Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- More Roadfood from the Land of Lincoln
I have another post from the vault to launch as summer comes to end. This week we're going to head down to Central Illinois and check out some spots I've checked out down there from over the years. If you've ever wondered what constitutes Central Illinois it's the entire central third of the state, divided from north to south. The biggest cities include Peoria, Springfield, Decatur, Quincy, Champaign–Urbana, Bloomington–Normal, Galesburg, and Danville. It's not the most scenic part of the state nor is it the most entertaining but it does have it's charms including some cute little towns including a few along Route 66, there's the state capital and a few universities including the states largest institution - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's also the home to the state fair and an area I find myself in now and then. Here's a roundup of some of the spots I've stopped at over the last few years
Pics from Central Illinois (click all pics to enhance)
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Wally's Gas Station (Pontiac)
First stop is a place Illinois politicians love to swoon over - Wally’s Gas Station in Pontiac, Illinois is located just off I-55. Wally’s is known as the states “premier gas station” boasting a 30,000 square foot campus comprised of more than 75 pumps, four EV charging stations and a massive store where you can buy everything from beef jerky, popcorn, pastries, and bbq sandwiches and camouflage hunting gear too. If Wally’s sounds like Texas based Bucee’s that’s because it’s basically a knockoff. I’ve stopped here a few times over the years as it’s a great place to use the always clean bathrooms and grab gas but I really don’t see the appeal in their food and the snacks. Popcorn is popcorn…it’s fine. The brisket sandwich is akin to what you might get if Culver’s added one to their menu and they don’t stock lots of regional snacks like you usually find at these type of massive gas stations.
Brisket Sandwich at Wally's
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Cazadores Tacos (Onarga)
I’ve probably visited as many towns in Illinois as anybody save for a select few and more times than not it’s bc I stopped in at a bar and or eating establishment in one of them. That’s how I ended up in the small town of Onarga, 95 miles south on I-57 in Iroquois County. I had heard there was some good tacos to be found here and although my visit was more than five years ago it doesn’t look like much has changed when I look and read updated pictures and reviews. It’s a no frills family run taqueria located in the middle of the corn fields. Both the steak and “al pastor” were above average and the salsas are made with produce from their garden when weather allows. It’s a great place to stop if you need a quick bite in the area as there aren’t a ton of other options outside typical fast food.
Taco at Cazadores Tacos
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Lucca Grill (Bloomington)
There’s a handful of legitimately good tavern style pizzerias in Central Illinois and Lucca Grill in Bloomington is my favorite of the bunch. Opened in 1936 it’s been in the same building for more than 80 years. The inside of Lucca Grill is super old school with an ornate tin ceiling, an antique mahogany bar, and walls lined with pics and memorabilia from another era. Lucca Grill has a full menu but you’re here for the pizza which is also old school in the best of ways. JFK visited in 1960 while on the campaign trail. Pizza is said to have first appeared in Central Illinois when it went on the menu at Lucca Grill in 1953. According to the always informative Road Tips blog it was the son of one of the owners who introduced it after a trip to St. Louis (Lucca Grill doesn't use Provel). At first they weren’t sure if the pizza would stick around but that it did and more than 70 years later it’s the most iconic pizzeria in the region. The pizza at Lucca Grill is everything you want in a tavern pizza - it’s thin, it’s crisp, and the sausage has hints of fennel. This place would hold its own 135 miles away in Chicago.
Sausage Pizza at Lucca Grill
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Stango Cuisine (Champaign)
We passed on Chinese food to check out a Zambian spot in Champaign. University of Illinois has a huge Chinese student body and some good Chinese restaurants to boot but Stango Cuisine is the only restaurant in the state serving the food of Zambia and one of just a handful in the country. First up was a platter with a little bit of just about everything. This included beef stew, chicken curry, and a Hungarian sausage link that I learned is popular in Zambia. All that came with rice, roasted sweet potatoes, greens. We also tried the oxtail and it all it the hit the spot like I was hoping it would. Zambian cuisine is mostly based on nshima, which is a food prepared from pounded white maize that came with our tasting platter and also the oxtail. It reminded me of grit cakes and took on the taste of the oxtail gravy which was pretty great. Also of note was the Kabulangeti Beans served with each order, you could tell those were slow cooked. This was some of the best African food I've had in Illinois.
Zambian Platter at Stango Cuisine
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Wienerschnitzel (Champaign)
Regular readers should know my stance on fast food by now. I’m not big on the easily accessible spots like McDonalds, Taco Bell etc. but I do like to try the regional fast food chains at least once. For whatever reason Wienerschnitzel is one of the few QSR’s (quick service restaurants) specializing in hot dogs. They were founded in 1961 by a former Taco Bell employee in Los Angeles. I’d never been to a Wienerschnitzel until I drove by their only location in Illinois and decided to stop bc why not as it’s quick and cheap and I very much like hot dogs as well as all forms of regional food. Chili dogs are Wienerschnitzel’s most popular menu item so I tried one of those and I actually liked it more than I thought I would. These are one of those things that seems to be better than the sum of its parts as the wiener is skinless and the tomato forward chili comes from a can, which they sell there at the store.
The story behind Springfield's Maid-Rite is a bit murky as there’s all sorts of years and numbers depending on who you ask or what you read. According to some it’s one of just a few early Maid-Rite's still standing. The Maid Rite chain is credited with creating the loose meat sandwich which is essentially a sloppy Joe without any sauce. It’s a hamburger made with loose meat. The first ever Maid Rite appeared in Muscatine Iowa circa 1926 but the Springfield Maid Rite is not a part of the Des Moines based franchise and claims to have risen in 1924 marking this year as their 100th anniversary. Not just that but they also claim their building, located along the historic Route 66, is the country’s first drive thru window as it was added to National Register of Historic Places in 1984. I stopped for a loose meat and a mug of made on site root beer and it was a fun stop despite the food being average at best. I didn’t like how the sandwiches are pre made but it’s a cool building to check out and the owner is a nice guy who saved one of Springfield's most iconic eateries.
The Illinois State Fair is going on right now so we’ll finish with a few of the spots I think are worth trying should you find yourself there. But if I’m being completely honest the Illinois Fair is lacking compared to some of its peers. For ex. the Minnesota State Fair puts Illinois to shame but in fairness it pretty much tops all the other 48 states too. I think one of the biggest problems the Illinois State Fair has is its location - again I'm only being honest. Being in Springfield means it’s three hours away from Chicago which in turn means it’s tough for some of the states best restaurants and festival related stands to make the trek down there for two weeks (the Minnesota State Fair is in Minneapolis). Nonetheless there’s still a few things I rec seeking out incl. the previously featured Vose Korn Dogs.
Chili Dog from Wienerschnitzel
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Krekel's Custard (Decatur)
It's coming up on 10 years since my semi deep dive into the smashed burger and it's original hub of Central Illinois. Since then the humble burger has gone international and no I'm not taking claim of that I'm just stating a fact. But since my post went live back in 2015 two of the better smashed burger spots have closed however they both reopened with great joy from their fans. It's tough to pick a single spot when it comes to the best smashed burger in Central Illinois but it's not as hard to pick the most iconic and successful of the bunch and that would be Krekel's. William Krekel, current owner Suzie Wichmann's grandfather, started the Krekel brand in 1949 in Decatur, Illinois. Today they have seven locations and I always like to check in at Krekel's Custard which is at 800 E. Wood St. in Decatur. They make the platonic smashed burger which is a McDonald's sized patty (get a double) smashed until the edges are crisp served up on nothing more than a cheap white bun with whatever toppings you want - mustard, onion, pickles are the way to go. Skip the frozen fries and pair your burger with a cone of custard - half lemon and half strawberry. As far as bang for your buck goes this is one of the best burgers not just here but anywhere. So until the Chicago Bears win another Super Bowl Krekel's is the best thing that Decatur has ever produced. A 1st Ballot Roadfood Hall of Famer.
Burger and Custard at Krekel's Custard
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Maid-Rite (Springfield)
The story behind Springfield's Maid-Rite is a bit murky as there’s all sorts of years and numbers depending on who you ask or what you read. According to some it’s one of just a few early Maid-Rite's still standing. The Maid Rite chain is credited with creating the loose meat sandwich which is essentially a sloppy Joe without any sauce. It’s a hamburger made with loose meat. The first ever Maid Rite appeared in Muscatine Iowa circa 1926 but the Springfield Maid Rite is not a part of the Des Moines based franchise and claims to have risen in 1924 marking this year as their 100th anniversary. Not just that but they also claim their building, located along the historic Route 66, is the country’s first drive thru window as it was added to National Register of Historic Places in 1984. I stopped for a loose meat and a mug of made on site root beer and it was a fun stop despite the food being average at best. I didn’t like how the sandwiches are pre made but it’s a cool building to check out and the owner is a nice guy who saved one of Springfield's most iconic eateries.
Loose Meat Sandwich at Maid-Rite
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Illinois State Fair (Springfield)
The Illinois State Fair is going on right now so we’ll finish with a few of the spots I think are worth trying should you find yourself there. But if I’m being completely honest the Illinois Fair is lacking compared to some of its peers. For ex. the Minnesota State Fair puts Illinois to shame but in fairness it pretty much tops all the other 48 states too. I think one of the biggest problems the Illinois State Fair has is its location - again I'm only being honest. Being in Springfield means it’s three hours away from Chicago which in turn means it’s tough for some of the states best restaurants and festival related stands to make the trek down there for two weeks (the Minnesota State Fair is in Minneapolis). Nonetheless there’s still a few things I rec seeking out incl. the previously featured Vose Korn Dogs.
Korn Dog at Vose Korn Dogs
Vose Korn Dogs has been a staple of the Illinois State Fair since 1966. Founder Bob Vose worked the state fair as a young man and he liked it so much he decided to start up his own stand specializing in corn dogs. Cornmeal coated hot dogs on a stick are one of the great state fair foods and they’re said to have been created right here in Springfield at the Cozy Dog Diner along Route 66 though Vose’s are considered the standard. Owner Bob passed away in 2023 but his family continues running the stand which is open all summer and not just during the State Fair. I’m not the biggest corn dog booster but I always enjoy getting one from Vose Korn Dogs - the state fairs most iconic stand.
If you want some fries alongside your corn dog check out Cullers French Fries. Anyone that’s been to a county and or state fair in Illinois over the past 75+ years likely came in contact with this historic stand. Forest Culler started the business 72 years ago working the Champaign County and Illinois State fairs and the original trailer is now in a carnival museum in Florida. These days the family owns three trailers which make appearances at more than 30 seasonal events. They sell just one size of fries and no drinks. The only condiments on offer are salt and cider vinegar. Spuds are cut from fresh Russet Burbank (Idaho) baking potatoes by a machine that the family invented. The fries are then blanched in oil at one temp and moved to another basket of oil at a higher temperature for crisping.
Then there's the Pork Patio. It’s been a part of the Illinois State Fair for more than 30 years. They have a handful of items made with Illinois farm raised pork including the popular pork on a stick. Last time I was down there they were sold out of the pork on a stick so I went with a pork chop sandwich which is nothing more than a pork chop in a bun but it’s pretty damn good with some mustard added on. I would definitely eat a few of these every year if I was a regular attendee of the Illinois State Fair.
French Fries at Cullers French Fries
Then there's the Pork Patio. It’s been a part of the Illinois State Fair for more than 30 years. They have a handful of items made with Illinois farm raised pork including the popular pork on a stick. Last time I was down there they were sold out of the pork on a stick so I went with a pork chop sandwich which is nothing more than a pork chop in a bun but it’s pretty damn good with some mustard added on. I would definitely eat a few of these every year if I was a regular attendee of the Illinois State Fair.
Pork Chop Sandwich at The Pork Patio
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Tastee Treat (Taylorville)
A couple summers ago when I went down to the Illinois State Fair for the night with a friend who had to be there for Democrats day we took a ride the next morning to the small town of Taylorville to try an old school burger spot that I documented HERE. After that we hopped over to the Tastee Treat which was established back in 1964. This is your typical Midwest ice cream stand and I mean that in the best way possible. They don't make them this anymore. Seeing as how Tastee Treat is in Central Illinois I made sure to get the lemon soft serve which is a signature summer snack in these parts.
Lemon Soft Serve at Tastee Treat
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