When people think of fine dining, their minds often drift to French food. Not only are French restaurants often the most stately and traditional around, but innovative cooking techniques and high-end prix fixe menus are common in these restaurants. However, the best French food in Iowa might be found in the most unexpected of locations. First, you have to travel to the city of Coralville, one of the Hawkeye State's more under-the-radar mid-sized cities. Then, you'll find your destination on the bottom floor of a residential apartment building! Welcome to Chez Grace, a unique Nouveau French restaurant serving rotating prix fixe menus and delighting locals and visitors for more than a decade. Every visit to Chez Grace is a little bit different, and it's likely to continue attracting gourmands to Coralville for years to come!
It's easy to miss Chez Grace, tucked into the bottom floor of an apartment building - but you'd be missing a true culinary gem.
This intimate French restaurant has a devoted following, with the restaurant sharing that some guests have visited multiple times a year for more than a decade.
The stately dining room and well-lit view of the outside are the perfect atmosphere for a memorable prix fixe meal.
Your four or five course meal starts with an optional foie gras course, soup of the day, and a choice of fresh salads.
From there, you'll choose your main course. Keep an eye out for a scallops dish - it's usually one of the signature items.
Duck, if it's on the menu, is cooked to a perfect pink and accompanied with rich flavors.
More of a meat-and-potatoes diner? You can't go wrong with the steak au poivre, always a tasty standard.
We think the most exciting thing about Chez Grace is that it's never the same menu twice! The chef is always on the lookout for new innovations.
You might even see limited-time specialties like Wagyu beef on the menu, so keep checking the menu!
Have you visited Chez Grace in Coralville? Let us know about your dinner, and tell us your pick for the best French food in Iowa in the comments section! The menu at Chez Grace is changing all the time, so make sure to keep an eye on the Chez Grace website and Facebook page for announcements. While you're in Coralville, why not follow up your epic French dinner with a visit to the city's best brewery?
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!