Centro, Latin King, Django and ... Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe?

The strong fourth-place finish behind three upscale Des Moines staples makes it clear you can’t take the small town charm out of the Des Moinesian.

“There are BMWs parked next to tractors in the parking lot,” owner Brad Magg, 24, said. “We get a lot of tourists with the local folks. It’s funny to see how many people from Des Moines come out on a weekly basis to eat at the shop.”

Perhaps most famous for its breaded tenderloins (the Iowa Pork Producers voted them the best in the state in 2009), locals know Magg from his elementary years, when he started making cookies, pies and cakes in the third grade. That love of baking and cooking (learned from his babysitter) turned into a catering business, and he purchased Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe after graduating from DMACC’s culinary program in 2007.

At the time, Prairie City (located about 25 minutes from Des Moines) didn’t have a restaurant. So in addition to sweets, Magg started selling sandwiches, including that famous, hand-sliced, tenderized and breaded tenderloin. Four years later, it’s a full-service restaurant, with lunch, dinner, ice cream and homemade baked goods

Unique items on the menu include the Mingo Special (Italian sausage on top of a tenderloin and topped with melted mozzarella), Magg Combo (a cheeseburger — made from beef raised on Magg’s parent’s farm — on top of a tenderloin) and the PC Dog (a hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and fried. We’re not kidding).

Ice cream, with over 60 unique topping choices, is popular as well.

With all the people piling through the doors to see what the fuss is about (plus the many regulars), Goldie’s hasn’t physically grown much. Inside, five tables and nine stools are still the only places to sit, though you can enjoy your food outside on the small patio. Despite tight quarters, Magg never considered starting his business in Des Moines.

“I’ve had so much support from locals and central Iowa, and my business grew so successful that I didn’t have to leave town,” he said. “This town gave me the support, so I felt like I needed to return the favor.”

Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe

Where: 304 W. Second St., Prairie City

Hours: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily

Info: (515) 994-3190 and on Facebook