Waaaah! Parking in front AND back - so no worries!! read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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Lots of healthy and delicious options. Great service and beautiful ambiance. We always enjoyed everything we ordered.

Great area within the District to shop then stop to eat. The brisket sandwich was on fresh jalapeño bread with mozzarella, pickled onions, Napa blend with a tangy white bbq sauce -- all to die for! The helpings were plentiful and beyond delicious. Parking was good and the $15 bill was reasonable. If you want tender and flavorful brisket stop in and inhale the yummy flavors! read more

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Parking was a bit tricky for me, so I opted for the drive/thru. Just me. 9:45am on a Thursday. Fast moving line, gave me a number to loop around & park in a waiting spot with signage. The patio looks beautiful, I'll try it next time. Or season. Raspberry white mocha.... Best one I've had and I drink them everywhere. Chorizo, egg, cheese, chipotle mayo, caramelized red onion on a toasted (on the grill) sweet bun. Idk who invented this genius concoction, but KUDOS. Sweet, spicy, cheesy, I've never had anything close to this. Truly delicious. I should honestly be leaving 5 stars, but I need to dine inside first. I have no doubt this is going to have a fifth star. read more

Fantastic cake. Easy to order online and was pretty tasty. A tad pricey but worth it. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Custom Raspberry Almond Cake - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

ALWAYS have a great meal at Main Street Cafe & Bakery on White Birch Dr. in Ankeny, but a special shout-out for them during the pandemic. We are in our late-60's, and I have a compromised immune system which meant that I was pretty much grounded for 18 months - 2 years. Main Street Cafe was our go-to dining choice for drive through about every other Sunday. Always fresh food, and pleasant attendees at the drive-up window. But, last week we dined there as we have several times since coming out of quarantine. I had the Steak Stir Fry Rice Bowl, which comes with steak, broccoli, carrots, scallions, gojuchang sauce, asian sauce, and sesame seeds. (Photo.) My wife had her go-to Beef Brisket Mac and Cheese. We each took about 1/3 our meal home for lunch the next day, as we were stuffed. Oh yeah ... we took cake home too! Tip: Check out the menu online before you go and have an idea what you might want. THE MENU IS MASSIVE !!! And I agree with my wife, the Brisket Mac and Cheese is AWESOME. Oh yeah. CLEAN restrooms (you knew I was gonna comment, didn't ya?) Again, I think a clean environment proves Owner and Management wants to go the extra mile to please customers. read more

Main Street Cafe & Bakery - Steak Stir Fry Rice Bowl - Cafes Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa