Visitors Guide Foodie

For on-the-go foodies, there are sites that celebrate this community's contribution to everything tasty.

STAY

The Chocolate Mansion, 2900 Jackson St.

Boasting rooms with such tantalizing names like the Truffles Suite, the Jelly Bean Suite and, even, the Twin Bing Suite, the Chocolate Mansion is a perfect place to stay for the traveler with a sweet tooth. 

Built as a personal residence in 1894, this hard-to-miss Victorian mansion at 2900 Jackson St. was placed on the National Register of Historical Places for both architectural and historic categories in 2004.  

The house — which has six bedrooms, a carriage house and a third-floor ballroom — was turned into a boutique hotel in 2020.

So, how did the Chocolate Mansion get such a lip-smacking name? Well, one of its former owners was Edward Cook (E.C.) Palmer, founder of Sioux City's Palmer Candy Co., maker of the Twin Bing Candy Bar. 

Another theory: the exterior of the home is painted in a delectable shade of dark chocolate. But don't try to go all Hansel & Gretel on this house. It may be called The Chocolate Mansion but it is, alas, not edible.

EAT

Tastee Inn & Out, 2610 Gordon Drive; Billy Boy Drive Thru, 2328 Riverside Blvd.; and The Shack, 211 Fourth St.

Is Sioux City the birthplace of cutting-edge cuisine? Maybe.

Legend has it that the loosemeat sandwich -- crumbly globs of ground beef served sauceless in a hamburger bun -- was created by Sioux City restaurateur Dave Higgin at Ye Olde Tavern in 1924.

This newfangled culinary creation was such a hit, Higgin dubbed it the "Ye Olde Tavern" tavern, named after his 1322 Jackson St. eatery.

While the site of Sioux City's former Ye Olde Tavern is still a restaurant, the current establishment -- La Morena Good Morning -- doesn't offer a tavern on its menu.

If you really want a historic loosemeat tavern in its "hometown," go to Tastee Inn & Out (2610 Gordon Drive) or Billy Boy Drive Thru (2328 Riverside Blvd.)

But if you're hankering for a trendier spin on this midwestern fave, head on over to The Shack (211 Fourth St.) Chef Clay Lilley offers a Sux City Slider (tavern meat, pickles and cheddar on a bun) as well as a south-of-the-border version with his Taco Tavern (tavern meat, cheddar, salsa and Sour cream on a bun). 

Sunkist Bakery, 4607 Morningside Ave. and 2519 Hamilton Blvd.

A bakery wouldn't be able to sustain itself for more than 80 years if it didn't know how to make dough.  

At its 4607 Morningside Ave. location, Sunkist Bakery has been making doughnuts, long johns and cinnamon rolls since the 1940s. In 2019, a second location was added at 2519 Hamilton Blvd., for Northsiders who were craving crullers. 

Pete's Thai on Fifth, 507 Fifth St.

Ask any chef in Sioux City about his favorite out-of-the-way eatery, chances are good that he will say it is Pete's Thai on Fifth.

Owned by veteran restaurateur Pete Utthachoo, this 507 Fifth St. mainstay specializes in authentic curries, stir-fry and Pad Thai Noodle.