'Best Tenderloin' contest is set

   Is the breaded pork tenderloin your go-to when eating out? If so, it’s that time of year again and we need your help to uncover the 2025 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin.

   The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is on the hunt for the tastiest, juiciest, most mouthwatering breaded pork tenderloin sandwich in the state.

   Nominations for the 23^rd annual Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest opened April 17, and will be accepted through June 1.

   Whether it's a small-town café or a local go-to spot, now’s your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.

   Each person can nominate one restaurant, and if your pick takes the crown, you could win $100 just for showing your love!

   “Restaurants should definitely be paying attention to this contest and encouraging nominations from their customers if they haven’t in the past”, says Denise Wiley, chairwoman of the Restaurant & Foodservice Committee at Iowa Pork.

   To qualify, a restaurant must serve hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches as a regular menu item and have consistent, year-round hours that are open to the public. Sorry, no food trucks, seasonal spots, or catering-only businesses are eligible.

   After the nomination period, IPPA will narrow entries down to the top 40 restaurants, including the top five from each of its eight districts. Then, undercover judges will hit the road to taste and score the finalists based on pork quality, flavor, appearance, and overall deliciousness.

   The top five will be revealed in October during National Pork Month, and the winner will snag $500, a plaque, and some serious bragging rights. The runner-up gets $250 and a plaque too.

   In 2023 alone, more than 9,000 nominations came in for 774 different restaurants.

   Last year’s winner was Dairy Sweet in Dunlap, while tenderloins from two Monticello restaurants, The Blind Pig and The Market at the Tap, were among the five finalists.

   In 2020, PrairieMoon On Main in Prairieburg was the champion.