Smitty's Tenderloin Shop
Restaurant · Des Moines
1401 Army Post Rd, Des Moines, IA 50315
Highlights
Humble American throwback with counter stools known for breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches.
Humble American throwback with counter stools known for breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches.
"The Des Moines version of LA’s Sepulveda Boulevard In-N-Out: Take a quick left on Army Post Road after you exit the airport and visit this family-owned sandwich shop that’s been operating since 1967. Its staple menu item is the King Loin, which is recognized as the best sandwich in Iowa. It’s a lot of pork to handle — the ones I ate and photographed measured 9 inches long by 7 inches wide. Shop owner Ben Smith says that they were put on the map by New York Times national correspondent Jonathan Martin a decade ago, when his laptop ran out of power and he had to file a story from Smitty’s while charging up. Martin began sending his media buddies over, and several favorable articles and TV hits later, Smitty’s is now a must-visit restaurant." - Gary He
