Places that serve good food with a historic touch are A+ in my book! As a history nerd (this was actually my major in college), I love visiting places rich in history and the Princess Grill & Pizzeria in Iowa Falls, IA offers both history and good food!
The History of the Princess
The Princess originally opened in 1915 by Greek immigrants. However, tragedy struck on Christmas Day of 1934 when the business was completely destroyed by fire. The owners rebuilt and reopened it on July 1st of 1935. The Princess you see now is just as it was in 1935. This includes the 25 foot soda fountain!
The soda fountain is made from Italian marble and believed to be the largest remaining soda fountain in the world. Make sure to note the marble slabs that match on the back wall of the fountain. The building also highlights Terrazzo floors and booths made of African Mahogany.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Princess was grand at the time it was built! I am sure that this was the upscale place to be! Now, it’s a great step back into time! It’s been well maintained and cared for!
Visiting The Princess Grill & Pizzeria
T and I headed out to Iowa Falls to run errands and for date night recently and we decided to stop at The Princess Grill & Pizzeria. I had visited the Princess several times in my childhood, but it had been 10+ years since I had been. Recently, I started following them on Facebook and their pictures of their specials and other foods had left me salivating! Date night seemed like the perfect time to give them a try again! T, on the other hand, had never been, so it really added to the adventure.
The Menu at the Princess
The menu offered by the Princess is extensive. Steaks, pasta, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza abound from the multiple pages. You will not go hungry! (And this doesn’t even include the soda fountain and ice cream options!) T and I both selected one of their nightly specials. Prime Rib for him and all you can eat Walleye for me. With each entree comes the choice of two sides. There are both cold and hot sides to choose from. With my walleye, I could choose beer battered or baked. Of course, I had to try some of each!
T claimed his prime rib was the best he’s ever had! He likes prime rib that is full of flavor without the flavor overpowering the beef and definitely not greasy! The beer battered walley was crisp and very hot! I personally liked the baked better, but both were delicious. The baked had a light dill and butter flavor to it! It also was very flakey and not dry at all! We both commented that the ranch on our side salads was definitely homemade and DELICIOUS! (In Iowa, we take our ranch very seriously!) And I loved the option of having steamed broccoli as a side!
Conclusion
Our trip to the Princess Grill & Pizzeria was very delightful! We definitely will be back! The food was delicious and fresh! The service was good! The atmosphere is unique! One thing to note when visiting the Princess is that they do not accept debit or credit cards, so make sure to take cash or a check along! But trust me, it will be worth it!
While you’re in the area, check out a few other things to do!
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Nice pic in the booth mirror!
My Valentine every day!
Looks like a fun place to visit. I haven’t had fried fish in a while-now I feel inspired to find some this weekend.
It really is a fun place to visit and it helps when the food is good! Every once in awhile a good beer battered fish is necessary!
We love the Princess! They have something for everyone on their menu and we always like getting ice cream from there 🙂
We often go to the Princess. I love their extensive menu and their prices are very reasonable. Many people rave about the pizza but we haven’t tried that yet.
We want to go back soon to have the pizza also!!
What an amazing place! That marble soda fountain really caught my eye and the rest of the place felt like a ’50’s diner which I love! Thanks for highlighting it!
The soda fountain is really stunning!!