Iowa not only has great restaurants, but we have the advantage of being close to our food sources. That means we can offer the freshest, most high quality ingredients in our food, making the restaurant choices pretty darn great. One great restaurant that you may not have heard of due to its remote, out-of-the-way location, is the General Store Pub in Stone City. It offers pub fare in a unique and beautiful atmosphere right along the Wapsipinicon River, and the food is so delicious, you will definitely be coming back for more.

The route will take you into the tiny village of Stone City, Iowa, where you’ll see beautiful trees, iconic rolling Iowa farmland and historic buildings made from limestone mined from local quarries. The town is a tiny unincorporated community with a population of 192, but is packed with history and scenic beauty.

Before or after your dinner, make sure to drive around the old stomping grounds of Grant Wood. Admire the beautiful buildings made from local limestone, like St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, built in 1913, The Stone Barn, The Blacksmith Shop and The Dearborne Residence.

This beautiful and homey pub and restaurant is nestled along the banks of the Wapsipinicon River and has all of the charm of a general store turned restaurant.

The building was built in 1897 and was immortalized in the famous painting titled "Stone City, Iowa," by local artist, Grant Wood.

When you walk in, you’ll see an inviting and cozy restaurant and bar with friendly service and plenty of mouth-watering menu options.

If you come on the right night, you may even be able to catch some live music or an open mic night on their in-house stage.

The food is delicious pub fare with a unique twist. You can get local specialties, like Wapsi Willies, lightly breaded butterflied shrimp fresh caught daily from the Wapsi River.

And there are plenty of Iowa favorites, like the Jackhammer, a hand-breaded Iowa pork tenderloin, a large variety of ½ pound burgers, pizza, and a dizzying array of starters, like waffle fries, sweet potato tots and breaded, deep-fried mushrooms.

If the weather is nice, make sure to get a seat out on the two-level deck overlooking the Wapsipinicon River.

The views will relax you and make you wish you could stay forever, or at least until you’ve sampled all of the deep-fried goodies on the menu.

Location: 12612 Stone City Rd., Anamosa, IA.

Have you paid the General Store Pub a visit? What did you think? For more great Iowa restaurant recommendations, check out 10 Restaurants In Iowa You Have To Visit Before You Die.