Padano’s Pizza: A wholesome, small-town pizzeria
When I walked into Padano’s Pizza — after first passing the two stone lions out front, I walked into the epitome of a small-town restaurant: a quaint dining room with an ordering counter run by …
Food & Drink
Try some libations and take in the atmosphere at Gallery Art Bar
Gallery Art Bar located in Downtown Urbana has a great Urbana vibe! I recently went there to try some libations and check out the atmosphere. Before I continue, I must disclaim that I went with …
Urbana’s curbanas are back for patio season
Downtown Urbana’s curbanas are back in time for patio season. These temporary structures are enclosed seating areas on raised deck structures next to the sidewalks of Main Street. Find outside seating now in front of …
A date night of Neapolitan-style pizza at Pizzeria Antica
Pizza has been on my mind. First, it was this year’s SP‘s March Madness Tournament, and that got me hungry for Old Orchard’s pizza. Then Chase wrote about Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan, Tayler shared …
Value and variety at Vinny’s Pizza by the Slice
Do you have a picky family where everyone likes different toppings? Or are you looking for a quick lunch to please a crowd? Vinny’s Pizza by the Slice may be the spot for you. When …
Burgers for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night at Four Breakfast & More
Can I interest you in breakfast for dinner? How about a decadent cheeseburger for breakfast? If so, do I have a place for you: Four Breakfast & More on the corner of Fourth and Green …
Sakanaya remains a stellar spot for sushi
A decade ago, Sakanaya opened in Campustown. Since 2013, restaurants beside, across, and all down Green Street have come and gone, but Sakanaya has remained. In 2019, we named Sakanaya one of the BEST new …
Market Watch: Season opening, May 2024
I have waited all winter for opening day of our outdoor farmers’ markets, and it is finally here. This Saturday, May 4th and Tuesday, May 14th are the opening days for Champaign-Urbana’s market season. It …
Five things to eat or drink this month: May 2024
May is the start to the good part of the year. The sun is setting later every day, and it’s warm again. I’m so over everything winter, the jackets and gloves and cozy foods. Now …
Stango Bites is tasty Zambian cuisine on wheels
May through October, I have Stango Cuisine almost every Saturday. Mainly that’s because I work at the Urbana Market at the Square as part of my day job, but on the other hand, it’s because …
Suzu’s Bakery has delectable treats
I’m back again with a recommendation for a sweets fix cure: Suzu’s Japanese Bakery. Located in Downtown Champaign, the bakery opened in November 2020. I recently visited with a group and ordered a plethora of …
Silvercreek plated brunch has something for everyone
I’ve lived in town long enough to remember Silvercreek’s all-you-can-eat brunch buffet from the Before Times. It was legendary. The entire Urbana restaurant had stations of food spread all throughout. In one room, there was …
RegCakes Bakery is a gluten-free paradise
Nestled next to The Senator’s Inn within Savoy, RegCakes has provided gluten-free baked goods to our area for nearly ten years. Their move next to The Senators Inn was recent earlier this year, as they …
Columbia Street Roastery is a coffee haven of Champaign
Champaign’s Columbia Street Roastery has roasted coffee beans on Columbia Street since 1998. The local family-owned roastery receives coffee beans from around the world and roasts the beans in-house, packaging bags of single-origin beans, blends, …
A review of Pia’s Sports Bar & Grill in Champaign
A few weeks ago, someone on Instagram messaged me to ask if I’d reviewed Pia’s Sports Bar before. Though I’d definitely driven by the place many times, I’d actually never been. That same kind stranger …
Yummy gummies made with Illinois cannabis
The high holiday of 4/20 falls on a Saturday in 2024 — the first time since 2019, but perhaps celebrations should go all week. Spread the zen out, as it were, with a different edible each …
There is something for everyone at the Esquire Lounge
From 21-year-olds celebrating their birthday to old men holding up bar stools, there’s every type of person patronizing Esquire Lounge. Located on the northeast corner of Chester and Walnut, the entrance to Esquire is on …
Italian eats and Sicilian lemonata at Dee-Dee’s Beef in Campustown
Italian beef: Depending on personal preference, this could look a few ways. First, a nice, well-groomed hoagie or firm-type bun with sliced beef in the middle dressed up nicely with some sport peppers and/or cheeses. …
A conversation with Food Power Politics author Dr. Bobby J. Smith II
In his brand new book Food Power Politics, Dr. Bobby J. Smith II builds on the stories and legacies of Mississippi activists and researchers to tell more of the food injustice story. With a background …
Family-style takeout from Peking Garden hits the spot
I have not been to Peking Garden in over a decade. However, I am glad I returned to try some familiar dishes and their famous house special because Peking Garden serves meals perfect for both …
Old Orchard thin-crust pizza wins the 2024 Food & Drink Tournament
A big congratulations to Old Orchard’s thin-crust pizza for being crowned the champion and last food standing in Smile Politely’s 2024 Food & Drink Tournament. Determined by reader vote, last night’s intense matchup of Old …
Horsch Radish is a taste of Germany in Central Illinois
Recently, some friends and I had the opportunity to try Horsch Radish, the farm-to-table, German-type restaurant in Gibson City. German-type because the restaurant won’t actually transport you to Germany; there was no wormhole or portal …
A flavorful journey at Masala Indian House
Nestled in the heart of Champaign-Urbana, Masala Indian House promises a culinary adventure through the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine. We had a weeknight dinner at Masala Indian House with a large group of adults …
Five things to eat or drink in C-U this month: April 2024
On April 1st, most words on the internet should not be trusted, but I promise no foolish pranks here. My list of things to eat or drink in Champaign-Urbana this month only includes seriously delicious …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Championship
We’ve reached the Championship matchup of our Food + Drink Tournament, and if you’re just now joining us, here’s how you can catch up: Revisit the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final …
Four winning eats of Champaign-Urbana
This year’s March Tournament has been total madness. Over the last two weeks, Smile Politely readers have voted on incredible local eats and drinks in head-to-head battles for the 2024 Food & Drink Championship. The …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Final Four
You showed up and voted in the Elite Eight, for which voting closed yesterday evening. We’re moving on to the Final Four. The participation for this year’s tourney has been great to see, and there’s …
Try something wonderfully unique at Sepelas restaurant in Urbana
Adventurous is not a word I would use to describe myself. I’m risk averse. I drive the speed limit, and signal when no other cars are present. I say excuse me after I sneeze, even …
Mid Summer Lounge has dreamy dumplings and fire lunch in Campustown
Those sneaky, sunny warm days earlier this month were a tease of nice weather that’s to come, but before chilly days are gone, I want to eat dumplings. And last week, when a craving for …
Boomerangs is a nostalgic bar with classic bar food
My husband and I boomeranged back to the past for lunch on a Friday at Boomerangs, located off Philo on Washington Street in East Urbana. And just like I remembered from back in the good old …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Elite Eight
If you’re anything like us, you tuned into the game on Saturday to root on the Illini, and obviously, it was good because we’re headed to our first Sweet 16 in nearly two decades. It …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Sweet 16
That was a lot to take in for the first round of our Food + Drink Tournament, which kicked off on Monday with our Round of 32 matchups. Our Food + Drink Editor Alyssa Buckley …
Solid and unpretentious sushi at Sushi Ichiban
Along with bird song, crocuses, and longer days, my willingness to spend — or glee towards spending — extra time outside the house heralds the quickly returning spring. What better way to bask in the tolerable …
Brothers Bar & Grill serves decent tavern eats and personal-pitcher candy drinks
I never made it out to the original location of Brothers Bar & Grill on Green Street before it closed suddenly a few years ago. From friends who did go to the Champaign Brothers, they …
Smile Politely March Tournament 2024 Final Four predictions and matchups to watch
If I’ve learned anything from the national, annual March Madness sportsball tournament, it’s that people love a good competition. Me, too. What’s not to love about a battle of The Best? Every year, Smile Politely‘s …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024 announced: Round of 32
March has arrived, which means it is bracket time. If you’ve followed along for the last few years here on Smile Politely, you’re familiar with our tournament of Champaign-Urbana related things. We’ve done food and …
Lunch from three spots at the Illini Union food court
The Illini Union food and drink scene has seen some changes in recent years. I used to eat at the Union about once a week, and believe me, it was hopping with Wendy’s, Blaze, Qdoba, Chick-Fil-A, …
Manzella’s offers classic, old-school Italian
Manzella’s Italian Patio just marked 64 years in business, and the restaurant has all the signs of a well-loved family-operated business. I had been once before, pre-COVID, and decided to check them out again with …
Delicious pad Thai, pad ka na, and pad kee mao at Basil Thai
I am a big fan of noodles. I like all kinds, but there’s something special about stir-fried noodles in pad Thai. Those flat noodles with crushed peanuts and that sauce is so yum. Despite many …
Hop over to Hunny Bunny Bakes for memorable desserts
Nestled next to the CU Flower House and Old Time Meat & Deli, Hunny Bunny Bakes has made cakes for the community for several years, both in and outside of the current storefront back when …
Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan has uniquely great pizza
Those who live in or frequent the Champaign-Urbana area may know about Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan — or maybe not. If I’m being honest, the pizza place has flown under my radar fully until …
Five things to eat or drink in C-U this month: March 2024
The month of March always throws me for a loop. Spring break is smack-dab in the middle of March, and then there’s that stupid spring-forward daylight savings time adjustment, and then wow, the holidays; it’s …
The 2024 guide to CSA
Do boxes of local food excite you? If so, great news: it’s 2024 CSA sign-up season. Winter is thankfully nearing its end, and soon plants will sprout and we’ll eat delicious, summer Illinois tomatoes once …
Lucky Moon Pies has delicious treats and small town charm
I don’t venture to Mahomet very often, so I couldn’t believe that the absolute gem that is Lucky Moon Pies and More existed only ten minutes from my house and I had never been before. …
Cravings is worth the trip to Campustown
Cravings, at 603 South Wright Street, Champaign, is clearly a favorite for U of I students, and it quickly became a favorite of ours, too, after our delicious dinner at the restaurant. We don’t venture …
Bakery & Pickle is an alluring, secret speakeasy restaurant in Bloomington
Beyond a secret entrance that also requires a secret password, Bakery & Pickle serves modern farm-to-table cuisine in Downtown Bloomington. Over the weekend, I went for the first time with my family, and it was …
It’s a vibe: First date edition
Food and Drink editor Alyssa and I were chatting earlier this year about places to go in Champaign-Urbana that have a certain vibe — a place you can go with a distinct feeling and can …
Get reacquainted with Spoon House Korean Kitchen
As a new correspondent for Smile Politely, I would like to (re)acquaint you with one of my local favorites, Spoon House Korean Kitchen. Opened in 2010, Spoon House is one of the mainstays on Green …
Incredible atmosphere and food at Hacienda Agave
When Alexander’s Steakhouse closed in Champaign, many people including myself were extremely disappointed. It was a wonderful long-time staple of a restaurant. When news broke that a new Mexican restaurant was taking Alexander’s spot at …