Open in NewsBreak

Fithian

See all locations
Customize your news
37°F
publisher avatar

Food & Drink

fastfoodclub.com

website

Illinois Still Has Old-Fashioned Soda Fountains, And These 6 Are Worth A Drive

Remember when a trip to town meant a stool at the counter and a fizzy drink mixed by hand? In a handful of Illinois towns, that tradition never left. From a Route 66 stop in Girard to a century-old confectionery in Moline, these soda fountains still pour sodas, scoop sundaes, and serve candy the old way. Pack a cooler for the chocolates, bring a little patience for the Saturday crowds, and plan a road trip around dessert for once.

Illinois · 18d
article img

takemetotn.com

website

8 Illinois Orchard Bakeries Where Fresh Apple Pies Sell Out Fast When Fall Arrives

Illinois takes its apples seriously enough to have an official state fruit. The GoldRush apple earned that title in 2007, and I love that something so crisp and tart gets to share the spotlight with the state bird and flower. Even better, University of Illinois researchers helped develop this apple...

Illinois · 16d
article img

takingthekids.com

website

8 Illinois Supper Clubs And Steakhouses Where The Prime Rib Comes Thick-Cut And Old-School

One Illinois steakhouse lists an 18-ounce prime rib right on its menu. That’s more than a pound of slow-roasted beef sitting on one plate, and I love that nobody there seems shy about it. The old supper club spirit is still alive across this state. One spot sits high...

Illinois · 19d
article img

springfieldbusinessjournal.com

website

Taco Bell opening soon in Chatham

The first freestanding Taco Bell in Chatham could be open by the end of the year. The restaurant is under construction at the site of the former Hardee’s on North Main Street. LucWork Enterprises Inc., a Peoria-based Taco Bell franchise owner, will be the restaurant’s owner and operator.

Chatham, IL · 18d
article img

aledotimesrecord.com

website

Trader Joe's announces new locations in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Trader Joe’s has been expanding throughout 2026 with new stores in Utah to Massachusetts, but soon the Prairie State will soon be getting some new locations. On Oct. 12, Trader Joe’s listed 25 new locations to open within the end of the year on the...

Illinois · 21d

takemetotn.com

website

This Small Illinois Italian Deli Has Been Worth The Trip Since 1937

Truffle mustard balsamic vinaigrette, made fresh every day, gets spread on one of the most talked-about subs in Illinois. That alone got my attention. Then I learned the giardiniera comes from a family recipe dating back to the 1950s. The shop started as a wholesale importer in part of an...

Chicago, IL · 23d

sfntoday.com

website

Small-Town Grocers Embrace Change to Stay Competitive

A University of Illinois Extension educator has been studying the plight of small-town grocery stores. John Shadowens started looking at the subject five years ago. He says it’s a challenging business model, but he believes there is a future for those type of operations. “I would say yes, but...

Springfield, IL · 19d

everafterinthewoods.com

website

This Illinois Restaurant Piles Crab Legs And Shrimp Onto Giant Seafood Platters Made For Sharing

Plastic bibs, a beach mural, and a table covered in crab shells might be the most fun way to spend a weeknight dinner in Illinois. On the South Side of the state’s biggest city, one seafood shack has turned the classic boil into a hands-on group meal. Friends and...

Chicago, IL · 26d

everafterinthewoods.com

website

This Little Family-Run Illinois Grill Serves Filipino Street Food Like You’d Find In Manila

Grilled pork skewers, quail eggs fried in bright orange batter, and a cup of shaved ice piled with purple ube are not what most people expect to find along a busy road in the northwest suburbs of Illinois. Yet one small, family-owned kitchen serves exactly that, along with the kind of warm welcome that makes first-timers feel like regulars.

Arlington Heights, IL · 19d

takemetotn.com

website

This Illinois Barbecue Joint Serves Brisket So Good the Line Wraps Around the Building

The brisket here spends 14 to 18 hours in the smoke before anyone gets a slice. It starts as Certified Angus Beef Prime, and it wears a coffee rub. That’s a long wait for dinner, and the brisket earns every minute of it. A Texas Monthly barbecue editor put...

Chicago, IL · 22d

My Journal Courier

partner publisher · 8.4K followers

Little Mexico owners to open drive-through in Jacksonville

The owners of Little Mexico are opening a new drive-through restaurant in 2027 on West Morton Avenue.

Jacksonville, IL · 19d

The State Journal-Register

partner publisher · 14.3K followers

New cafe in Springfield is a 'sweets and chocolate lover's paradise'

Name : Chocolate Cafe Address : 4151 Wabash Ave., Springfield Phone: 217-572-1177 Website/Facebook: chocolatecafespringfieldil.com Credit/debit cards accepted: Yes Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Entrée price range: $8.99-16.99 Children’s menu: No More: New Chocolate Cafe brings sweet treats to Springfield My order: This could be a sweets and chocolate lover’s paradise with its array of treats and coffee, shakes and more. The black, white, and cream décor presents a relaxing urban vibe until the sugar rush might set in. Everything but the ice cream is prepared on premises. I chose the Mix Fruit Crepe stuffed with mixed fruits and drizzled with white chocolate, Nutella and peanuts ($16.99). My husband opted for pancakes with maple syrup ($12.99). Likes: My crepe boasted culinary artisanship with its marbled white chocolate and Nutella. It was an eye-worthy presentation. My husband’s pancakes were sizeable enough to take half home. Dislikes: None. What would I order next time? Perhaps the pistachio cheesecake ($9.99) paired with a Spanish Latte ($7.99). This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: New cafe in Springfield is a 'sweets and chocolate

Springfield, IL · 20d

takemetotn.com

website

This Little-Known Illinois Restaurant Serves an Italian Beef Sandwich That’s to Die For

A sign at this drive-thru warns that extra sauce costs extra because nothing is free, except their love for you. I can’t imagine a better way to set expectations before ordering a juicy Italian beef. The building sits back from the road, so it’s easy to cruise right past....

Illinois · 21d

everafterinthewoods.com

website

This Old-School Illinois Diner Pulls Breakfast Lovers From Hours Away Every Single Weekend

License plates and old stoplights cover the walls of a small Illinois diner where the coffee pot never seems to stop moving. Locals send travelers here when they ask where to find a good breakfast, and the plates come out so full that first-timers often wish they had snapped a photo.

Peoria, IL · 21d

The Coconut Mama

partner publisher · 39.9K followers

The 3 most beloved Illinois restaurants that are now gone

Illinois diners have endured another run of local restaurant losses after three treasured restaurants closed earlier this year. The latest group includes a five-decade Palatine institution, a longtime Chicago Thai…

Palatine, IL · 10-10

fastfoodclub.com

website

These 7 Illinois Drive-Ins Serve Onion Rings Worth Going Out of Your Way For

Fries get most of the attention, but a good onion ring tells you a lot about a drive-in. Illinois still has a handful of old-school spots where carhops bring trays to your window and the rings come out crispy and golden. This list covers seven of them, from a famous...

Illinois · 20d

everafterinthewoods.com

website

This Illinois Polish Kitchen Hand-Makes Pierogi Daily From A Family Dough Recipe Passed Down Through Generations

A grandfather in southeastern Poland once rolled out a dough so tender that his grandson still uses the same recipe today, every single morning, in Illinois. The result is a plate of pierogi that tastes like a family kitchen instead of a factory. In a state packed with Polish heritage,...

Chicago, IL · 21d

nrn.com

website

Golden Corral, Wendy’s, and Yoshinoya

Golden Corral is closing more restaurants than usual in 2026. Media reports show that at least seven locations closed this year, in Illinois, Idaho, Iowa, Texas, Florida and Missouri. The buffet chain would not confirm the number of closures but did say “there are more closures this year than our normal rate of attrition.” At the start of the year, Golden Corral said it planned to double its portfolio size by 2035. The company also said it will be opening a few of these restaurants under new ownership.

Missouri · 21d

The State Journal-Register

partner publisher · 14.3K followers

Head West Sub Stop has temporarily closed downtown

SPRINGFIELD, IL – A popular sandwich shop near the capitol complex has been closed for close to a month now, with no signs of opening soon. The Head West Sub Stop downtown has been closed since the Route 66 Mother Road Festival, according to one employee who told a reporter at The State Journal-Register all staff at the 530 E. Capitol Ave. location quit immediately following the festival. More: Illinois Route 66 byway names Centennial Award finalists The store is not permanently closed, the employee continued. “We’re just in the process of trying to get new people in and back open,” the employee said. “We are definitely hiring. All you’ve got to go is on Indeed or on our actual website and apply.” Since 1912, the corner store on Capitol Avenue has been a spot for grabbing a bite to eat. Before the site was a Head West, Bachmann & Keefner Pharmacy was the name on the street, with its black-and-white mosaic floor and red bar stools. The pharmacy had stood as the corner staple for 90 years under several owners. The pharmacy sold drugs, as well as olive-loaf sandwiches as an equally effective remedy for tourists, politicians and Springfield

Springfield, IL · 21d

I-Rock 93.5

partner publisher · 4.5K followers

The 3 Halloween Candies Illinois Trick-or-Treaters Want Most

llinois has three favorite Halloween candies, and the top pick might surprise you. Find out what trick-or-treaters want most before you fill your candy bowl.

Illinois · 22d