Central Illinois Restaurant Recommendations

Fine Dining Recommendations in Central Illinois

These days, casual fine dining connotes fresh ingredients, local foods, innovative preparations, a changing menu and a friendly, informed staff. I'm thinking about wonderful restaurants in Peoria (June), Bloomington (Station Two Twenty, Lancaster's) and Springfield (Maldaner's, Augie's Front Burner, American Harvest) but would you believe there is a fabulous restaurant in Delavan, IL, population 1,700!

We discovered Harvest Cafe about 18 months ago and it may be the best of the bunch. This remarkable restaurant is located in a beautifully restored 1890's building in downtown Delavan. The small city must have an interesting history given the beautiful tree lined street with well-maintained historic homes.

About two years ago a local girl, Libby Mathers, restored a half-block of buildings and opened the restaurant and a wine store. The Chef de Cuisin, Cameron Urban had been the Sous Chef at June. Soon, there will be new distillery and a bar. Downtown Delavan has never looked better.

But you really want to know about the food. Lots of sous vide cooking, on-site smoking, wonderful flavor profiles, innovative combinations, locally sourced ingredients a constantly changing menu and modest prices. Along with the innovative dishes, they offer pizza, hamburgers, BBQ ribs and roast chicken for less adventurous patrons. The staff knows the food and add to the fun of the experience.

Next door, Hometown Wine & Spirits offers an excellent selection of unusual wines and spirits. We go early to purchase wines for dinner and enjoy a glass of wine or fine liquor in their comfortable seating area. We take the wines to the restaurant with no corkage being charged.

Delavan is about 35 minutes from Peoria or Bloomington. We have driven 55 miles from Springfield about a dozen times and have always been blown away by the food and fun. I have no interest of connection with Harvest Cafe - really.

It is well worth the trip!

Tim

Harvest Cafe
317 Locust St.
Delavan, IL
(309) 244-7000
harvestcafe.delavan.com

Hometown Wine & Spirits
315 Locust St.
Delavan, IL 61734
(309) 244-9000
hometownwine.com

thanks for sharing this place Tim.

i get down towards Peoria a bit, I look forward to giving them a try.

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