Noah's Ark is an old-school Italian restaurant that dates back to the 1940s and serves classic Italian and Mediterranean fare. Boasting beautiful stained-glass detailing and cozy leather booths, the long-standing restaurant is a favorite spot for late-night pizza and a glass of Chianti, as well as romantic fireside dining and drinks at the retro-style sunken bar. Signature dishes on the menu include fried chicken with real whipped potatoes, ravioli en casserole made with high-quality imported Italian semolina pasta, and homemade dinner rolls served warm.

Renowned for serving exquisite Italian food in Central Iowa since 1946, Noah’s Ark Ristorante provides the perfect atmosphere for any special occasion. Whether you’re planning a wedding reception, small corporate event, or casual birthday party, our beautiful banquet room in Des Moines would be happy to help you make it a memorable night for you and your guests. We take the stress out of event planning with packages to suit any budget without skimping on the robust, authentic Italian flavors our patrons have enjoyed for over 70 years.

A Des Moines staple, the Lacona family opened Noah’s in 1946. Enjoy classic Italian dishes like veal alla mozzarella, Calabrese-style lasagna, or the fried chicken, pizza and steak. Don’t pass up the complimentary garlic knots and try to save room for a slice of the San Francisco blackout cake, lemon fantasy, coconut whiteout cake or chocolate windmill cake.

There’s something fundamentally comforting and appealing about ordering onion rings at an old school neighborhood joint. Having been around since 1946, Noah’s Ark on Ingersoll definitely fits the old school bill. And with age comes the wisdom to pair their hand-breaded, not-too-thin, not-too-thick onion rings with breaded green pepper rings.

Once I visit them and write up the last review, I’ll want to go back and start all over again!. But, to be honest, I can’t wait to hit some of my favorite chef-owned and operated restaurants, such as Lucca, Centro, Django, and Cafe di Scala. If I was made of nothing but money, I would eat at one of those places every day.

As one of Des Moines' oldest restaurants, this Ingersoll landmark is a tradition. You'll find french fried green pepper rings, Calabrese-style baked pasta casseroles and its popular Neopolitan pizzas on the menu. And there are plenty of hearty entrees to choose from.

A Des Moines classic since 1946, they introduced Neapolitan pizza to the Central Iowa earning founder Noah Lacona the moniker “Pizza King”. Beyond the pizza, their extensive menu also offers Italian classics, steaks, chops, chicken, and seafood.

- Rating: 3.6/5 (155 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 2400 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa - Categories: italian, pizza, seafood- Read more on Yelp. You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Des Moines

Another restaurant on this list would have to be Noah’s Ark they have been doing Italian food since 1946. Noah’s Ark is one of Des Moines oldest and most beloved Italian restaurants. Noah’s Ark has food inspired by Naples Italy.

Italian restaurants Chuck’s, Noah’s Ark and The Hilltop also draw long-distance diners well. So does Trostel’s Greenbriar, which is not Italian.