Hot Off the Presses, the West Des Moines restaurant known for its inventive grilled cheese sandwiches, plans to close by the end of the month.
Owner Jed Hoffman announced on Facebook that after five years of serving more than a dozen varieties of grilled cheeses and paninis — along with rotating sides — he will shut down the business on March 28.
“Running a restaurant and food truck is a true labor of love, and after years of the small business grind, I have made the difficult decision to step away to spend more time with family,” Hoffman wrote on Facebook.
Hot Off the Presses launched as a food truck in April 2021 before Hoffman expanded to a brick‑and‑mortar location in December 2024 at 5962 Ashworth Road in West Des Moines. The restaurant took over the former Dino’s Bar and Grill space, which closed in July 2024. Its opening was quickly followed by Groovy Grilled Cheese, another grilled cheese-focused restaurant right across the street.
The restaurant built its following around creative spins on classic grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as soups and desserts. Fan favorites included the Kick In The Cheese, layered with sweet‑and‑spicy pepper jelly, and the California Love, made with tomato, avocado and provolone.
What’s taking over the Hot Off the Presses space?
Coming next to the space is Flame the Taqueria, the Mexican restaurant known for its street‑style dishes and locations in Johnston and Ankeny. Diners can expect favorites such as birria, al pastor and mango shrimp tacos; asada fries; machetes with hand‑tossed corn tortillas stuffed with meat, cheese, beans and more; and a variety of tortas, including a birria French dip.
Where to find Hot Off the Presses
Location: 5962 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines
Contact: 515-491-7293 or hotoffthepressesdsm.com
Sign up for our dining newsletter, Table Talk DSM, which comes out on Wednesday mornings with all the latest news on restaurants and bars in the metro. You can sign up for free at DesMoinesRegister.com/tabletalk.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: West Des Moines grilled cheese favorite Hot Off the Presses to close
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
