🌟 Good morning, Des Moines!
Your weekly nudge to get out, feel connected, and love where you live.
In this week’s AroundDSM:
🍕 The kind of neighborhood bar you could drive past a hundred times . . . until someone tells you about the pizza.
👻 Halloween season officially starts now and there are spooky cocktails involved.
🎨 Local art, live porch music, vintage cars, and a historic house with a few secrets of its own.
🍽️ Restaurant Spotlight
Doug’s Pub & Grub | 7500 Douglas Ave. Urbandale |
Photo: Doug’s Two-Topping Pizza with Graziano’s Sausage & Onion | T.Johnson
🍕 When You Know, You Know – Doug’s is the definition of an unassuming neighborhood bar. From the outside, you might not give it a second thought, but step inside and it’s cozy, friendly, and exactly the kind of local place I love finding. Our server recommended the taco pizza, but we went simple with a two-topping Graziano’s sausage and onion pizza and it was everything I wanted it to be. Thin crust, but a little thicker than cracker crust, with quality ingredients, and plenty of flavor.
🍺 Good Pizza, Good Beer, No Fuss – This is the kind of place where you settle in with a cold beer and a pizza and immediately understand why the regulars keep coming back. They have a nice selection of quality beers on tap, and Happy Hour includes $1 off drinks and appetizers, plus BOGO domestic tall boys and well drinks. There are daily specials listed on their website, too, so it’s worth checking before you head over.
🍳 And Yes, We Took Breakfast Home – The only menu we were handed was the breakfast menu which made figuring out dinner a little adventurous. 😂 So if you like to study the menu ahead of time (hello, fellow planners), I’d recommend looking online before you go. We also ordered a breakfast pizza to take home for the next morning because apparently one Doug’s pizza in a 24-hour period wasn’t enough. 👉 View the menu here.
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🎉 Top 5 Things to Do
The best bets handpicked for your week:
🧙 Wicked Heights | The Republic on Grand
Spooky season has officially arrived at The Republic on Grand. Wicked Heights takes over the rooftop with Halloween-inspired cocktails, festive food, eerie garnishes, and special events throughout October. Go ahead, lean all the way into the season.
It kicks off Oct. 1st, with tarot readings, pumpkin painting, Witches Night, and a Halloween costume party planned on special nights. No reservations needed; seating is first-come, first-served.
| Oct. 1st–31st | Times Vary | No Reservations Needed | therepublicongrand.com |
🪦 Glendale Cemetery Historical Tour | Glendale Cemetery
If you’ve ever driven through Glendale and wondered about the stories behind those headstones, here’s your chance to find out. This historically accurate (but still entertaining!) two-hour walking tour covers about 1.5 miles while digging into the people, stories, and history of one of Iowa’s largest cemeteries.
Wear comfortable shoes. Portions of the tour may cross grass or uneven ground. Come ready to see a familiar Des Moines place a little differently.
| Saturday, Oct. 3rd | 10 am–12 pm | $10 | DSM.city/CemeteryTours |
🎨 It’s Alive! | Gabriel House, 1701 Pennsylvania Ave.
Local art meets local history with a Halloween twist at the historic Gabriel House. Spend the afternoon browsing art, listening to live music on the porch, exploring the house, and snapping appropriately spooky photos with vintage cars.
Costumes are encouraged, kids are welcome, and admission is free. It is an easy way to kick off October without waiting until Halloween weekend to get spooky.
| Saturday, Oct. 3rd | 1–6 pm | FREE | More Info |
🎸 2026 Iowa Blues Challenge | xBk Live
Nine Iowa blues acts, one afternoon, and no cover. The Iowa Blues Challenge brings bands and solo/duo performers to the xBk stage to compete for the chance to represent Iowa at the International Blues Challenge on Beale Street in Memphis.
Doors open at 12:15 pm and performances run throughout the afternoon, so this is a great one for blues fans who want to discover some Iowa talent or just settle in and enjoy a lot of live music for the unbeatable price of free.
| Sunday, Oct. 4th | 12:30–6:15 pm | FREE | Event Info |
🌻 Harvest & Home Fall Door Hanger Workshop | Barista’s Bouquet
Grab a friend or enjoy a little solo creative time and make a fall door hanger filled with sunflowers, hydrangeas, and all those cozy autumn textures. Everything is provided, including high-quality faux florals, so your creation should make it through fall looking much better than the mums I inevitably forget to water.
The class is beginner-friendly and intentionally relaxed, with plenty of time to create, sip, shop, and enjoy the afternoon.
| Sunday, Oct. 4th | 1–2:30 pm | $40 per person | Reserve Your Spot |
🐾 Pet Pick-Me-Up
Now get out there, Des Moines!
With local love,
Emily
AroundDSM
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