Canteen Lunch in the Alley — Restaurant in Ottumwa

🥪Canteen Lunch in the Alley: A Sketchy Detour to Foodie Heaven!

Alright, let's talk about Canteen Lunch in the Alley in Iowa. Here's the scoop: I let ChatGPT play travel guide and chef, and it sent us on a detour through what I swear was the sketchiest part of Iowa. I'm thinking, "Great, risking life just for the #foodgram of it all. This better be good." Spoiler: It was.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This place? Total hole-in-the-alley vibe, but in the best way possible.okay, it was actually very cute. Quiet camp l, if you ask me. It's like discovering a secret club where the password phrase is "Where am I...and I'm hungry"

The Canteen sandwich here is a whole experience. It's like they brought in the street-meat cart from the alley and used that as their kitchen! The Canteen sandwich is what Dustin Martin chowed down on – not one, but two of them.

The girls went classic with hot dogs and pie. Cherry for one, French silk for the other. Being a vegetarian i had one option: the fried egg sandwich. It's like breakfast for lunch, but with street ( I mean alley cred) cred.

Everything is a la carte and fresh as it gets. – unfiltered, real, and oh-so-good. And the pie? Imagine your grandma's baking skills got an upgrade.

The staff? Imagine the nicest people you've never met, then double it. They're the kind of folks who make you feel like a regular, even if it's your first time.

Now, the bathroom – it's practically a backstage pass to the kitchen. You walk in there, and suddenly, you're part of the crew. Trust me, it's a whole experience.

In a nutshell, Canteen Lunch in the Alley is less like a restaurant and more like a delicious adventure. So if ChatGPT ever suggests a place that seems a bit out there, just go with it. You might end up at a gem like this.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Because sometimes the best eats are where you least...

You have got to adore this small slice of historical Americana! Food was great. Prices were great. Service was great. But none of those is why you go to the Canteen. Step back into small town 1920's where everybody knew everybody, people could count on each other, life was simple and happiness was not impossible to find. THAT is why you should visit the Canteen! There are 12-15 stools around a horseshoe-shaped bar. Everyone interacts with everyone else including the waitresses. A big percentage of the customers have nicknames bestowed upon them by the staff. Once you get in (and it could take a bit, depending on the crowd) you might want to just stay and hang out with your new best friends. Of course you'll eat one or two Canteens but do your best not to miss the strawberry rhubarb pie. If you follow your waitress's recommendations, you'll have it warmed up and ala mode. Meet me back in the 1920's and enjoy your time at...

One of those places that the local people tell you to try. My wife mentioned some time ago that she had never been there and wasn't even sure where to find it. I've eaten here a few times over the years and I was definitely ready to go again! Opened during the great depression 1936. Very simple menu and very good food. Loose meat sandwich (made-right or made-rite to most people). Homemade pie. Bag of chips. Lol, not trying to be mean but when you are asked if you want water to drink just say yes please. Iced tea seems to take a while to make. It was very good but I was done with the sandwich long before the drink made it to me. Room for maybe two dozen people at the U shaped lunch counter. Be prepared to not sit with everyone you come in with. Nice outside seating area but for the full experience try to get a seat inside! Highly recommend this place. It is located in an alley but parking...