Driving down Highway 75 (Main Avenue) in Sioux Center, Iowa, takes you right by the #5 stop on the “Coffee House” Tour! Stopping at The Fruited Plain was high on my bucket list for a few reasons – I had at least a dozen recommendations from friends around both Minnesota AND Iowa to check this place out, and it didn’t disappoint.
Walking into the establishment you feel a sense of urban meet rural in a splash of Dutch. Not a surprise after speaking with owner Laremy De Vries and learning of their family background living for some time in The Hague, along the western coast of the Netherlands, and later, Baltimore, Maryland. Laremy opened The Fruited Plain with his wife Becca (not pictured below) and set their sights on big dreams in small-town Iowa.
The big dream and optimism flowed from Laremy when I interviewed him. He spoke of how they have owned the business for ten years strong, and feel like they are barely scratching the surface. “The possibilities are endless,” De Vries said with a smile.
I believe that the possibilities are untapped with greater things yet to come for The Fruited Plain. The food was good, the coffee was GREAT (I had a Dark Medium Roast – which had a hint of chocolate and black cherry) the scenery was comfortable, and they tip their hat to the local arts and music scene.
Last, but not least, I had an opportunity to meet Garth (the barista pictured to the right of Laremy above) and to say the customer service was top-notch would be an understatement. Garth had full conversations with me about the coffee, food, and Star Wars! (Check out his cool shirt!). The food was made with fresh ingredients and fresh locally sourced produce – which I highly appreciated. There might be things not available depending on the season, but you can’t beat REAL food, it’s better for you and tastier as well! I had a Cheesesteak Panini and their famous Tomato Bisque soup (pictured below) which both were off the charts in both flavor and substance. I would recommend the tomato soup to anyone! However, their flatbread pizza was mentioned to me by more than one person, so I would venture to try their pizza as well!
If you find yourself wandering NW Iowa, and find yourself in the heart and center of Sioux county, take a trip through Sioux Center and make a stop at The Fruited Plain. Go check out their website and social media sites!
Country Pilgrim 