CLIVE, IOWA (October 3, 2025) — Iowa’s beloved Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is back in the spotlight as the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) narrows its annual competition from forty contenders to just five finalists. These restaurants now stand among the best of the best, vying for the coveted title of Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin.
2025 Finalists (alphabetical order)
- The 1854 — Gilbertville
- Dexfield Diner and Pub — Redfield
- Hometown Heroes — Grinnell
- Sugar’s Lounge and Diner — Council Bluffs
- Walker’s — Salix
How the Contest Works
The public nominates eligible restaurants. To qualify, restaurants must serve hand-breaded or hand-battered pork tenderloins year-round. Seasonal stands, caterers, and food trucks are not eligible.
From the forty top-nominated restaurants across IPPA’s eight districts, mystery diners evaluated sandwiches based on pork taste and quality, physical characteristics, presentation, and experience. IPPA’s Restaurant and Foodservice Committee then selected five finalists.
“Our judging process includes a point system with 100 points possible. The area of pork taste and quality is worth 50% of the total where judges are evaluating flavor, freshness, tenderness, moisture, and a balance of seasoning,” says Kelsey Sutter of IPPA. “But the first rule I was taught when I took over this contest fourteen years ago was there’s no such thing as a 100-point tenderloin!”
Now, a panel of three judges will visit each finalist to determine the first- and second-place winners. The panel is comprised of a retired chef, a longtime representative of Iowa’s pork industry, and a travel food blogger.
What’s at Stake
- Winner: $500, a plaque, a banner, statewide publicity, and perhaps most importantly: Bragging rights that often send tenderloin sales soaring.
- Runner-up: $250 and a plaque.
- Others in top five: Commemorative plaque.
- Nominators of winning restaurant: Entered into a random drawing for $100.
The champions will be announced in mid-October, during Porktober — National Pork Month — celebrating all things pork in Iowa.
Past Winners
- 2024 — Dairy Sweet, Dunlap
- 2023 — Cliff’s Place, Manning
- 2022 — Lid’s Bar and Grill, Waukon
- 2021 — Victoria Station, Harlan (closed)
- 2020 — PrairieMoon on Main, Prairieburg
- 2019 — The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton
See the full list of past winners since the contest began in 2003 at iowapork.org.
Can’t make it to one of these finalists? Try your hand at a Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich at home with IPPA’s recipe and how-to video here.
About the Iowa Pork Producers Association
The mission of the Iowa Pork Producers Association is promoting, educating, and providing a leading voice for a sustainable, socially-responsible, and globally-competitive pork industry.
