Rise & Dine: Brunch/Lunch Ideas for Champaign-Urbana Area Restaurant Week
Restaurant Week: It’s not just for dinner! If your social life peaks between 9am & 2pm (give or take)—or you believe in actually leaving your desk at lunchtime—here are four spots you can enjoy made-from-scratch meals featuring local ingredients and a whole lotta flavor.
Good Judys Espresso & Bagel Bar, Urbana
Before you hit snooze one more time, haul yourself out of bed and head to Good Judys Espresso & Bagel Bar in Urbana! This year for Restaurant Week, Good Judys is offering their delectable CU-style bagels just like the gods intended. With lox! We’re talking house-whipped cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions, capers, and dill. Wash it down with a beautifully refreshing glass of house-made yuzu lemonade, and you’ll be ready to seize whatever the day throws at you.
Lazy Daisy Diner & Café, downtown Urbana
Brand-new to the Champaign-Urbana area, Restaurant Week newcomer Lazy Daisy is quickly making a case for favorite brunch spot (I mean, the giant pancake alone…). Gather some friends, swap some gossip, and linger over the steak & eggs breakfast—marinated skirt steak with shakshuka poached eggs. Or lean into the lunchtime vibe with their Moroccan lamb meatball sub sandwich with fennel slaw. Afternoon nap not included, but recommended.
Martinelli’s Market, downtown Champaign
Handcrafted artisan breads, house-smoked meats, and locally grown produce and cheeses reign supreme at Martinelli’s Market. Specials include a pastrami stuffed croissant, prosciutto & burrata on a fresh baguette, and a winter orchard salad featuring nearly ALL local ingredients—from the greens and radishes to the goat cheese and apples. You gotta save room, though, because dessert’s a must: Lemon white-chocolate cannoli topped with your choice of pistachios or mini white-chocolate chips.
Pekara Bakery & Bistro, Champaign
When I’m at Pekara, I’m automatically transported to a delightful café in Paris or Brussels (but with better parking). Their European-inspired, Midwest-made dishes hit that yearning perfectly. For Restaurant Week, you can savor the delicious sausage and kale quiche, Prairie Fruits Farm chevre frais goat cheese truffles (say that five times fast), and blueberry goat cheese truffle salad. It’s your permission to slow down, sit down, and really enjoy your lunch break.
Restaurant Week only comes once a year, so make a date with your morning or mid-day appetite. Then start thinking about the next day’s stop, because one meal definitely won’t be enough.
Start Planning Your Feast!
Mark your calendar for Champaign-Urbana Area Restaurant Week, January 30–February 7! Grab your people, pick your spots, and try something new together.
Check out all the Restaurant Week menus and participating restaurants here:
experiencecu.org/events/restaurant-week
Sponsors
Our 10th Annual Champaign-Urbana Area Restaurant Week is generously supported by:
Chef's Table
Entrée SPONSORS
Appetizer SPONSORS
