Grinnell restaurant celebrates winning state's best tenderloin
A local favorite in Poweshiek County is now a statewide sensation. Hometown Heroes, a restaurant on Main Street in Grinnell, has earned the prestigious title of Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin for 2025. Locals and visitors alike are raving about the sandwich that has put this small-town eatery on the map.
Executive chef Paul Durr credits the restaurant's success to their preparation process. "We marinate our tenderloins. I don't know if a lot of people do that, but we marinate them for a half day or so," Durr said. "Then we lightly bread them with Panko crumbs. The marinade is simple — just buttermilk and our hot sauce."
The result is a thick-cut, lightly breaded tenderloin served on a brioche bun with all the toppings.
The sandwich has been a staple at Hometown Heroes since the restaurant opened in 2019, but its recent recognition has brought a surge of customers eager to try the award-winning dish. "It's as big as your hand," Durr said, describing the generous portion size.
Customers from across Iowa are making the trip to Grinnell to taste the tenderloin for themselves.
"It's got a good combination of breading and meat, and it's not too thin," said Nate Macki, a satisfied diner.
Another customer, Cass Stubbs, praised the sandwich's texture, saying, "The breading on it is really, really good. They crisp it up perfectly and put all the toppings on it."
The recognition has brought a sense of pride to the team at Hometown Heroes. General Manager Alex Philips shared his excitement: "It just makes me proud to be here serving this sandwich from pork that comes from Iowa. It just gives you a good hometown feeling here at Hometown Heroes."
Hometown Heroes is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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