Foodies + New Friends: Des Moines | 2026

Our series groups together complete strangers for a fun night out. That's right, you sign up, and we book the restaurant. We know life can get busy. Don't forget to spend time making new friends! Build your community with us while supporting locally owned businesses.

Each week is held at a different restaurant. These dinners are not directly associated with the restaurants, but are simply based on a table reservation. The pin on the map is not the location but a placeholder since each location changes week to week.

This micro-event is intended to be for 4-6 people maximum. If the evening you signed up for does not hit the minimum number of signups, please be open to joining us on another night with a fuller group. Check out our feature in Eventbrite's 2025 TRNDS report about embracing the micro-event trend.

Our feature on Fox 11 Los Angeles for our dinner meets.

Please see here for our coverage in Nashville Fox 17's Growing Nashville segment.

How does it work?

After you register, you'll be emailed an introduction message regarding age, interest, and favorite foods. We'll stay in touch with you leading up to the night of the dinner. Expect a Final Details email the day of.

Please try your best to register weeks in advance, if possible.

*Your registration does not include your individual food and drink purchases. A paid ticket simply makes you more committed to actually showing up. Your registration supports our team's endeavors.

*Sign up one time, and you'll join our database to be invited to all dinners.

*These outings are intended to help people make friends. These are not singles gatherings.

*If you sign up the day of, there's a risk of already reach our maximum for the night, or not having enough interest to move forward with a table reservation. Simply email ermantourageimpact@gmail.com to for info prior to signing up.

Our vision is simple: we take the no gimmicks approach to networking. No need for yet another app to take up space on your phone - just four walls and a roof and good food for people to connect :) We coordinate with you directly, human-to-human.

If you have any more questions, please contact ermantourageimpact@gmail.com!

Brought to you by event series Ermantourage.

(Become a monthly subscriber via Patreon for community gatherings not listed on this calendar, for giveaways, and to connect with both local and global members!)

Check out our newest endeavor thecomeunityproject.com.

Testimonials:

"It was so great! I will share pictures of food and if you need anywhere to share the experience! You did it better than AI! All of us were from different parts of the world, somehow having similar interests even though the age was different. Super cozy and friendly and amazing. We had one birthday (Persephone) so we gave her a cake!Thanks for hosting and looking forward to more events!" -Korina from Munich

"Hey, just wanted to give an update months later. I ended up forming a long term friend from this event and am very grateful. Thank you for helping set it up!" - Daritza from Austin