Food & Drink

This November, Alyssa shares a harvest cocktail and four foods that taste like Thanksgiving.

“I find a lot of joy in connecting with customers at the market. Just…seeing families connect to where their food comes from. Having a relationship with someone that feeds you, it’s a really cool thing. I love that,” says Molly Oberg, farmer and co-owner of Meyer Produce.

Melkior reviews the spicy rice bowl with falafel, steak pita, lentil soup, and stuffed grape leaves from Shawarma Joint's new location in Urbana. 

Hand-crafted cocktails are deliciously strong at Bentley's Pub in Downtown Champaign.

Urbana is the perfect host for a chill weekend hangout with friends. Rashmi and her friends enjoyed music, fun food options, and a chill wine bar.

Alyssa reviews dinner and drinks from the new fall menu at Lodgic's Everyday Kitchen in Champaign. 

Jess has tried a bunch of items at the new Thai-Lao restaurant in Champaign, and is very happy with the results.

Matt goes through and tries all sorts of food from Art Mart from banana cream tart to a magic bar to sweet potato lentil salad.

This October, Alyssa recommends pumpkin kombucha, rainbow sushi, and more.

Alyssa shares where to find pumpkins, apples, and more in the last month of C-U's outdoor farmers' markets.

Julia tried eight mocktails at Punch! Bar & Lounge and was blown away by the variety and flavors.

Alyssa reviews the 2022 Artisan Cup & Fork at the Orpheum, a culinary competition featuring chefs from the kitchens of Homegrown, Baldarotta's, Weird Meat Boyz, and more.

Paul cooks up an Indian feast to go with a screening of Netflix’s new international Tollywood hit.

From Blind Pig's coffee stout to tiramisu from Rick's Bakery, here are five coffee sips and sweets to enjoy as we celebrate National Coffee Day on September 29th.

Soup season is coming. How does Oozu Ramen in Campustown stack up?

As you make plans for this weekend's PYGMALION, check out these recommendations for where to eat.

Get your pumpkin spice fix and more with this list of five C-U fall foods and drinks.

Transport yourself to Germany and enjoy wonderful food and service at the new restaurant Horsch Radish. 

Matt enjoyed twenty-four different items as part of a celebration of Asian rice culture at Japan House. 

Steph visited a campus institution to see what all the hype was about.

Located on Church Street between the Himalayan Chimney and the old Art Theater, La Bahía Grill is a welcomed additon to Downtown Champaign. 

Alyssa dines in for General Tso's chicken, duck fried rice, pad kee mao, and more at Sticky Rice in Downtown Champaign.

Xiaohui shares mochi doughnuts, hojicha soft serve, mooncakes, and more.

This September, try spicy curry, a big plate of nachos from Farren's, a latte, dipped Italian beef, and diner French toast.

This September, go for apples, pumpkins, Venezuelan bread, and more at C-U's farmers' markets.

“My croissant recipe takes three days to make, and I go through about seven pounds of butter for each market,” says Kat Fuenty, the founder of Pastry Daydreams in this interview about baking for their cottage food business.

Papa Del's, Manzella's Italian Patio, and more: here are five Italian beef sandwiches you can only find in Champaign-Urbana.

“To me, savvy means using practical judgment to make food that tastes good and looks good — while being vegan,” says Champaign vegan chef Lamiea Wilson about making vegan food for her hungry followers.

Matt goes to the University of Illinois campus to try Middle Eastern cuisine at Dubai Grill.

Xiaohui tried five refreshing cold sweets from Fresh International Market and shares why you should try them.

Paul cooks octopus from AM-KO followed by a screening of a Greek art film that will blow your mind.

Alyssa reviews kabobs, rangoons, lumpia, and pancit from the Filipino-American food truck Maria's Kitchen.

“As far as tools go, homebrewers are all over the place. We usually start boiling in pots on the stove and fermenting in plastic buckets, all the way to having similar setups as breweries on a smaller scale,” says Kyle Murphy of the Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots (BUZZ) Homebrew Club which was been an active Champaign-Urbana club since 1994.

Rose Bowl Tavern has supplied the community with awesome music since 1946, and Kyle shares what's on the menu for drinks.

This month, Alyssa recommends a peach cocktail, Baldarotta's gelato, boom balls, and more.

Korean barbecue might not be the first food you associate with Savoy, but Star BBQ makes a strong argument that it should be.

There's a lot to find at C-U markets this month: sweet corn, peaches, handmade poptarts, noodle beans from Green G Farms, and more.

Before Stango Cuisine's move to Champaign, Rafay tried Stango during the restaurant's final week in its Urbana's Lincoln Square Mall location.

With France on his mind, Paul cooks a classic French dinner followed by a screening of French director Michel Gondry's magnum opus.

Julia enjoys fajitas and a margarita on a laidback date night at La Mixteca.

Alyssa reviews eggs benedict and more from the brunch menu at Homegrown, the farm-to-table restaurant located at the University of Illinois Atkins Golf Club.

From Carmella's Creme to Pandamonium to Rick's Bakery, Alyssa shares half a dozen doughnuts from six C-U places.

Find out why Li'l Porgy's has enjoyed enthusiastic local support for over four decades.

Sal tries quality food at Bevier Café, a restaurant nestled into a second-floor corner of Bevier Hall.

This July, try sushi at Sakura, Seven Saints' chicken flautas, and three more tasty bites in C-U. 

There's much to love at C-U farmers' markets in July: berries, peaches, sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, edible flowers, Watson's food truck, and more.

Want a great hot pot experience? Paul shares about Shiquan Hot Pot inside Fresh International Market.

Matt tries a wide variety of desserts from El Oasis in Urbana.