Dining Destination

Dining Destination

Take a scenic drive along the Mississippi River Valley to enjoy sweeping views and down-home cooking at Breitbach’s Country Dining

By Haley Banwart

Breitbach’s Country Dining is proudly known as Iowa’s oldest restaurant and bar – a legacy that has endured beyond the brickand-mortar building that once preserved its historical origins.

Opened in 1852 by a federal permit issued from President Millard Fillmore, the original building was a mainstay in the Balltown community for more than 150 years, serving as a stagecoach stop, personal residence, hotel, grocery store, tavern and dining establishment.

In 1862, Jacob Breitbach, great-great-grandfather of the present owner, purchased the business. Since then, six generations of the Breitbach family have remained in ownership.

According to Michael Breitbach, one of the current managers, the restaurant has belonged to the Balltown community as much as it has been a part of his family’s longstanding traditions.

“Breitbach’s Country Dining has served as a place for residents and visitors to come together, enjoy a good meal and tell stories,” he says. “Through the years, our customers have become part of our lives and family, offering support we know we can depend on.”

Mike and Cindy Breitbach, owners.

Backed by the Balltown Community

The strength of Breitbach’s Country Dining community support system was perhaps most evident when a gas explosion destroyed the original tavern in 2007.

“It was a humbling experience and sad to see all the history – old tables, chairs and signage – erased by the fire,” shares Breitbach.

Among the artifacts lost was a large hand-painted mural depicting the rolling farmland and scenic overlook of the Mississippi River Valley.

As the story goes, a group of travelers passing through the area during the Great Depression needed lodging but didn’t have the means to pay for room and board. Instead, thanks to the generosity of Michael Breitbach’s grandparents, who were the owners at the time, the nomads lent their artistic abilities in exchange for overnight accommodations.

Despite losing the original structure and treasures once found inside, a new building was erected and opened to the public, less than six months following the fire. In a twist of fate, it too burned to the ground in a second fire only 10 months after the first.

Thanks to support from the Balltown community, rebuilding took place a second time, and construction was completed in August 2009. Through both incidents, Breitbach’s Country Dining continued serving customers in a small building across the parking lot that warmly became known as The Gathering Place.

Today, Breitbach’s Country Dining sits on the site of the original food and drinking establishment. The Gathering Place now serves as a shop to sample and purchase local wines and browse a variety of antiques and unique gift options.

Fried chicken is a common lunch buffet special.

“Breitbach’s has always been a part of Balltown. We have been blessed by our dedicated employees and the community who has always looked out for us,” says Breitbach. “Visitors come for the beautiful scenery and down-home American cooking, but if we’ve done our job right, they leave with memories and a smile.”

Michael Breitbach helps his parents carry on the legacy of Iowa’s oldest restaurant.