🍷 Farm-to-Table Dining – Valentine’s Blog
Wondering what to get that special person in your life for Valentine’s Day? The answer is easy! A Choose Iowa farm-to-table dining experience they will never forget! Whether you’re treating your spouse or gifting your Galentine, these seasonal dinners are the perfect way to slow down, savor incredible food, and celebrate locally grown ingredients. From scenic farms to award-winning chef creations, below you’ll find some of the best food, venues, chefs, and farm-to-table experiences our great state has to offer. Get your tickets today!
🌾 Harvestville Farm – Donnellson, IA
A beloved fifth-generation farm known for its invitational five-course farm-to-table dinner series where local and regional chefs create menus based on freshly harvested produce from the farm’s gardens and ingredients sourced from nearby growers. Expect beautiful countryside views, a cocktail bar, live music, and an unforgettable evening around a shared table celebrating Iowa’s bounty. Harvestville’s dinners have earned accolades such as “Best Rural Dining Experience” in the state and delight guests year after year.
🌻 The Wallace Centers of Iowa – Des Moines & Orient, IA
Rooted in a legacy of agricultural innovation, the Wallace Centers’ farm-to-table dinners bring fresh produce from their historic gardens to your plate in thoughtfully composed seasonal menus. Featuring multi-course meals prepared with ingredients grown on site and sourced from Iowa producers, these dinners invite guests to slow down, share stories, and reconnect with where their food comes from.
🥕 Long Walk Farm – Council Bluffs, IA
Long Walk Farm is a regenerative, sustainable farm offering more than just fresh produce—here, unique culinary events like chef collaborations and “Battle of the Chefs”-style farm dinners bring inventive farm-fresh food to life. Local chefs compete or showcase their skills using ingredients from Long Walk’s diverse harvest, making for dynamic, memorable seasonal dining experiences.
🌸 Bochner Farms – Indianola, IA
Imagine dinner under bistro lights with fields of blooms all around—that’s the setting at Bochner Farms. Their Farm-to-Table Dinner Series features locally sourced ingredients crafted into a romantic, multi-course meal by award-winning Chef Aaron Holt. Paired with stunning garden views and a cozy ambiance, this experience is an ideal Valentine’s outing or special date night.
🍽️ Engelbrecht Farm – Waverly, IA
Set amid one of Iowa’s lovely flower farms, Engelbrecht Farm hosts intimate farm-to-table dinners that embrace the flavors of each season. Talented chefs craft thoughtful menus featuring produce, herbs, and floral accents grown right on the farm, making each event feel like a celebration of place and palate.
🌿 Rose Farm – Norwalk, IA
More than a flower farm, Rose Farm blends idyllic countryside beauty with farm-to-table dining events where guests can enjoy meals crafted from local ingredients under a garden pavilion. The setting—overlooking sweeping gardens and fields—adds a spectacular backdrop to the flavors on the plate and makes it perfect for a romantic dinner.
🍷 Walker Homestead – Iowa City, IA
Walker Homestead’s Farmer’s Table and seasonal farm-to-table dinners are all about celebrating what’s freshest from the farm. These multicourse meals highlight seasonal produce, paired with live music, drinks (including wine and craft beer), and a relaxed farm setting. It’s a truly memorable way to connect with local food and community.
👨‍🍳 Chef Aaron Holt
• Award-winning chef and owner of Catering by Doolittle Farm, Aaron brings a genuine farm-to-table philosophy to every dish he creates. Based out of his family’s century farm in Story City, he grows many of the ingredients he cooks with, champions regenerative agriculture, and has been recognized as the Iowa Restaurant Association’s 2018 Chef of the Year and winner of multiple culinary awards. His menus highlight seasonal Iowa-sourced produce and flavors that truly reflect the heartland.
👨‍🍳 Chef Grant Gillon
• Chef Grant Gillon is known as a culinary talent (2023 MasterChef winner) and private chef in Iowa, frequently participating in local farm-linked dining events and collaborations. Find his dinners here.
✨Why Farm-to-Table Dining?
Iowa’s farm-to-table scene is more than just a meal—it’s a connection to the land, farmers, and chefs who grow and create the food we love. These experiences showcase the best of our state’s agricultural heritage, support local growers, and offer beautiful settings for unforgettable dinners.
As a reminder, any of these dinners sell out quickly! Be sure to check dates, reserve your tickets early, and plan your perfect Valentine’s experience today. 💕
