Changes in the Champaign-Urbana restaurant scene have been fast and furious in recent months. As always, we’re doing our best to keep track. Our look focuses most prominently on the C-U community outside of campus:
Local openings:
Who: Dave’s Hot Chicken
When: Sept. 14
Where: 2009 S. Neil St., Champaign (Carriage Center)
Description: Dave’s is pretty simple: It has chicken, and it’s hot — although you can get it without spice. The fast-casual menu contains four entrees, all of which involve chicken tenders or chicken sliders, or a combination thereof. Sides include fries, mac and cheese and kale slaw. A couple things to note: This location is the former Pancheros Mexican Grill space, which means it is right next to Starbucks, which means, well, you know how long the drive-thru lines at Starbucks can be. Dave’s does not have a drive-thru, but be mindful that this area gets really congested for those reasons. Drive carefully. Second, Dave’s apparently is very popular with U of I students. Not sayin’, just sayin’.
Why we’re excited: If nothing else, we’re certainly intrigued by the wild interior decoration of most of their locations. Check it out. (The below picture illustrates one wall of the Champaign space.)
Who: Ginger Ale’s
When: August
Where: 405 Jones Dr., Savoy
Description: Our Mindy Borden, a Ginger Ale’s certified superfan, gives you the entire lowdown here.
Who: Just Yolkin’
When: February
Where: 2501 Village Green Place, Champaign
Description: A brunch restaurant that’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu features build-your-own omelettes and typical breakfast favorites like biscuits and gravy, waffles, pancakes and breakfast burritos.
Why we’re excited: Happy to have another restaurant at The Crossing, but we can’t help but have a little trepidation. This location — next to Jupiter’s — has been, well, sort of cursed. We’ve lost count of how many different restaurants have occupied this space — including at least one other breakfast joint — and later closed. So we’re hoping for the best.
Who: Smith Burger Co. at Collective Pour
When: May
Where: 340 N. Neil St., Champaign
Description: The popular Smith Burger Co. food truck moved into Collective Pour’s kitchen this summer; hours are typically 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. The menu contains all of your food truck favorites plus a few other things.
Why we’re excited: We’re all-in when it comes to bars that want to add a food option. Beer and spirits are great, but who doesn’t want some tasty food to go with it? And Smith Burger Co. has proven to be a popular option. (The food truck remains in operation, by the way.)
Who: Fernando’s
When: May
Where: 519 Town Center Blvd., Champaign
Description: Like Smith Burger, Fernando’s has a popular food truck(s) that it has now turned into a stand-alone restaurant. (The food truck remains in operation.) It serves Mexican food for lunch and dinner and is open late.
Why we’re excited: If nothing else, we love that it’s open late. Since the pandemic, restaurants that are open past, say, 9 p.m. on a weeknight are increasingly rare. Too often, your choices are pizza-or-nothing. It’s great to have a quality option when your kid’s softball game goes late or you’re hungry after the movie lets out.
Who: Sooie Bros Bar B Que Joint
When: May
Where: 103 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign
Description: This really isn’t an opening as much as it is a location change. Previously Sooie Bros was open in north Champaign but it has moved near the corner of Kirby and Neil. (Some will remember this quirky building as the former home of a Monical’s Pizza.)
Why we’re excited: Sooie Bros serves delicious ribs and excellent bar-b-que.
Who: Nori Sushi & Grill
When: April
Where: 907 W. Marketview Dr., Champaign
Description: Our friends say that it’s totally worth a visit to this strip mall sushi joint located near Buffalo Wild Wings. Don’t like sushi? There’s also a classic Chinese food menu. Closed Mondays.
Why we’re excited: There’s a huge menu with something for (almost) everyone.
Who: Encanto Restaurant and Bar
When: September
Where: 115 W. Main St., Urbana (former home of Crane Alley)
Description: Encanto features Mexican and Peruvian food and, notably, has a larger-than-typical kids menu. It is open late, and it will utilize the alley space that was so popular with Crane Alley. The interior is decorated with colorful murals.
Why we’re excited: While C-U already has its fair share of Mexican restaurants — per capita, I’d put the number up against just about any city in America — it is encouraging that the Crane Alley space is filled with a promising newcomer.
Who: Masala Indian House
When: June
Where: 715 S. Neil St., Suite A, Champaign
Description: There’s a large menu of Indian fare, including a sizable vegetarian selection. It also offers frequent “lunch specials for 2.”
Why we’re excited: This is another Champaign location that has been home to numerous ethnic restaurants. Let’s hope Masala breaks the trend and survives long-term.
Local closings:
Who: Aroma Cafe
When: March
What happened: Aroma was a downtown Champaign staple. It closed its standalone location and moved in with Cowboy Monkey during the pandemic but, alas, it was not to be.
Who will miss it: Folks loved its lattes. The downtown area now has a limited selection when it comes to coffeehouses.
Any hope for the future: None that we’re aware of.
Who: Long John Silver’s
When: March
What happened: The quality at Long John Silver’s had eroded over time. Service was an issue. And the addition of Captain D’s nearby almost certainly put a crimp in Long John Silver’s business.
Who will miss it: The chicken planks were actually pretty good. But, again, that’s a tough sell in a market that has numerous — and a growing number of — fast-food chicken purveyors.
Any hope for the future: Don’t think so.
Who: Einstein Bros. Bagels (North Champaign location)
When: July
What happened: First, Einstein closed all of its U of I locations, including the Willard Airport space. Then it jettisoned the store along north Prospect (Anthony Drive) in Champaign. So all that’s left now is its location at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and University Avenue in Urbana.
Who will miss it: This one has hit hard for many C-U patrons, who consider Einstein to offer the best bagels we have here.
Any hope for the future: Put an extra splash of gas in the car and pray that the University Avenue locations stays open.
Who: I ♥ Mac & Cheese
When: June
What happened: Apparently people are looking for more than just mac and cheese. We don’t know who those people are, but we hear they exist.
Who will miss it: Mac and cheese lovers, of course. But, fortunately, there is plenty of good mac and cheese to be found in C-U. We even have a whole list of places for you to check out.
Any hope for the future: If you’re really craving I ♥ Mac & Cheese, there’s one located at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.
Who: Taco John’s
When: September
What happened: It’s a tough gig, this restaurant thing. Especially on north Prospect.
Who will miss it: Taco-cravers. The good news: Again, there is no shortage of good Mexican food in C-U. We just happen to have a list for that, too.
Any hope for the future: Some, it appears. According to a sign on the restaurant’s door, “With our lease expiring, we have been actively searching for a new location in Champaign …” It went on to state that the owners haven’t found a new location “at the moment.”
Who: Da Shark
When: September
What happened: It lasted less than two years at 2312 W. Springfield Avenue in Champaign, which is yet another space that has served as the home of so many restaurants we’ve lost count. Is this space cursed?
Who will miss it: Da Shark was known for its fish sandwiches.
Any hope for the future: Not that we’ve heard.