Mapleton
Mapleton, IL · Food & Drink
everafterinthewoods.com
This Unassuming Illinois Pork Tenderloin Joint In Atlanta Serves Sandwiches Wider Than The Plate
A working 1950s pinball machine still blinks away inside a Route 66 diner that traces its story back to the 1930s. Upstairs, there’s a small museum. Across the street stands a giant man holding a hot dog. That’s a lot of personality for one small Illinois block. The cafe...
familydestinationsguide.com
8 Illinois Restaurants So Unique They Could Easily Star In Their Own Reality Television Show
Ready to find the most show-stopping restaurants in Illinois?. These 8 unique spots serve up unforgettable food and one-of-a-kind experiences!. Most restaurants just put food on a plate and call it a night, but EL Ideas has a completely different idea about what dinner should be. This Chicago spot is...
familydestinationsguide.com
This Under-The-Radar Seafood Spot In Illinois Serves Up Some Of The Best Food You’ll Ever Taste
Somewhere in Peoria, Illinois, there’s a restaurant that makes you forget you’re landlocked, and it’s called the Fish House. This place has been quietly serving up some of the most impressive seafood you’ll find anywhere in the Midwest, and somehow, not enough people are talking about it.
smilepolitely.com
Inspiration for Chinese takeout orders
Tomorrow, November 5 is National Chinese Takeout Day. In honor of the holiday and because Champaign-Urbana is home to the BEST Chinese food in the nation, here’s an alphabetical round up of our Chinese restaurant reviews in one handy dandy list. Click the links to read our most recently...
smilepolitely.com
An interview with Everyday Feast Bakery
As Smile Politely readers know from my review of Everyday Feast, this small business has been making fresh salads and dangerously delicious cookies at Urbana’s Market at The Square since 2024. The rye brown butter blondie with chocolate chips and any cookie with fruit are favorites in our house.
smilepolitely.com
Five things to eat or drink: November 2026
With a warm latte in hand and tasty plans on the horizon, let’s welcome November. My five things list this month showcases the gamut of food and drink: something from a bar, a cafe, a food truck, a brand-new restaurant, and an old restaurant’s second location. Before we get to the list—in the spirit of November, I want to express gratitude to all the local restauranteurs, chefs, servers, bakers, bartenders, baristas, runners, bussers, dishwashers, and hungry readers like you. Thank you.
Journal Star
'Defined area' for alcohol outlined for Downtown Peoria mall space
Cultured Grounds was once again the subject of debate and discussion during a Peoria Liquor Commission meeting held on Monday, Nov. 2. The latest request comes shortly after the site’s initial application – considered in September – was recommended for denial 3-1 . This go-around, attorney Sam Zabek appeared before commissioners to represent building owner Make Solutions LLC. He described the previous conversation as “a little convoluted” and said the new application provides “a defined area” for where alcohol will be allowed inside Twin Towers Mall. While questions and concerns remained, commissioners ultimately voted 3-1 to recommend approval for the updated application. The matter is slated to go before the Peoria City Council on Dec. 8. Previously: Downtown Peoria mall ownership change leads to threats, raised rents ‘Make sure there's controlled access’ Previous concerns centered primarily on where alcohol would be allowed within Twin Towers Mall. Site plan drawings for the space now include a “controlled access seating area” connected to the Cultured Grounds unit, with the application updated to add a beer garden subclass. “When they do the beer garden, they'll have to go through the permitting process as identified in the packet - with building inspection and comply
unearththevoyage.com
These 6 Illinois Diners Still Serve Liver And Onions Like Grandma Made On Sundays
Some of the best meals in Illinois hide behind plain signs, worn booths, and a coffee pot that never seems to run dry. You walk in expecting a quick bite, then a plate of tender liver smothered in sweet, golden onions lands in front of you and suddenly you are a kid again at Grandma’s table.