I was able to attend a small event recently at Speckled Hen Farm encompassing Speckled Hen and a…read morecouple of businesses they closely partner with including Covered Bridges Winery. Kevin from Covered Bridges Winery was an excellent host and let us know about their business in the same way as our hosts from Speckled Hen Farm and Lone Oaks Farms did. Where they started, where they are now, and what they have coming up. He offered tasting of 8-10 different wines from sweet to dry of his different blends. I tried the St. Croix (dry red), Frontenac Gris (dry red), LaCrescent (dry white), Marquette (dry white), Petite Rose (dry rose), and Rattlesnake Red (semi-sweet red). I'm not a huge wine drinker...some over the years...and I know my taste leans to dry and not overly sweet. I enjoyed all the samples I tried; both red and white! Ask Kevin about how the name rattlesnake red came to be...! Since we were on the Speckled Hen property we didn't get the full winery experience, but Kevin had the same enthusiasm as Kris (our host from Speckled Hen Farm) and Luann (our host from Lone Oaks Farms). You can tell why they all partner together so well! Winterset is just a 30ish min drive from where I live in Clive. A trip to the Northern part of Ankeny or to the South side can take me just as long...so it's really not far away at all and it's a nice drive. If you're like me and you enjoy a little bit of a day trip to find new things... It's worth the short drive from the metro! Check out upcoming events at Covered Bridges Winery on their Facebook page and site (as well as those for Speckled hen Farm and Lone Oaks Farms on their respective pages). https://coveredbridgeswinery.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CoveredBridgesWinery

Good wine, great service and nice location…read more I stopped here with Harvest Hosts for an overnight stay. It was packed when i got there with live music and a packed house. One of the owners saw me trying to find a place to park and pointed me to the best area to park, said after the band was over people would think out and I could park anywhere i wanted on the grounds. After getting setup i came in and grabbed a bottle of red wine and a charcuterie plate. The owners and staff were wonderful, the wine was great and the music was fantastic!! I had a great time staying with them and if i lived in the area i know i wold be there often.

Holy crap. The Kort House. I've been looking for it everywhere. I forgot it was a bar and liquor…read morestore. They had a fucking shuffleboard table. The only place in southern Iowa or northern Missouri that I knew of. Dude that owned the place had a shitty old early 80's limo that he would drive to Lamoni from Leon to pick up drunken college students to take to his bar and spend money and then he'd drive them home. It was a good deal for people that aren't fans of DUI's. Place was crappy as hell inside, but I still managed to have a lot of fun times in here. Iowa SUCKS!!! Trust me. But it was fun cause you had to make your own fun.

In comparing two great meatloaf sandwiches in the surrounding area Wilson's Orchard and Farm in…read moreCummings offers the best in portion size, taste, modest price, ample parking, and service. My wait staffer -- Kay - was very helpful in offering suggestions of seasonal entrees with David - Day Manager - filling in trivia of how this prized restaurant in the middle of a beautiful well landscaped farm started that offers what's in season from homemade breads, delicious dips, fresh lemonade and chips made from scratch that are extra scrunchie. The high end farm to table offers a picturesque vibe that warms your soul with deliciously well portioned seasonal food which gives you the comfort of home.

This place has a lot to offer. We were visiting family in the area and glad we stopped here for…read morelunch. The menu is larger but the brunch menu had some extra options. They do rotate some menu options to keep it fresh. The food was fresh and was flavorful. The service was friendly and prompt. And the vibe was modern/industrial farmhouse. They had an extensive gift shop that had so many goodies. So much more they offer that I am not mentioning. Food specifics I tried included a delicious fig & pig pizza and the duck poutine fries and I also had the dry cider flight to drink.

My wife and I booked a get-away at Longview Farms B&B as we were looking for some relaxation. What…read morewe received was opulent, luxurious peace that made us long for nothing. When we arrived Donna met us at the car and showed us to our suite. We had the "Room with a View." From the moment we climbed the stairs we were enraptured by the charming attention to detail that made each moment heavenly. From the selection and placement of the books, the choice in classic looking Christmas tree, the bedding, even the window treatments...it all lent to a wonderful sense of tranquility that harkens to a more simple time yet with all of the modern conveniences. There was a pot of piping hot tea waiting for us. What would you expect from a place that also houses a fabulous tearoom? We had arranged for a harvest dinner as well and were told it would be served in our suite at the time of our choosing that evening. Looking out the windows we were taken by the rolling hills of Longview Farms, the field of lavender, the cows in the distance and the "secret garden" that itself appeared to have complete equanimity. We enjoyed our tea near the fireplace and lazily thumbed through cookbooks and tea books on a perfectly placed sofa in quiet repose. Donna and Spenser appeared at the appointed time with our wonderful harvest dinner. It was a spectacle for the senses, bringing exultation to the eyes, nose and mouth. The repast was a mélange of colors, textures and flavors. We also had more amazing tea, of course. After dinner we enjoyed more time by the fire and there was no desire to use the available TV or cell phones. We just wanted to melt into the atmosphere. When our eyes could hold up no more, we moved to the bed, which we hadn't more than seen to that point. The choice of linen and pillows was far better than any hotel. The next morning we were greeted by another sensory feast for breakfast. On checking out we toured the lovely tea room, where they even have charter buses bringing in people on occasion. We'll definitely be back for more tea in the formal setting. Donna and her family were a wonder, everything was so serene and we haven't felt so rested and relaxed. We only wished we didn't have to return to our regular lives.

Amazing place! We held my mothers 80th birthday tea here. Donna was incredibly accommodating!…read more She developed a menu for us and personalized it for each table. The food was wonderful, and all made "in house". I've had high tea in London, and she did a great job replicating it here at this quaint place. Highly recommend for a special occasion...it's worth the drive!

I have been watching this coffee shop being built out in the Amish/Maid Rite store/restaurant for…read moresome time on my trips back and forth to Iowa. It was open my last time through so I stopped. My regular latte was good. Service was a bit terse and I swear that I heard the "barista" ask her co-working how much milk to use. Oh, well. They're new. I will plan my coffee stops for here from now on. It's a good pick me up. Their logo is cute.

Plenty of parking and a fenced pet area too. We stopped in to see what was in this store. There's…read morelots of Amish and Plain Community products, foods, and more. Prices seemed reasonable and we looked at everything but left without buying anything. There's a Maid Rite sandwich shop Inside the store and that's always an Iowa taste treat. Depending what you want or need, there are definitely some goods to be had here.

The fried chicken was perfectly crispy and hot -- even though I ordered a thigh and got a breast…read moreinstead, it was still juicy and the portions were big! The sweet potato fries were crispy and full of flavor, and the shakes were creamy and thick -- definitely worth ordering. I liked it so much I went back a couple of days later before heading back to my home state and tried the Maid-Rite sandwich, which was very good and affordable. We also shared the cheese curds -- they were crispy on the outside with perfectly melted cheese inside. Overall, a great stop for our road trip -- delicious food, generous portions, and a good value!

This place has the best food, and some of the friendliest people you will ever meet! It's a great…read moreplace to grab some food and do a little shopping in!

Another great small town coffee shop in Iowa. They had a big selection of coffee drinks and…read morebreakfast sandwiches, and the owner was very nice. Their sea salt caramels are excellent too!

The food options are fantastic & the market of local goods is awesome! There is seating, so you can…read moreeat there.