Photos by Andrew Doench
Start your day on the front page
Courier Cafe • Stained glass, chandeliers, and brass chimes set the scene at this storied spot in the onetime home of the Champaign County Herald newspaper. The cafe’s pancakes, French toast, breakfast platters, and Ham & Cheddar Scrams are worthy of headlines of their own. 111 N. Race St., Urbana, 217-328-1811, couriercafeu.com
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The Literary • Tucked into a funky alternative bookshop, this all-day spot features a solid selection of vegan brunch dishes. 122 N. Neil St., Champaign, 217-954-1500, literarybookbar.com
Pekara Bakery & Bistro • This artisan bakery and deli offers generous toasts, crepes, and pastries. 811 W. Springfield Ave., Champaign, 217-607-8179, pekarabistro.com
Grab some java with the undergrads
BrewLab Coffee • Sip and snack with the undergrad set at this always-packed spot offering precision pours and creative espresso drinks such as the staple Oatmeal Cookie Latte. Artful laminated pastries, cakes, and cookies are supplied by the shop’s sister patisserie. 630 S. 5th St., Champaign, 217-666-2770, brewlab.coffee
Have a meat-cute lunch
Black Dog Smoke & Ale House • This Twin City standard is known for its juicy brisket burnt ends, smoked seafood offerings, and tasty side dishes. A historic brick-and-wood location in the old city depot oozes charm and tradition as freight and passenger trains roll past during your meal. Go for a combo platter to sample the pitmaster’s talent with slow-cooked meats, and be sure to double up on bold house sauces such as the Carolina red or Alabama white. Daily specials are good bets, especially the brisket panini, smoked wagyu burger, and jambalaya. 320 N. Chestnut St., Champaign, 217-954-0465, blackdogchampaign.com
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Baldarotta’s Porketta & Sicilian Sausage • Drawing on his Sicilian heritage, chef-owner Jordan Baldarotta dresses up delectable deli sandwiches, none better than the porketta with salsa verde and provolone. 208 W. Griggs St., Urbana, 217-800-5726, baldarottas.com
The Space • This punk-inspired renovation of a former Merry-Ann’s Diner location pushes the envelope with a lunch menu of duck confit or bone marrow and fries, lamb burgers, grilled octopus, and a knockout salmon salad. 1 E. Main St., Champaign, 815-575-9514, thespacecu.com
Wind down with a seasonal nightcap
Punch! Bar & Lounge • This one-of-a-kind cocktail spot in the Hyatt Place hotel is surprisingly serious about its seasonal menu of craft spirits, served in plush and colorful surroundings with vibrant lighting and fun design touches. 217 N. Neil St., Champaign, 217-531-2800, punchbarchampaign.com
Enjoy a dinner date with a goat
Caprae Restaurant at Prairie Fruits Farm • A relative newcomer on the Central Illinois food scene, this farmstead charmer at a 20-year-old goat creamery in the fields north of town channels the season’s flavors and the dairy’s best offerings for an unexpected dining experience. Chef Garron Sanchez, whose credits include restaurants in Chicago and on California’s Central Coast, crafts fresh, globally inspired small plates such as delicata squash with piri piri and house feta, barbecued carrots with pistachio dukka, and lush butternut squash soup with pomegranate seeds and spiced pepitas. French and New World influences appear in pumpkin tamales with duck confit, a generous cassoulet, and a skillful chicken roulade with a silky white bean puree, chimichurri, and turnips cured with coriander and lemon. Recently purchased by Martinelli’s Market owners Lauren and Jeffrey Brokish, the farm and restaurant offer a chef’s tasting menu, themed dinners, and events such as goat yoga and hikes. 4410 N. Lincoln Ave., Champaign, 309-204-5057, prairiefruits.com/caprae-restaurant
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KoFusion • This Asian mainstay serves straightforward but painstakingly executed takes on Korean classics, sushi, seafood, and steak inside the vibrantly renovated marble lobby of a 1902 bank. 30 E. Main St., Champaign, 217-531-1166, kofusion.com
Timpone’s • A beloved Urbana trattoria, the restaurant has been the go-to for pastas, chianti-braised short ribs, and roasted duck breast since it opened in 1986. A perfect stop before a show at nearby Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. 710 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, 217-344-7619, timpones-urbana.com
