Fair Grounds Menu
345 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA
Bakery café
What you are likely to find at Fair Grounds: 44 items typical of a bakery café, grouped the way most bakery cafés lay out their counter.
This is a typical menu for this style of bakery, not the bakery's official menu, and prices are not listed. Ask in store or call for today's selection and any allergen information.
Morning pastries
Laminated doughs, muffins and sweet rolls baked early for the breakfast rush.
- Cranberry orange sconeVegetarianCrumbly, cream-based scone with tart dried cranberries and fresh orange zest, brushed with a light citrus glaze.
- Morning bunVegetarianCroissant dough coiled with cinnamon and orange sugar, baked in a muffin tin until the edges caramelize and crunch.
- Butter croissantVegetarian · Popular pickLaminated pastry with dozens of crisp, shattering layers and a honeycombed, buttery interior; best eaten the morning it's baked.
- Almond croissantVegetarian · Contains nutsDay-old croissant soaked in syrup, filled with almond frangipane and rebaked under sliced almonds and powdered sugar.
- Pain au chocolatVegetarianRectangular croissant dough rolled around two batons of dark chocolate, flaky outside with a bittersweet center.
- Cinnamon rollVegetarianSoft, spiraled yeast roll filled with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, finished with a thick cream cheese glaze.
- Blueberry muffinVegetarianTall, domed muffin bursting with blueberries under a crunchy sugar crust; moist and tender inside.
Breakfast
Hot breakfast plates and sandwiches made to order on house-baked bread.
- Avocado toastVegan · Dairy-freeThick-cut toasted sourdough topped with smashed avocado, lemon, chili flakes and flaky salt; an egg can be added on top.
- Quiche of the daySavoryWedge of deep-dish quiche with a buttery crust, filled with eggs, cream and rotating vegetables or meats, served with greens.
- Ham & Gruyère egg sandwichSavoryFried egg, shaved ham and melted Gruyère on toasted brioche with a swipe of Dijon mustard.
- Greek yogurt parfaitVegetarian · Contains nutsLayers of thick Greek yogurt, fresh berries and house granola with honey; cool, crunchy and lightly sweet.
- Steel-cut oatmealVegetarianSlow-simmered steel-cut oats with a nutty chew, topped with brown sugar, fresh fruit and a splash of milk.
- Croissant breakfast sandwichSavory · Popular pickFluffy scrambled eggs, smoked bacon and aged cheddar layered inside a split butter croissant and warmed through.
Sandwiches
Lunch sandwiches built on breads from the bakery's own ovens.
- Turkey avocado on sourdoughSavory · Popular pickRoasted turkey, avocado, tomato, greens and herb mayo on toasted country sourdough; a fresh, filling lunch staple.
- Chicken salad croissantSavoryHouse chicken salad with celery, grapes and herbs piled into a flaky croissant with crisp leaf lettuce.
- Caprese ciabattaVegetarianFresh mozzarella, ripe tomato and basil with balsamic glaze and olive oil on a chewy ciabatta roll.
- Ham & brie baguetteSavoryThin-sliced ham, creamy brie and butter on a crusty baguette in the style of a Parisian café jambon-beurre.
- Roast beef & cheddarSavoryRare roast beef, sharp white cheddar, arugula and horseradish cream on toasted rye; peppery and rich.
- Tuna meltSavoryTuna salad and melted Swiss griddled on sourdough until the bread is golden and the cheese starts to bubble.
- Grilled vegetable paniniVegetarian · Contains nutsPressed focaccia filled with roasted zucchini, peppers, eggplant, pesto and provolone; crisp, smoky and herby.
Soups
Daily soups served by the cup or bowl, often with a slice of bread on the side.
- Broccoli cheddar soupVegetarianThick, velvety soup of tender broccoli florets in a sharp cheddar base, often served in a sourdough bread bowl.
- Chicken noodle soupSavoryClear, savory broth with shredded chicken, wide egg noodles, carrots, celery and fresh parsley; homestyle, warming and gently seasoned.
- French onion soupSavoryDeeply caramelized onions in beef broth, topped with a toasted crouton and a blistered cap of melted Gruyère.
- Lentil vegetable soupVegan · Gluten-freeHearty soup of brown lentils, carrots, celery and tomato with cumin and thyme; earthy and filling.
- New England clam chowderSavoryCreamy chowder with clams, potatoes, onion and a touch of bacon, thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Tomato basil bisqueVegetarian · Gluten-freeSmooth, creamy tomato soup brightened with fresh basil; a natural partner for a grilled cheese or a hunk of baguette.
Salads
Composed salads and bowls, available on their own or paired with half a sandwich.
- Quinoa power bowlVegan · Gluten-freeFluffy quinoa with roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, kale and lemon-tahini dressing; nutty, bright and plant-based.
- Strawberry spinach saladVegetarian · Contains nutsBaby spinach with fresh strawberries, toasted almonds, feta and a poppy seed dressing; a spring and summer favorite.
- Classic CaesarSavoryCrisp romaine tossed in a garlicky anchovy dressing with shaved Parmesan and house-baked sourdough croutons.
- Cobb saladSavoryChopped greens with grilled chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomato and blue cheese in tidy rows.
- Greek saladVegetarian · Gluten-freeCucumber, tomato, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta with oregano vinaigrette; tangy, briny and crunchy.
- Harvest apple pecan saladVegetarian · Contains nutsMixed greens with sliced apple, candied pecans, dried cranberries and goat cheese in a maple vinaigrette.
Desserts & sweets
Pastry-case desserts to finish lunch or take home.
- French macaronsVegetarian · Contains nutsDelicate almond meringue cookies with crisp shells and chewy centers, sandwiched with ganache or buttercream in assorted flavors.
- Carrot cake sliceVegetarian · Contains nutsTall slice of moist spiced carrot cake with walnuts and layers of thick, tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Seasonal fruit tartVegetarian · SeasonalCrisp sweet pastry shell filled with vanilla pastry cream and arranged with glazed fresh fruit that changes through the year.
- Lemon tartVegetarianShort, buttery crust holding a smooth, sharply tart lemon cream, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Classic cheesecake sliceVegetarianDense, creamy vanilla cheesecake on a graham cracker crust, topped with berry compote or served plain.
- Double chocolate brownieVegetarianChewy, deep-chocolate brownie with a paper-thin crackly top and chunks of melted dark chocolate scattered throughout the square.
Drinks
- AmericanoVeganEspresso stretched with hot water into a full-size cup; lighter in body than drip yet keeps the toasty edge of the shot.
- CappuccinoVegetarianEqual-ish parts espresso, steamed milk, and airy foam cap, giving a drier, stronger-tasting drink than a latte with a velvety top layer.
- Caffè latteVegetarianEspresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin microfoam layer; mellow and creamy, often finished with latte art and offered with oat or almond milk.
- Flat whiteVegetarianA smaller, stronger cousin of the latte: a double ristretto under silky, barely-foamed milk for a dense texture and pronounced coffee flavor.
- MochaVegetarianEspresso, chocolate sauce, and steamed milk, sometimes crowned with whipped cream; a dessert-leaning drink balancing cocoa richness with coffee bite.
- Cold brewVeganCoarse grounds steeped in cold water for twelve hours or more, yielding a smooth, low-acid concentrate served over ice with chocolatey undertones.