Christopher's

We were planning on dinner out this past weekend, so we thought we'd try a place we hadn't been to for awhile. We ended up at Christopher's in Beaverdale. Located at 2816 Beaver Avenue, Christopher's has been a Des Moines tradition for just over 50 years. Known for it's excellent Italian-American cuisine, a fun lounge atmostphere, and friendly service, it was good to know we'd be in for a great meal.

The atmosphere is so nice at Christopher's, whether you're with your family, or just the two of you. Or, if you prefer, you can always eat in the lounge and watch the game or just hang out with the crew of regulars that will be there.

The menu features some excellent starters (I hear the boursin mushrooms are awesome), soups and salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, and, of course, pizza and all of the Italian classics. You'll hear people rave about their pizza on foodie review sites, and their Chicken Parmigiana is always a favorite.

We ordered a beverage (Gin & Tonic for Grant, a white zin for me - I know, I'll probably hear about my stellar taste in wine - bite me) and tried to decide what to order from the extensive menu.

Keeping with Grant's love of onion rings, we got a half order to start. These were just about perfect - hot and crispy, seasoned just right, not too much breading - what's not to love. 

Our salads were fresh and featured the lovely Italian pepperoncini - lots of crunchy croutons, and their House Creamy Italian is really rich and flavorful.

The bread basket is stuffed full of warm Italian bread - extra points for the softened butter to slather on your bread - nothing worse than trying to spread cold butter on soft bread. The crust was chewy and the bread nice and yeasty - very good. 

The wine list features some interesting reds, with the usual chardonnay's, cabs, etc., with a nice selection of Zinfandel, which you don't see everywhere. Grant picked out a Raymond Field Blend for us to enjoy with dinner. The prices are on the higher side, though, would have liked to see some less expensive selections, too. 

For his dinner, Grant had the Pan Fried Chicken, which has been a customer favorite forever. I apologize for the fuzzy photo - this dish deserves better, but the lighting was a little sketchy! He said the breading was crispy and crunchy, and the chicken was juicy and perfectly cooked. He had some pasta on the side - gotta try something Italian at Christopher's, right?

I was in the mood for a good steak, and this Hand Cut New York Strip did not disappoint. I had a hard time deciding what to order because they also have Pan Fried Walleye, one of my favorite foods ever, and the Baked Lasagna sure sounded tasty. But this steak was tender and cooked to a perfect Medium. A big baked potato topped off my dinner.

They were out of the Key Lime Pie, which is what we first ordered for dessert, but Grant was even more excited to try this - the Chocolate Falling Down Cake. Warm chocolate cake topped with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream is about the best dessert ever in his book. A very nice end to our dinner.

It's so good to know that some Des Moines traditions really do stay the same - we had not been to Christopher's for a couple of years, probably, and yet the quality and service was still stellar. Our server, Diane, was friendly and attentive, without bugging us all night. Love that.

So, if you're looking for a nice atmosphere for a special night out, or just wanting a pizza or sandwich in the lounge, Christopher's in Beaverdale may be just what you're looking for! This place knows how things should be - stop in soon!

Christopher's

2816 Beaver Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50310

515.274.3694

Hours

Restaurant

Monday - Thursday  5pm - 10pm
Friday - Saturday  5pm - 11pm
Closed on Sunday

Lounge

Monday - Saturday  3pm  - Close
Closed on Sunday

Take-out is always available

For menus and more information go to www.christophersdsm.com or check out their Facebook page here.