Cedar Ridge Distillery is preparing to bring a taste of Eastern Iowa to downtown Des Moines. The award‑winning distillery, long a destination in Swisher for whiskey lovers and brunch‑goers alike, is transforming the former Americana space in the Western Gateway in Des Moines into a full hospitality showcase that’s part tasting room, part cocktail bar, part restaurant and part event venue.
The 6,300‑square‑foot corner at 1312 Locust St. has been quiet since Americana closed last year, leaving a noticeable gap across from the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Cedar Ridge sees that vacancy as an opportunity to anchor the district’s next chapter. With support from a $160,000 forgivable loan from the city — tied to a minimum $1.325 million private investment — the distillery plans to re‑energize the historic Chamberlain Building with a concept that mirrors the experience that draws thousands to Swisher each year.
“We are still early in the planning process, so we haven’t finalized exactly what our presence in Des Moines will look like just yet,” said Megan Patz, director of marketing at Cedar Ridge Distillery. “Our goal is to bring an authentic Cedar Ridge Distillery experience to the metro area in a way that complements the downtown landscape. We can’t wait to show everyone the final concept in a few months.”
In Swisher, Cedar Ridge operates as a hybrid distillery-restaurant, offering daily tasting room hours alongside seasonal lunch and dinner menus, a robust cocktail program and a popular Sunday brunch buffet. Those menus — from bourbon-glazed pork to rye-driven cocktails — hint at the culinary and beverage direction likely to shape the Des Moines outpost.
Downtown, Cedar Ridge plans to expand on that formula. Early details point to a refreshed façade, a stronger indoor‑outdoor connection along Locust Street and a reimagined back‑of‑house area that will host whiskey education, production‑focused programming and private events. The front of the space will lean into the brand’s strengths: whiskey‑forward cocktails, approachable food and retail for customers who want to take home a bottle of Iowa bourbon.
For the Western Gateway, the project signals momentum. The neighborhood’s mix of offices, condos and cultural institutions has long made it a natural fit for restaurants, yet several storefronts have struggled to stay filled. Aside from Americana, Django also closed in March. Allora at the base of the Krause Gateway Center remains the only restaurant on the perimeter of the sculpture park.
City leaders hope Cedar Ridge’s statewide name recognition — and its ability to draw suburban and out‑of‑town visitors — will help stabilize foot traffic and bring new energy to the corridor.
Cedar Ridge hasn’t released renderings or menu specifics yet, but a company spokesperson said those will arrive in the coming months. The goal is to open by next spring, positioning the tasting room as a new anchor for downtown just as patio season returns.
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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: Cedar Ridge brings its Eastern Iowa whiskey experience to downtown Des Moines
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
