One of the oldest family-run restaurants in Iowa is closing its doors today (Friday). Winga’s restaurant has been serving their famous homemade pies for 78 years in the town of Washington, south of Iowa City.
John Winga was born in Holland and started the restaurant in east-central Iowa in 1928. His son, John Winga, Junior, has been running it with his wife Carol for years now. A lot of people he’s serving today are third-generation customers and he remembers serving their grandparents.
“I’ve seen a lot of folks grow up in this community, and I’ve enjoyed being with all of them.” The diner’s also been host to a “Coffee Club” that began in 1935, which boasts over 65-hundred members including Hayden Fry and Colonel Sanders.