Peoria, Illinois has several notable establishments where you can get some great food and drink. In addition to culinary experiences, there are also a few sightseeing activities that you can partake in, to round out your stay in Peoria. A really fun way to see both downtown and the riverfront is on a Segway Tour. A simple phone call to World on Wheels will reserve your spot on one of several tours that they offer. You will meet at the riverfront to start your tour and before you know it, will be whizzing around the downtown area with your tour guide, learning about Peoria’s past and present. This is always a unique way to experience any city. Conversely, for those interested in seeing Peoria from the water, you can hop onboard the Spirit of Peoria. This paddle wheeler is docked at downtown’s Riverfront Park and offers one hour sightseeing tours seasonally, as well as several different theme cruises. Taking one of these tours gives you an opportunity to obtain a different vantage point of the city, and allows you to see some of the remnants of the former riverfront distilleries still dotting the shoreline, giving your mind’s eye a glimpse into its whiskey distilling past.
Maybe axe throwing is your cup of tea. If so, head over to Industry Brewing Company where you can enjoy this activity, along with beer, food, music and firepits. The Peoria Riverfront Museum and Dome Planetarium is another way of enjoying a day in the city. Located in the riverfront area of downtown, you can experience different exhibits that highlight the history of the city in the museum and then watch a movie on the Giant Screen Theater or in the planetarium.
Although I didn’t experience either of these next two ideas while in Peoria, I do feel it is worth a mention for those that have an interest and may find they are in the city at the right time, where either a baseball game or a concert may be taking place. Dozer Park is home to the Peoria Chiefs, the Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. This park is situated right in downtown Peoria and would be a fun place to spend a summer afternoon or evening, watching a ballgame. As for concerts, the Peoria Civic Center is where you can find some big name musical artists come to perform in the city.
For those staying in Peoria for longer than a weekend and interested in an easy day or weekend trip within 90 minutes of Peoria, head over to LeClaire, Iowa. LeClaire is just over the border in eastern Iowa and is home to Antique Archeology, which has its own show on The History Channel called American Pickers. This is their flagship location, situated right near the banks of the Mississippi River, and offering several of their treasures for sale that they hand selected from their travels throughout the country. This is a very cool place to explore and if you time it right, you may happen to bump into Mike Wolfe (owner of Antique Archeology and TV personality from American Pickers) who can sometimes be found onsite in his store here (or his second location in Nashville, Tennessee). Along the river, you will find Green Tree Brewery and Wide River Winery, along with some restaurants and shops. LeClaire is a quaint river town, with music piped in on the street for your listening enjoyment, as you pop in and out of the shops and businesses along North Cody Road. If you visit in season, you can even enjoy a 90 minute sightseeing, full day or 2 day cruise on the “Mighty Mississippi” on the Riverboat Twilight right from this town. LeClaire, Iowa is definitely worth a visit!
Now that I have given you ample ideas for fun in and around Peoria, let’s talk about where to eat and drink! The following are a list of my favorite places that I visited while on my 13 week assignment in this city, which is obviously only a fraction of the great establishments you will find in Peoria:
- Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery – this was hands down my favorite place to dine in Peoria. Formerly a church dating back to the 1800’s, this unique brewpub with its stone exterior and inside architecture, complete with stained glass, is definitely a must stop on your list of places to experience. However, the real claim to fame for this place is the quality food and beer menu. I was fortunate to attend one of their occasional beer classes, that for a small fee, was both informative and tasty, with the added bonus of meeting the brewer who hosted this class. The food menu is varied and creative – every gourmet salad and sandwich I tried there was delicious! Do yourself a favor, if you are in Peoria, check this place out!
- Connected – anyone looking for a very upscale place to go out to dinner for a huge splurge, or to celebrate a special occasion, will love this restaurant. Italian food cooked to perfection can be found here and they have mastered the art of the culinary experience, both in their scratch cooking with quality ingredients and the enjoyable atmosphere. This is the kind of place you will pay a pretty penny for, but also a place where you take your time and enjoy the experience – buon appetito!
- Thyme Kitchen and Craft Beer is another local favorite for an upscale meal in downtown, offering a range of menu items. This place can be hard to get into without a reservation – the food is that good.
- Sugar Wood Fired Bistro is a place I learned about on my Segway Tour, and came so highly praised, I had to check it out. The pizza was amazing, and the dessert I chose was a delicious way to end my meal. The warmth of the atmosphere of this brick, cozy interior made the whole experience that much more enjoyable and inviting. I highly recommend Sugar if you are looking for a great pizza!
- Tadough’s, although not a restaurant, is a place I feel compelled to mention. Just over the bridge from Peoria, down the road a few miles in Pekin (this is the location I went to anyway), is a donut shop with some of the best yeast donuts I have ever tasted – made from potatoes, hence the name. These donuts were light, airy, and delicious! So good in fact, that it’s almost mandatory if you want to walk out of this place with some donuts, to order them online in advance a few days ahead, or you will walk in finding minimal, if any, on the shelf. Worth the wait though!
- Although there are several places to get a drink in the Whiskey City, few compare to Martinis on Water Street. This is a classy cocktail bar inside a historic train station building, with stained glass, wood, and leather decor and furnishings, and the most extensive list of martinis I have ever seen on one menu – page after page of martinis, in fact. What a great place to start your night for happy hour. Besides the massive martini / cocktail menu, drink specials and live music can also be found as part of the allure of Martinis on Water Street.
- Finally, as mentioned earlier for axe throwing, Industry Brewing Company, is a great place to enjoy good beer, by an outdoor firepit. This was one of my favorite breweries in all of Peoria, due to the variety of offerings this place has.
I hope you enjoy and find useful this list for places to eat, drink and explore while in Peoria. Although it is an understated, small city in the middle of rural Illinois, Peoria definitely has its fair share of cool things to see and do! Upon leaving Peoria, and spending some much needed holiday family time with loved ones, I am off to the next great adventure. But I’ll leave you in suspense as to where this time…