Mexican, smoothies and brunch: Here are the dining options at this Peoria shopping center

Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star
Updated ·2 min read

Situated on the intersection of Knoxville Avenue and Prospect Road, Junction City Shopping Center is home to a variety of local businesses.

This includes nine food and dining establishments. If you are visiting the shopping center and want a quick drink or bite, here are the businesses you will find.

Asia Grill − The restaurant offers a variety of Chinese dishes, such as lo mein, pot stickers and crab rangoons.

Childers Eatery − Open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Childers Eatery serves breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, customers will find omelets, biscuits and gravy, frittatas, waffles and more. Lunch options include burgers, street tacos and more.

EatandEvolve − The business offers a restaurant menu, as well as meal prep options. At the restaurant, customers can find salads, soups, crepes, vegan meals and more. The meal prep allows customers to select from a variety of plans based on their needs. Orders are then delivered to "heat and eat."

A sauce, mole trina is on the menu at Hacienda el Mirador, 5805 N. Humboldt Ave, Peoria (Junction City).
A sauce, mole trina is on the menu at Hacienda el Mirador, 5805 N. Humboldt Ave, Peoria (Junction City).

Hacienda El Mirador − Customers can find breakfast, lunch and dinner at this Mexican restaurant. Menu options include a Hacienda breakfast, huevos a la Mexican, Jalisco asada, arroz con pollo, burritos, tacos, tamales, fajitas, enchiladas and more.

Junction City Pub − The pub opened in June 2022. Owner Kathy Zabek said, "a nice, comfortable, local, neighborhood bar is all we want."

Bre Cross has moved her smoothie business, Real Smooth Foods, from the ghost kitchen in Vero Italiano restaurant in Junction City to a nearby vacant storefront at Suite 101A in the shopping center. Cross opened the business in January and attracted more customers than she expected, allowing her to move into her own place and expand her hours. She also now sells half-gallon jugs of the homemade almond milk she uses in her smoothies. Employees Gracy Bruer, right, and Mia Franciskovich fill containers with smoothie ingredients.

Real Smooth Foods − Customers can order smoothies with "two vegetables, more than 25 (grams) of protein, a quality fat source (and) no added sugars." The smoothies are also dairy and gluten free. Flavors include blueberry muffin, Miel latte, coconut cayenne and more.

Sweet CeCe's − The shop offers self-serve frozen yogurt, ice cream and baked goods.

TAVERN on Prospect − The business describes itself as a "nostalgic neighborhood pub" on its Facebook page. Customers can order drinks and Butch's pizza.

Connect with Cassidy Waigand by emailing her at CWaigand@gannett.com or by following her on Twitter at @justxaxwriter.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Junction City Shopping Center in Peoria il offers local dining