Steaks, chicken, breakfast and more: 16 of my favorite food spots around Peoria

Dave Eminian, Journal Star
·6 min read
A Gil's Supper Club chicken dinner and famous pork tenderloin are pictured here.
A Gil's Supper Club chicken dinner and famous pork tenderloin are pictured here.

Sportswriters know about a lot of things that aren't under our byline.

Food knowledge is among them, earned honestly from odd hours and travel around the area.

So you want to eat like a sportswriter? There are a lot of fast-food and sandwich places in the journey, but when time and budget permit I absolutely have some go-to places — excluding big chains, and limited to the Peoria area:

Gil's Supper Club in Hanna City

Gil's Supper Club is a small-town family-owned joint that has the best chicken in the area. Do yourself a favor and try my go-to, the chicken melt. It's a juicy chicken breast fillet smothered with sautéed onions, mushrooms and melted provolone cheese. You get steak fries and hush puppies with it. And on the way out, get the peanut butter pie to go. Bliss.

More: The 3 best fried chicken restaurants around the Peoria area as voted on by readers

2. Lou's Drive-In in Peoria

Lou's Drive-In is a Peoria institution that kept me alive over the broiling summers in Glen Oak Park when I was both reporter and administrator of the Tri-County Tennis Tournament for the Journal Star. I go there for the root beer, which is the best anywhere in the area. It was delivered to me by my angel-of-mercy wife, on-site, in a one-gallon jug.

3. Alexander's Steakhouse in Peoria

Alexander's Steakhouse, 100 Alexander Avenue in Peoria.
Alexander's Steakhouse, 100 Alexander Avenue in Peoria.

OK, I love Jim's and Lariat Club and Longhorn out by Grand Prairie, too, because I'm a steak guy. But Alexander's is my place because it has what I think is the biggest and best salad bar in central Illinois. Nothing is missing from it.

More: 3 of the best steakhouse restaurants in the Peoria area as voted on by readers

4. The Hog Trof in Hanna City

The Hog Trof is a terrific little breakfast (and lunch) spot on the side of Farmington Road in Hanna City, right near Gil's. Home-cooked, terrific Denver omelet with American fries and toast. Great portions, you'll want to go right back to bed after you're done with breakfast. Also, it's cash and check only at the register.

5. Emo's Dairy Mart in Peoria

Colton Leman, 9, right, sits with two other generations of the Leman family, including his father, Chad, center, both of Roanoke, and his grandfather, Scott Leman, of Peoria, as they indulge at Emo's Dairy Mart Sunday, September 27, 2020, the final day of a business for the season.
Colton Leman, 9, right, sits with two other generations of the Leman family, including his father, Chad, center, both of Roanoke, and his grandfather, Scott Leman, of Peoria, as they indulge at Emo's Dairy Mart Sunday, September 27, 2020, the final day of a business for the season.

Emo's has been around Peoria for more than a half-century. The little roadside ice cream spot fed a lot of Journal Star newsroom people over the years with its magnificent hot dogs topped with chili, cheese and onions. I hope everyone in Peoria eats one of these, they are good for the soul.

6. Oliver's in the Heights

Oliver's in the Heights is a little more bar-centric, but the food there is really good. They have a pub pretzel served with house-made queso and marinara. And the Oliver's Burger is made from fresh beef supplied by Alwan & Sons butcher shop just down the road.

7. Khoury's Cuisine in Peoria

There are some good gyro options in Peoria, places like Olympia and Fedora's. But for me, the local family-owned Khoury's Cuisine serves my favorite gyros. The Super Gyro is stuffed with tomato, onion and meat and the house tzatziki sauce, comes with a large bag of fries and a drink. Make sure you get the baclava out of the dessert case. And if you eat in, there's a big-screen TV with a slideshow of pretty places in Lebanon.

8. Bake and Brew Panaderia in Peoria

Bake and Brew opened in May in Shoppes at Grand Prairie. The bakery and coffee/beverages place is right by Marshall's, and presents a menu of Mexican-oriented sweets. There are regular cakes and cupcakes, but a whole menu of Mexican bakery is on hand, including a chocolate Flon, concha (Mexican sweet breads) that I've had. You'll expand your dessert resume, and your waistline. Seating indoor and outdoor.

More: From sweet breads to coffee, new bakery bringing Mexican treats to Peoria shopping center

  • Address: 5201 W. War Memorial Drive, Suite 530, Peoria.

  • Phone: (309) 670-1040.

  • Website: bakeandbrewpanaderia.com. Includes menu.

  • Hours: Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Longtime Journal Star sportswriter Dave Eminian talks on a podcast in 2017.
Longtime Journal Star sportswriter Dave Eminian talks on a podcast in 2017.

When in downtown Peoria

If I have time heading in or out of Rivermen and Bradley basketball games, my options are Kelleher's (corned beef sandwich), Rhythm Kitchen (grilled Ahi Tuna), Rizzi's (ravioli and, of course, Italian bread dipped in oil) or Sugar (wood-fired meatloaf).

In the mood for Italian?

It's Rizzi's or Agatucci's for me.

More: The 3 best Italian restaurants in Peoria as voted on by readers

Hate me for my pizza

So many choices, so many opinions when it comes to pizza. I'm a Monical's guy, but can't really put them here because they have 60 locations spread over multiple states. Agatucci's is a gem, of course. I like the deep dish at Peoria Pizza Works in Peoria Heights. Don't come at me. There is no Angie's Pizzeria (in Cleveland) here in Peoria, although you can get it shipped to you. Anyone remember (long-closed) Garcia's, out at Northwoods Mall? That sweet sauce was great.

More: 3 of the best pizza places to eat around the Peoria area as voted on by readers

Take the family

Let's head to Childers or Sweet Basil's. Everything is good, portions at Sweet Basil's are crazy huge, and value is good. If you hate me by now, just wait until I come up with a list of my sports bars around the area. Good luck with a consensus on that one.

A different viewpoint: These Peoria-area restaurants are my favorites for outdoor dining. Here's why

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria sportswriter loves these 16 local restaurants and menu items