5 Restaurants to Visit in Bettendorf Iowa

A couple weeks ago we brought you a list of some of our favorite restaurants in Davenport, Iowa. It only makes sense that we need to continue by sharing some of our favorites in the remaining Quad Cities! Our next stop is Bettendorf. Although the majority of our Bettendorf dining experiences are fast food, we do occasionally make it somewhere to sit and chill. Here are five of our favorites and why.

Ross Restaurant

2297 Falcon Ave, Bettendorf, IA
Construction in the Quad Cities is booming. One of the biggest projects is a new Interstate 74 bridge connecting Bettendorf, Iowa to Moline, Illinois. The footprint of the new bridge meant the destruction of the longstanding Quad Cities landmark known as Ross’. The future of the restaurant that served food to presidents and celebrities was a mystery for a while. Fortunately, they reopened at their new location with the same iconic menu items. I usually order one of their omelets and halfway through eating remind myself that a 3-egg omelet is too much food. Their chili is packed with flavor – and heat – and also an excellent option. But their most famous menu item is Ross’ Magic Mountain which includes Grilled Texas Toast covered with loose ground beef, piled high with your choice of Hashbrowns or French fries and smothered with cheese sauce. And while you may tell yourself that you’ll save room for one of their famous cinnamon rolls, don’t kid yourself. That plate-sized roll is a meal in and of itself!

Jimmy’s Pancake House

2521 18th St, Bettendorf, IA
If you like breakfast foods, this is definitely a place to eat! Their menu includes the standard foods you would find at a pancake house but what makes this place unique are the portion sizes. We’ve never walked away hungry… those 3-egg omelets will do it every time. They have a variety of pancakes and waffles, but what makes this place difficult to eat at are the choices. They have both sweet AND savory crepes! Note that they have limited hours of operation to cater to the breakfast and lunch crowds so if you’re planning to eat here, check their hours of operation.

Governor’s Pub & Grill

3470 Middle Rd, Bettendorf, IA
At the time of this publication, the future of the current Governor’s is already set in stone. Their Middle Road address is short-lived as it will be knocked down to make room for a Hy-Vee gas station. Plans for the new location are in the works and it will be just up the street a bit. We hope the new location brings with it a similar menu – particularly “Gov’s Garlic”. It’s their house-specialty salad that is a nice go-to when we don’t feel like making Plantation Salad at home. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything there that wasn’t good, but to be fair, I almost always order the Gov’s Garlic.

Grinders Spaghetti House

2171 E. Kimberly Rd, Bettendorf, IA
I love Italian food but seldom order it when I’m at restaurants. Almost nothing lives up to the traditional Italian meals my grandmother used to prepare and my mother makes for most of our family gatherings. But Grinders is one place where I’ll bend the rule! The Chicken Parmesan is what has been ordered most often by the rest of the family, but I can’t pass up the Manicotti. Their garlic bread is pretty delicious also. During a recent game get-together, a friend brought one of their shareable sandwiches and Ravioli, two things we had never ordered before. Both were excellent!

Sakura Express

2427 53rd Avenue, Bettendorf, IA
When this restaurant opened up within walking distance of our home, we knew there would be trouble. The first couple times we visited we had to order a variety of salmon a la carte because they didn’t have exactly what we wanted. By the third time we visited, there was a new “Salmon Lovers” special on the menu. I like to believe we helped inspire that. The food is fresh and the service is excellent. If you’re looking for a fast-casual place for sushi, check this one out.

If you’re in our area, be sure to check one of these out and let us know what you think. If you’re in the Northwest part of the Quad Cities, check out our Davenport restaurant suggestions. We’ll be back in future weeks with more dining options in the Quad Cities!

Have you tried any of these restaurants?