by Jay Goodvin
There’s no question that Iowa is the birthplace of the loose-meat sandwich — that beefy, slow-cooked and wonderfully messy American comfort food served on a hamburger bun. But which version of this sandwich is the definitive Iowa loose-meat sandwich is a debate that’s raged from river to river for nearly 100 years.
Most Iowans call them Maid-Rites. Another faction refers to them as Taverns. A contingent craves Canteens. And when the meat’s cooked in a tomato sauce base, only then can you get away with dubbing it a Sloppy Joe.
Maid-Rite
Maid-Rite might be a popular colloquial name for a finely-ground loose-meat sandwich, but the only official Maid-Rites are sold at one of around 30 eateries — 17 of which are in Iowa, along with corporate headquarters. Muscatine butcher Fred Angell is credited with inventing the spiced-ground-beef-sandwich concept in 1926 before quickly franchising. I personally recommend the original Muscatine, Newton and Marshalltown Maid-Rite locations for a tantalizing bite of Iowa history, but you can also find official Maid-Rites in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Durant, Ankeny, Oskaloosa and Lamoni.
A cautionary tale: In the early days of owning Hilltop Tavern in Iowa City, Linda Kuncl received a cease-and-desist letter after Maid-Rite corporate caught wind of a “Maid-Rite” on her menu. A quick renaming solved the issue, and Hilltop’s Buckshot Burger was born.
Tavern
One of America’s most historic cowtowns, and Iowa’s most “Old West” burg, is Sioux City, Iowa. This community calls its loose meat sandwich a Tavern, as do other northwest Iowa restaurants, concession stands and Crockpot cooks (including my grandmother in Sac County).
The best Tavern sandwich I’ve ever consumed was accompanied by the coldest beer I’ve bottomed-up’ed in the state of Iowa, both from Sioux City’s historic Miles Inn. This classic neighborhood bar literally sells their Tavern meat by the sack full: peppery, juicy and without a doubt different from Maid-Rites, it’s a must-try for carnivores visiting Siouxland.
(Bonus tip for Iowa City locals: Shakespeare’s serves a Tavern sandwich every Thursday!)
Canteen
Canteen Lunch in the Alley is one of those been-around-since-the-dawn-of-time establishments — 97 years, to be exact. Aptly located in an Ottumwa alley, their sandwiches are known as Canteens, served up in wax paper. Whatever you do, don’t order a “Maid-Rite” in those walls.
The Canteen apparently inspired the hit 1990s TV show Roseanne, as the fictional Conners open their own loose-meat sandwich operation called The Lunch Box. (In 1993, Roseanne Barr and husband Tom Arnold, an Ottumwa native, started to build a dream mansion in Eldon, Iowa. The project was abandoned halfway through when the pair broke up, its bones still standing 30 years later.)
Plus: Sloppy Joe
Some culinary historians say the formula for Sloppy Joes — ground beef cooked with tomato sauce, onions, Worcestershire sauce and spices — spun off from one of Iowa’s historic loose-meat sandwiches, while others trace it to Cuba.
Café Dodici, on the beautiful town square in Washington, is known as one of the premier fine dining restaurants in Eastern Iowa, and knows a thing or two when it comes to stick-to-your-ribs delights. They may not always have their gourmet Sloppy Joe on the special menu, but when they do, make a reservation! Order some perfect pasta, unforgettable seafood and a Sloppy Joe for good measure. Where the hell else can you do that?
This article was originally published in Little Village’s December 2023 issue as a part of Peak Iowa, a collection of fascinating state stories, sites and people.
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