Eats in the Quad Cities

When exploring, I always find it best to eat local. Eating local helps you learn so much more about an area and also gives more back to the community thereby keeping it vibrant. On our trip to the Quad Cities, we found a number of great family friendly establishments for you to try on your trip!

On our first afternoon in the Quad Cities, we visited the Freight House Farmers' Market in Davenport, Iowa. The market is one of the largest farmers' markets in the area featuring items from local farmers, bakers, confectioners, craftsman and more. Additionally, the market has expanded to include restaurants. The outdoor market is open May through October and the indoor is open year round. The historic freight house is situated right on the Mississippi with a phenomenal view.

Fabulous fresh sandwich and amazing chips at the deli in Freight House Farmers' Market.

We stopped inside for sandwiches with our friend Jessica of Visit Quad Cities. She chose the perfect spot to give us an orientation of the Quad Cities area.

Indoor market at Freight House Farmers' Market in Davenport, Iow

The indoor portion of the market features a variety of makers and vendors. In the warmer months, the outdoors area features a wide selection of produce vendors, makers and more.

Learning garden

Outside, we discovered several container gardens that encourage learning about produce. Love that the restaurants at the market have their own community garden!

For our first dinner, we enjoyed Blue Cat Brew Pub in Rock Island. After a day that included driving and visiting a few sites, it was nice to sit down and enjoy a beer samplers. Samplers are always fun -- especially when they are local brews.

The menu includes sandwiches, salads, comfort foods and dinner entrees. We were pretty impressed with the hummus platter that also included fresh mozzarella. I enjoyed the catfish tacos. My daughter had her traditional favorite -- a cheeseburger.

On the second day of our stay, we explored Moline's own Lagomarcino's! Known for its confections and soda fountain treats, the establishment also has sandwiches, salads and soups. Of course, you can't leave Lago's without trying its famous hot fudge sauce! Check out my post about Lagomarcino's for more.

For our second dinner, we tried Barley & Rye Bistro in Moline. Barley & Rye is a farm to table bistro featuring the freshest flavors from the Quad Cities.

For our dinner, we favored burgers. The atmosphere is slightly upscale yet a bit relaxed. The menu items offer intriguing flavor combinations. If you are out for a night out and bourbon is your thing, Barley & Rye has an incredible bourbon list!

Our final lunch in the Quad Cities was at Driftwood Pub perched along the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa. The family owned establishment features easy pub fare and fish entrees perfect for a spot along the Mississippi.

We enjoyed our lunch with views of the Mississippi River. I had catfish tacos while my husband enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich and my daughter munched on a shrimp basket. Driftwood is a pleasant spot for a lunch with a splendid view!

The fare at Driftwood Pub 

The Quad Cities has plenty of wonderful food choices for families! We enjoyed all of the flavors we discovered in the Quad Cities -- such a comfort on a family getaway!

**Disclosure: Thank you to Visit Quad Cities for hosting our visit. We received complimentary experiences in ordered to facilitate to bring these reviews to you. No other compensation was a received. All opinions are 100% my own.