Eating and drinking
Eating and drinking on Court Avenue
Court Avenue's restaurants and bars are the reason the district exists. They are at street level on the blocks the two buildings sit on, so dinner and a drink are a walk, not a drive.
The district at street level
Court Avenue is downtown's entertainment district, which means the ground floors along it are restaurants, bars and coffee. Market Place Lofts sits above that street life directly; Court Avenue Lofts is a short walk from it. On most nights you can walk to dinner and home again without moving the car.
Why we do not list the places
We do not print a list of restaurants and bars, because downtown's roster opens and closes faster than a web page can keep up, and a name we list today may be gone by the time you read it. Walk the street on a Friday evening and you will have the current list, which is the honest one.
Beyond the avenue
For a change of scene, the East Village across the river is about 0.7 miles, with its own run of restaurants and shops. The things to do page has the rest of downtown, and the Farmers' Market has the Saturday morning. Court & Marketplace rents one- and two-bedroom homes across both buildings, 308 and 312 Court Ave, with an in-unit washer and dryer in most homes and bulk internet included with rent. Live floor plans and today’s pricing are on the availability page.
Questions people ask
Are there restaurants near Court & Marketplace?
Yes. Court Avenue is downtown's entertainment district, with restaurants and bars at street level on the same blocks as both buildings, so most are a walk away.
Can you walk to bars and restaurants from Court Avenue Lofts?
Yes. The restaurants and bars of the Court Avenue District are on and around the street both buildings sit on, so an evening out is on foot.
What restaurants are on Court Avenue?
The roster changes often, so we do not publish a list that would go stale. Walk the street for the current one, or check a Des Moines dining guide for what is open now.
What is the East Village in Des Moines?
A district across the Des Moines River, about 0.7 miles from Court Avenue, with its own restaurants and shops. It is the other main walkable dining area downtown.
Distances are by road from 308 Court Ave, measured with OpenStreetMap routing, October 2026. We name no individual restaurants or bars because downtown's roster changes faster than this page can be kept accurate.
More about living here
- Living in the Court Avenue District
- The Downtown Farmers' Market, out the door
- Parks and trails near Court Avenue
- Groceries and everyday errands downtown
- Getting around from Court Avenue
- Things to do downtown
- Court Avenue Lofts and Market Place Lofts: which is which
- The floor plans, explained
- The fitness center, business center and lounge
- Pet-friendly apartments on Court Avenue
- How to apply at Court & Marketplace
- Working from home on Court Avenue
- What residents say about Court & Marketplace
- The Court Avenue District guide
- All questions