CLIVE, Iowa (KCAU) — Two restaurants in northwest Iowa are finalists for this year’s Iowa’s best-breaded pork tenderloin contest.
The 21st annual contest is being held by the Iowa Pork Producer Association (IPPA) in celebration of National Pork Month.
The IPPA said that 774 restaurants were nominated this year. Of those, judges anonymously visited the top 40 restaurants over the summer.
The five finalist are listed below
- Cliff’s Place – Manning
- Spillway Supper Club – Harpers Ferry
- Stumpy’s Bar & Grill – Duncombe
- ToJo’s Bar & Grill – Jamaica
- The Roadhouse – Orange City
“It’s exciting to see such an overwhelming response from Iowans who love breaded pork tenderloins,” said Kelsey Sutter, marketing and programs director for IPPA. “There certainly isn’t a shortage of restaurants serving them up!”
Some of the qualifications included that the tenderloins have to be hand-breaded or battered, be a pounded-out slice of pork and served on a bun, the sandwich needs to be a regular menu item, and the restaurant needs to be open all year.
“The breaded pork tenderloin is an Iowa tradition,” said Linda Schroeder, chair of the IPPA Restaurant and Foodservice Committee. “Winning Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest is an exemplary honor, and that recognition will last forever!”
The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque, a banner, and statewide publicity.The runner-up will get $250, and a plaque.
Below are winners over the last five years.
- 2022 –- Lid’s Bar & Grill, Waukon
- 2021 — Victoria Station, Harlan (closed)
- 2020 — PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg
- 2019 — The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton
- 2018 — Three C’s Diner, Corning
