This fall, Black Dog Smoke & Ale House will reopen the restaurant’s original location. Black Dog first opened in Downtown Urbana on Broadway Avenue in 2009 but has been closed since the pandemic. It’s pretty …
Posts by Alyssa Buckley:
Thirsty Thursday: Brain booster tea at Walnut Street Tea Company
The town’s abuzz this week as the University of Illinois begins fall semester classes. All that learning makes me thirsty for a cup of brain booster tea at Walnut Street Tea Company. Champaign tea shop’s …
The desserts of Diamonds, Desserts, and Distinction 2024
Every year, the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois hosts a Diamonds, Desserts, and Distinction event that celebrates a Woman of Distinction and her contributions to the local community. This year, the 2024 Woman of Distinction …
Dim Sum House is open on Green Street
Dim Sum House has opened in Campustown. Located at the corner of Fourth and Green Streets beside Northern Cuisine, the new restaurant is in the same space that used to be unlimited hot pot restaurant Chong Qing House, …
I’m into Common Ground’s pesto
I’ve been into Common Ground’s spinach-basil pesto all summer. The Urbana grocery makes pesto from scratch with organic spinach and basil with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Instead of pine nuts, Common Ground uses …
Crumbl has opened
The much anticipated cookie chain Crumbl has opened in Champaign. The new Crumbl is located in the plaza along Neil Street in the spot that formerly housed the chain cupcakery Small Cakes. The bakery’s grand …
Escape to Cedar Oak Farms for a delightful dinner
Multi-course dinners are all the rage right now. I love seeing the menu for a multi-course dinner and thinking about which course I’ll like most. It’s cool to get to try several bites instead of …
Thirsty Thursday: Oscar’s old-fashioned at Black Dog Smoke & Ale
University students return for fall semester this week, and all the move-in traffic made me think about when I first moved to Champaign-Urbana more than a decade ago. When I was new to C-U, a …
Suzu’s Bakery matcha twist soft serve is very cutesy
The housemade soft serve at Suzu’s Bakery is very cutesy. The Downtown Champaign shop makes the soft serve, shortbread cookie, and mochi squares fresh in house and without artificial dyes — very demure, very mindful. …
Royal BBQ is now open
Two days ago, Royal BBQ opened on Green Street in what was once Nanjing Bistro. The new Campustown restaurant offers Hong Kong-style barbecue and neo-Cantonese dishes seven days a week. Using open fire, Royal BBQ …