Mason City, Iowa is filled with so many great places to eat and drink, even though it might not look that way at first glance. Next time you drive though, make sure to stop and grab a bite at one of these Mason City restaurants!
Our trip to Mason City was hosted by Visit Mason City, but I worked in collaboration with them to build an itinerary that would be right up your alley! All opinions in this article are my own 🙂
For our full guide of things to do in Mason City Iowa, click here!
Treats
Birdsall’s Ice Cream
First things first, let’s talk about Mason City ice cream. Birdsall’s Ice Cream has been open in Mason City for more than 80 years and is a staple of the city. All ice cream is made on site and if you go in the summer you can catch their fresh peach ice cream! We opted for a few cones in their homemade waffle cones and fell in love with the retro setting.
Breakfast
Beanzy’s Coffee
Fresh roasted coffee in Mason City can be found at Beanzy’s Coffee. And not just coffee…fresh made scones too! The people who run the shop are so friendly, and we love the vibe. They’re moving from their Delaware street location in September, so just make sure to look up their new spot!
1910 Grille
For the best brunch in town, head to 1910 Grille in the Historic Park Inn Hotel. You can’t go wrong with their pancakes (the best in town!) or their mimosas. Made with fresh OJ, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. When you’re finished, they even give you a to-go cup for your coffee. Loved this spot!
Restaurants
Northwestern Steakhouse
Northwestern Steakhouse is exactly the type of restaurant I like to find when traveling around hidden gem midwest cities. The greek-style steakhouse has been open since 1920 and is only open from 5 pm – 10 pm each day. Because of this, a line starts forming outside the restaurant each night starting at 4:30. Get there early to make sure you get a table for the night! Our steaks were amazing and I highly recommend ordering the spaghetti as your side – you won’t regret it!
Blue Heron Bar & Grill
After touring around Mason City for the day, we were starving and ready for some good food! Blue Heron Bar & Grill welcomed us in with open arms (seriously, the friendliest bar staff and owners ever!!) and pointed us in the direction of their most popular dishes: the cheese balls, Blue Heron Deluxe burger, pork tenderloin sandwich, and deep fried mushrooms and peppers. YUM. Everything here is made from scratch, so you can’t go wrong!
The Quarry
One of the most bustling places in downtown Mason City (especially in the summer) is The Quarry. We love the vibe and outdoor patio set-up, but the service was a little lacking – we were there for two hours! Either way, we enjoyed our time together and loved our food. I know it sounds basic, but I would recommend the Caesar salad – the leaves were charred perfectly.
Drinks
Mason City Brewing
In the mood for some beer? Mason City has a great brewery scene you won’t want to miss! We started at Mason City Brewing with a flight that was so pretty I couldn’t help but take photos of it. We sat on the back patio where they had a local pizza joint called Pipe Dream Pizza cooking wood fire pizzas to go along with your beer!
1910 Lounge
1910 Lounge is located in the basement of the Historic Park Inn Hotel in Downtown Mason City. It has a speakeasy vibe and serves up specialty cocktails while you relax at the bar or play pool on a 1910 pool table. The perfect night cap, especially if you’re staying at the hotel! See more on our stay here 🙂
Fat Hill Brewing
The MOST busting place in town goes to Fat Hill Brewing. And for good reason! Fat Hill Brewing is a 7 barrel craft brewery with 16 different taps that highlight Iowa ingredients, from Nora Springs wildflower honey to Newton hops. We saw the most AMAZING live music here from KEVIN and loved the local support he received! So fun!
We’re now HUGE fans of Mason City restaurants and the overall food and drink scene. For more things to do in Mason City Iowa, click here to our full guide!
Oh! You visited some great places! Next time check out LD’s Filling Station for breakfast. Best (and cheapest) breakfast in town! It is definitely a hole in the wall, but we love it. And if the wait is too long at Northwest in the future, try Prime N Wine. They get their steak from the same butcher, and Prime N Wine has a great drink selection.
Thank you!! We will definitely try these next time we’re in town!