Anything worth stopping for on the way to Peoria?

We're driving down there to pick up a Big Green Egg leftover from Eggfest last weekend. Is there anyplace worthwhile to stop for on the trip down?

all depends on which way you are heading down & what you consider worthwhile.

If the route takes you on I-80 west to I-39 South you will run through an area with some of the best fried chicken places in the state, as well as pork tenderloin sandwiches. There is also a GNR with the best cajun food in Chicagoland out that way.

Yep, give us more specifics. My inlaw family is in Peoria and we drive down 6-7 times a year. Pretty much have tried different routes and all things to eat over the past 30 years. Let us know and we will help!

We're headed from the western burbs so google has us going down 55 and then catch 74 or Rt 24. The I-80 route only adds 10 minutes to the total trip. We've never driven down to Peoria so not sure which route is best.

I live in the far Western suburbs just north of Aurora, we have several ways to go but the fastest has us taking I-88 west to I-39. From this point there are a number of options but we like driving along the Illinois River for the scenery and the small towns that you pass through along the way so from I-39 we then take I-80 west to I-180, a short spur that becomes Illinois State Rte. 29. This will take you past Willie's Smokehouse in Sparland Illinois, a place talked about here. I finally made it for a carry out order of the tamales but it sure smells good here and the smoker is out front cooking away.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=13640&hilit=Sparland+Illinois

If you follow the I-80 and I-39 corridors, places listed here are easily reachable from the Interstates.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22878&hilit=LaSalle+County+Illinois

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5078&hilit=Ottawa+Illinois

Much discussed here and now a LTH GNR place is Ron's Cajun Connection in Utica, Illinois. Real cajun cooking done by Ron who is quite the character in his own right. We have had pretty much everything on the menu and it's all good and hearty. We generally stop here on the way home on Sunday and bring back extras to share back home.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18063&hilit=Ron%27s+Cajun+Connection

Let me know if you need anything within Peoria itself, we're visiting relatives but do eat out. It's very much a chain town but there are good places if you look for them! Have fun!

Thanks for this! We have to be in Peoria between 2-4 so we can make a stop for lunch and dinner on the way back home. We'll definitely head this route.

We stopped by Ron's Cajun Connection for lunch and picked up Willie's tamales on the way home. Ron's was a great find and he is indeed a character. We shared cajun combo dinner and got alligator, bubba shrimp, crawfish and jambalaya. It also came with a cup of gumbo...the gumbo was outstanding. Also had the special mixed berries bread pudding. Ron really sold this for us...rightfully so, it was delectable. The sauce served with it...heaven on my tongue.

Loved Willie's tamales...got them to go. I love tamales and these were excellent. Some tamales get doughy and dry...these were smooth and perfect. Also a steal at $1 each.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

I'm glad you enjoyed Ron's and Willies! Since we have to go to Peoria so much for family over the last 30 years, the drive gets really old for us, stops like Ron's and Willies sure help the trip go faster! Ottawa/Utica area is a good half way stop for a rest and some food. Willie's is just too hard to drive by and not smell that smoker out front. He is fairly new, only in the last 4 years or so. He has a place in Peoria but he started out on the corner of 29 and 17 with a tent and a grill just on Saturdays. Many times we would go by and he wasn't opened yet or not there, it was just finally this year that we were able to stop when he was open!

An update on the below, from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3635&p=89154&hilit=bloomington+corner#p89154

"While competing at the Illinois State Fair Blue Ribbon Competition, I met a lady who used to bake pies for the Busy Corner in Goodfield, Illinois. This restaurant is just off I-74 at the Goodfield exhibit, which is 15 minutes from Bloomington, if you are going west toward Peoria.

The lady I spoke to developed recipes such as blueberry-apple pies and pecan pumpkin pies, which made her reputation as the weird pie lady. She advised everyone comes to Busy Corner for the pies. She warned me the slices don’t always look very good because they are portioned while still warm, though the taste was great. One pie she especially recommend was their Door County Cherry Pie: bottom layer is a cheesecake, followed by a cherry layer and topped with slivered almonds.

Busy Corner
302 S Eureka St
Goodfield, IL 61742
(309) 965-2361

Cathy2, Thanks for this report. I stopped at Busy Corner on my way home from Peoria yesterday and grabbed a few slices to go. I had high hopes for the Door County Cherry Pie, but the layer that was supposed to be cheesecake was more like a too-sweet custard. There was also way more whipped cream than cherries. However the rhubarb pie was phenomenal. I took a few bites in the car but convinced myself to save it and warm it up when I got home and top it with vanilla bean ice cream. It was heaven. The pumpkin was also very nice, but by the time I sampled it the crust had already wilted considerably. Still, tasty. I will be back the next time I go to Peoria! It is a very easy-on, easy off exit on the highway. Thanks again for this recommendation, it made the drive home go a bit faster!"

Let's talk breakfast, first. Although nothing really special, I found this to be a fresh and honest version. Would I stop here if I were in the area and there were no pies? Definitely yes. Far superior to the usual chains. Would I go 20 miles out of my way for the breakfast alone? Probably not.

But oh, the pies. First of all, there is a huge selection (see the the above thread for confirmation). I prefer the fruit variety, and I must say the apple pecan was probably a perfect representative of the type, with pecans strewn throughout both the filling and the streusel and the apples firm and tart. I would have liked a thicker filling in the three-berry (red raspberry, blackberry, blueberry) but what I had of it was outstanding.

One caution: I like my fruit pies a la mode, but the huge scoop of industrialized vanilla provided here was more of a detriment than a plus, and eventually turned the pastry into sort of a soggy mess. Future installments for me will be served neat.

If you're in Peoria for dinner, my favorite will always be Jim's Steakhouse.

http://www.jimssteakhouse.net/JimsPeoria.htm

agreed -- and they have a great burger, too.

edit: I should clarify that I go to their Jim's Bistro location.

Back at Busy Corner again, and after a somewhat soggy and indifferent strawberry-rhubarb pie (out-of-season?), I took home a truly extraordinary slice of four-berry--easily on pie with Hoosier Mama.