DES MOINES, Iowa — A new restaurant opened Thursday morning in downtown Des Moines that honors the city’s history.

The Empire is located at the former Fong’s Pizza location on 4th Street. When the owners decided to move the pizzeria to the East Village, they uncovered the original floors in the building. Tiles wrote out the words “The Empire,” and the owners decided to research the meaning.

They learned The Empire was a bar that opened in 1905, but closed just one year later.

The current owners wanted to celebrate this history by naming the new restaurant after the historic bar, but that’s not the only piece of Des Moines history that The Empire is honoring.

Denise Diaz is making coffee at The Empire. She was the owner of Ritual Cafe at Western Gateway Park before it closed in August. Previously, she was the general manager of Java Joe’s Coffee, which was also located on 4th Street in Des Moines until 2021.

The Empire is now the only local coffee shop in the area for about seven blocks.

Along with coffee, they will serve breakfast items, baked goods, sandwiches, infused energy drinks, plus beer and cocktails.

Customers can order and pay at the counter, and they will be given a table number sign if they choose to eat in.

“We are focusing on price. A lot of our food will run between $5 and $10. A lot of our beers and cocktails will be between $4 and $6. We’re shooting for that. And so kind of going for the value and kind of a neighborhood place,” said co-owner Jeff Bruning of Full Court Press.

Bruning said customers can also get “empire-sized” beer. This means for a $4 12-oz beer, customers can get an additional 12-oz for $2. So, empire-sized means customers pay $6 for 24-oz of beer.

Through Full Court Press, Bruning said he also oversees Buzzard Billy’s, the Chicken, El Bait Shop, High Life Lounge, Hessen Haus, the Iowa Taproom, Captain Roy’s, Single Speed, Ken’s, Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers, the Royal Mile, Truman’s Pizza Tavern, and University Library Cafe along with Fong’s Pizza and now The Empire.

The Empire is a partnership between Full Court Press, West End Salvage, and Invision Architecture.

Bruning said West End Salvage worked to make the interior of The Empire appear like it’s from the early 1900s.

The Empire held a soft opening on Monday and Tuesday, and residents in eight apartment buildings near 4th street were able to try items on the menu for free.

The Empire is located at 223 4th Street and is open every day. Below are their hours of operation:

• Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Friday & Saturday: 7 a.m. – midnight
• Sunday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

For more information on the new restaurant and to see the menu, click here.