Best Places to Eat and Visit in Champaign Urbana
Food scene
This is my favorite restaurants and has been rated one of top barbeque restaurants in the country. Has great beer too!
67 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Black Dog Smoke & Ale House
320 N Chestnut StThis is my favorite restaurants and has been rated one of top barbeque restaurants in the country. Has great beer too!
For a slice of heaven, try a slice of Manolo's pizza! This is New York style pizza, sold by the slice or by the pie for takeout only.
Manolo's Pizza & Empanadas
1115 W Oregon StFor a slice of heaven, try a slice of Manolo's pizza! This is New York style pizza, sold by the slice or by the pie for takeout only.
For a delicious latte and baked good treat, you can't beat Espresso Royale. There are several locations in Champaign Urbana. My daughters worked as baristas there when they were in college, so I know the menu well! The photo attached is not correct. The one at Village at the Crossing is closest to my house, and has a lovely terrace with a pergola for shade if you'd like to sit outside while you sip.
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Espresso Royale
1411 S Neil StFor a delicious latte and baked good treat, you can't beat Espresso Royale. There are several locations in Champaign Urbana. My daughters worked as baristas there when they were in college, so I know the menu well! The photo attached is not correct. The one at Village at the Crossing is closest to my house, and has a lovely terrace with a pergola for shade if you'd like to sit outside while you sip.
For thick crust pizza, Papa Del's is a local favorite. It has a delicious thick crust, amazing sausage, and is extremely filling. They do sell by the slice at lunch, or you order a pie to eat in, deliver, or take-out. The wait is often quite long- allow 1-1/2 hours to get your pizza cooked. But it is worth the wait!!!
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Papa Del's
1201 S Neil StFor thick crust pizza, Papa Del's is a local favorite. It has a delicious thick crust, amazing sausage, and is extremely filling. They do sell by the slice at lunch, or you order a pie to eat in, deliver, or take-out. The wait is often quite long- allow 1-1/2 hours to get your pizza cooked. But it is worth the wait!!!
A local brewery with fantastic beer on tap. Bring your own food, but enjoy a Hefweizen, Red Lager, or IPL under their tents, and listen to live music. Different local food trucks are there Thursdays through Sundays. If you'd like to reserve a spot for a gathering, you can call ahead to get certain sections just for you.
They also offer tours that include flights of their popular beers. Highly recommended! Closed Monday-Wednesday.
19 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Riggs Beer Company
1901 S High Cross RdA local brewery with fantastic beer on tap. Bring your own food, but enjoy a Hefweizen, Red Lager, or IPL under their tents, and listen to live music. Different local food trucks are there Thursdays through Sundays. If you'd like to reserve a spot for a gathering, you can call ahead to get certain sections just for you.
They also offer tours that include flights of their popular beers. Highly recommended! Closed Monday-Wednesday.
Want gourmet, authentic Mexican food, but don't want to pay a lot? Then check out Huaraches Moroleon! It is a very tiny building with limited seating and parking, but the food is out of this world! And the margaritas are fantastic. You can sit outside on their terrace if the weather is nice.
16 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Huaraches Moroleon
805 Philo RdWant gourmet, authentic Mexican food, but don't want to pay a lot? Then check out Huaraches Moroleon! It is a very tiny building with limited seating and parking, but the food is out of this world! And the margaritas are fantastic. You can sit outside on their terrace if the weather is nice.
Top notch Chinese food. No waiters- you order, get a number, then sit at a big round table and wait for your order to be brought out to you. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. Pricier than a lot of Chinese restaurants, but a unique experience that you will not regret!
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Golden Harbor Authentic Chinese Cuisine
505 S Neil StTop notch Chinese food. No waiters- you order, get a number, then sit at a big round table and wait for your order to be brought out to you. Everything I've ever had here has been delicious. Pricier than a lot of Chinese restaurants, but a unique experience that you will not regret!
This restaurant is within walking distance of the house. It has great salads and sandwiches and is very popular. If the weather is nice, it has a nice seating area outside. Great wine list too!
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sun Singer Restaurant, Wine & Spirits
1115 W Windsor RdThis restaurant is within walking distance of the house. It has great salads and sandwiches and is very popular. If the weather is nice, it has a nice seating area outside. Great wine list too!
Another off campus favorite restaurant of mine Reasonable prices and great Italian food.
Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
Another off campus favorite restaurant of mine Reasonable prices and great Italian food.
Famous for ice cream and milkshakes. A great place to go for dessert. Tom Hanks has been seen here on more than one occasion!
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Jarling's Custard Cup
309 W Kirby AveFamous for ice cream and milkshakes. A great place to go for dessert. Tom Hanks has been seen here on more than one occasion!
Great high end grocery store with restaurant, coffee shop, and deli. Wonderful cheese department!
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Harvest Market
2029 S Neil StGreat high end grocery store with restaurant, coffee shop, and deli. Wonderful cheese department!
BakeLab
The best croissants and pastries!
This restaurant was voted Best Sushi in 2022, 2023 and 2024! It also has great Korean and Thai entrees. It is close by and not on campus.
Sushi Siam
This restaurant was voted Best Sushi in 2022, 2023 and 2024! It also has great Korean and Thai entrees. It is close by and not on campus.
Sightseeing
This is 30 minutes outside of Champaign, but is absolutely worth the drive. It is an amazing jewel in the midwest- beautiful gardens with gorgeous meadow views, statues, and a grand mansion. Wonderful for a short or long hike in the woods.
32 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Allerton Park & Retreat Center
515 Old Timber RdThis is 30 minutes outside of Champaign, but is absolutely worth the drive. It is an amazing jewel in the midwest- beautiful gardens with gorgeous meadow views, statues, and a grand mansion. Wonderful for a short or long hike in the woods.
The University of Illinois has many places of interest, including Krannert Performing Arts Center and the Krannert Art Museum. Go to campus town to find lots of trendy bars, shops and restaurants. The University of Illinois is one of the foremost business and STEM institutions in the world, and is recognized as one of the top 10 public universities in the United States. 45,000 students can't be wrong- it's a great place to be!
31 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois has many places of interest, including Krannert Performing Arts Center and the Krannert Art Museum. Go to campus town to find lots of trendy bars, shops and restaurants. The University of Illinois is one of the foremost business and STEM institutions in the world, and is recognized as one of the top 10 public universities in the United States. 45,000 students can't be wrong- it's a great place to be!
The Virginia Theatre is an historic performing arts center and movie palace that hosts concerts, stage plays, dance, spoken word, children’s events, films, comedy, the Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, and more. Check their schedule to see if they have an event that you'd like to attend during your time in Champaign!
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Virginia Theatre
203 W Park AveThe Virginia Theatre is an historic performing arts center and movie palace that hosts concerts, stage plays, dance, spoken word, children’s events, films, comedy, the Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, and more. Check their schedule to see if they have an event that you'd like to attend during your time in Champaign!
The State Farm Center, formerly The Assembly Hall, is one of the finest, most unique venues for sports and entertainment in the country. Hosting the men's and women's Fighting Illini Basketball teams, as well as Broadway shows and big names in entertainment.
20 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
State Farm Center
1800 S 1st StThe State Farm Center, formerly The Assembly Hall, is one of the finest, most unique venues for sports and entertainment in the country. Hosting the men's and women's Fighting Illini Basketball teams, as well as Broadway shows and big names in entertainment.
Need to get out in nature, but don't want to drive too far? Meadowbrook Park in Urbana is only a 10 minute drive from my house, and is a naturalized prairie with several miles of walking paths. Every week, a new wildflower is in bloom, or a change of seasons is happening, so whether you come in Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, you will enjoy the experience. Fantastic sculptures dot the way, and if you have children, the Prairie Playplace will delight them.
30 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Meadowbrook Park
2808 S Race StNeed to get out in nature, but don't want to drive too far? Meadowbrook Park in Urbana is only a 10 minute drive from my house, and is a naturalized prairie with several miles of walking paths. Every week, a new wildflower is in bloom, or a change of seasons is happening, so whether you come in Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, you will enjoy the experience. Fantastic sculptures dot the way, and if you have children, the Prairie Playplace will delight them.