Roadfood in the Illinois River Valley

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Local Spots in LaSalle County Illinois  

We're heading down to the Illinois River Valley this week for a little rest and relaxation plus some food and drink. Michigan and Wisconsin are where most Chicagoans go to get away but I'm noticing a small uptick in people spending time and even purchasing weekend homes in the Illinois River Valley region. The IRV is two hours west of Chicago so around the same time it takes to get to those other states. The Illinois River Valley is one of the most important geographic and cultural corridors in Illinois, stretching along the Illinois River from the Chicago-area down toward the Mississippi River near Grafton. It cuts diagonally through the state and has shaped agriculture, transportation, and industry for centuries. At its core is the Illinois River and the valley surrounding it which is a broad, fertile lowland formed by ancient glacial activity which left behind rich soils and a landscape of bluffs, floodplains, and wetlands. The area is especially known for its dramatic mix of terrain. In northern and central sections, steep limestone bluffs rise above the river, while wide agricultural plains spread out beyond them. This is one reason the region became an early transportation and settlement corridor as it it naturally connects the Great Lakes region to the Mississippi River. One of the most scenic stretches is around Starved Rock State Park, where sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and forested cliffs overlook the river. Nearby towns like Ottawa serve as gateways to outdoor recreation and river tourism. Both Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks in LaSalle County are among the best in the state and can make for great daytrips or even a weekend getaway for the outdoors type. I've always been fascinated with river towns so this area has always fascinated me. Today we're headed to five LaSalle County eating spots I've stopped in at when I've been out and around this way - 

__________________________________________________

Wedron Office (Wedron)

As mentioned in many previous posts of mine, there’s lots of spots for fried chicken in the Illinois River Valley region. I’ve been to many of them but never got a chance to check out the Wedron Office until last year. It’s in the middle of nowhere (Pop. 140) but it's far from hidden. Found on the outskirts of Ottawa, Illinois the Wedron Office has rustic supper club vibes. It stays packed pretty much all day, every day. Two of it’s big draws are fried chicken with a thinly coated cracker crisp crust as well as a freshly pounded breaded pork tenderloin sandwich which is pictured with a side of locally made “ravs” which is what they call tortellini in these parts. All of that plus a 1/2 order of onion rings and trip to the salad bar (I guess those survived covid after all) made for a blowout meal. Each dish was as perfectly fried as the next. I hope to make it back for on a Friday for the fried bluegill special. The BPT is one of the better ones in this area. As far as that fried chicken it’s some of best in LaSalle County making it some of the best in the Midwest or anywhere for that matter. You know that old saying “you pick one thing and you do it well?” Well LaSalle County picked fried chicken and they do it really well. 

Lunch at Wedron Office (click pics to enhance)
__________________________________________________

Maddie's Place (Leland)

Next stop takes us to Leland, Illinois (Pop. 951). This tiny farming village in northern LaSalle County, is located about halfway between Ottawa and DeKalb in the flat prairie country of north-central Illinois. It’s the kind of place where grain elevators dominate the skyline, the high school sports teams are a major identity point, and everybody seems to know each other’s name. That’s especially true of Maddie’s Place - an all-purpose small-town tavern where you get burgers, beer, trivia nights, live music, and community events all rolled into one. In towns like Leland, taverns like Maddie’s Place are often the civic center as much as the local village hall is. I had read somewhere that Maddie’s Place makes a great breaded pork tenderloin and I can now pass that knowledge onto my readers. As you might expect in these parts the fry job was fantastic and it wasn’t too thin so there was some real pork flavor to go with a fresh set of toppings and a soft bun to boot. I’m not the biggest tenderloin fan in the same way I don’t love fried chicken sandwiches but this was a BPT I would come back and get again. 

Breaded Pork Tenderloin at Maddie's Place
__________________________________________________

Grant Street Grocery (Streator)

Grant Street Grocery is one of those old-school small-town spots that’s half grocery, half deli counter, and a fully local institution. It’s tucked into a modest building on the west side of Streator (Pop. 12300) at 402 W. Grant Street. From the outside it looks frozen in time. People around Streator don't flock here for the grocery side so much as the homemade food coming out of the deli and kitchen. They have a local cult following for the stuffed sandwiches served on Thursdays. It comes up regularly in online reviews and I just so happened to be passing thru on a Thursday so lucky me. It’s basically warm and fresh baked buttery bread slit down the middle and stuffed with salami, ham, mozzarella and other savory fillings. I could taste why it’s a local comfort-food. I also left with some really good freshly baked Hungarian strudels which are a favorite of mine in the wide world of pastries. 

Stuffed Sandwich at Grant Street Grocery
__________________________________________________

Smitty's Bar and Grill (Leonore)

Smitty's Bar & Grill in Leonore (Pop. 100) is a classic rural Illinois tavern that people from outside the area would never randomly discover. That said it’s become a legendary stop among road-trippers, bikers, Starved Rock visitors, and breaded pork tenderloin enthusiasts alike. Smitty’s is located deep in farmlands in the crossroads of LaSalle County. You’ll be chugging along and suddenly there’s Smitty’s, packed with people on wing nights and there's often a wait for Friday fish fry. The bar is famous for a few very Midwestern specialties including gigantic breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, broasted chicken, and some of the best wings in the area and in my opinion the best item on the menu. The wings are fried to order and sauced up with made on site sauces like the signature “Sweet Heat” which is sweet and spicy. These are very satisfying wings best paired with an ice cold beer.  

Chicken Wings at Smitty's Bar and Grill
__________________________________________________

The Old Mill Tavern (Sheridan)

Last stop takes us to the town of Sheridan (Pop. 2500) which is home to a handful of bars including The Old Mill Tavern - a small, long-running country bar-and-grill that’s been a local staple for decades, sitting out in rural LaSalle County near the Fox River. Walking into this bar can feel a bit intimidating due to it's location in the middle of nowhere with the feel of an old-school Midwestern tavern. it feels like old-country style spot with a time-capsule vibe including an old wooden bar, plastic tablecloths and memorabilia from previous eras hanging on the walls. The draw here for most regulars seemed to be the slot machines but for us it was the fried chicken which some say is the best in the area - high praise for a place in these parts. Online reviews also mention the catfish but on this day me and the company I kept were craving fried chicken so we got a plate of that which was on special for a price that matched the old school atmosphere. We also got a half basket of onion rings which are the thinly sliced and lightly battered kind. They were good if not a tad too overcooked. The chicken was good but a bit over salted. But as to be expected in these parts it was perfectly fried with a crisp exterior. 

Onion Rings and Fried Chicken at The Old Mill Tavern 
__________________________________________________

Previous Posts You Might Like:

The Smashed Crispy Burgers of Central Illinois (2015)
The Illinois Fried Chicken Trail (2021)
Eating BIG in Central Illinois (2024)
Back On The Illinois Burger Trail (2025)

See ya next time @chibbqking