100 things to eat…Stop # 22

Stop #22 on the list of 100 things to eat in Iowa before you die is Chuck’s Italian American Restaurant (#33). This Des Moines institution has been family-owned since 1956, serving up a wide range of traditional Italian fare. Although the menu is bursting at the seams with over 20 pasta possibilities, 16 appetizers, and 20 meat/fish options, the recommendation from the Des Moines Register was the homemade Italian sausage pizza. Having lived in the pizza belt of Connecticut for the past few years, I have to admit to a bit of skepticism regarding the authenticity of traditional Italian pizza in central Iowa. Rather than hold back, however, I chose to step it up a notch and add cappacola as well…and happily was not disappointed. In an age when the big pizza makers try to skimp and save whenever they can, Chuck’s pizza stands out with its massive hunks of homemade sausage and cappacola ham weighing down a thin, crispy crust. This is the best pizza that I have tried in the Hawkeye State and I will definitely be returning to test out other sections of their menu in the future!