A new year inspires a chance to try new things. Instead of going to the same handful of restaurants each month, make it a resolution to try an eatery you’ve never been to before. This list of the best restaurants to visit in 2018 will help get you started.
Let your tastebuds discover new flavors as you achieve your food goals. Keep scrolling for the most fabulous diners, pubs, and more.
- Old Bank Restaurant (Le Roy)
Facebook/Old Bank Restaurant & Bar
Facebook/Old Bank Restaurant & Bar Located just off a stretch of highway between Bloomington and Champaign, this unique eatery was once a working bank. Today it is a charming diner that serves amazing eats like burgers, sandwiches, ribs, and meatloaf as well as appetizers like nachos. Click here for more juicy details.
- Going Bonkers (Quincy)
Facebook/Going Bonkers in Quincy Illinois
Facebook/Going Bonkers in Quincy Illinois This playland pizzeria is one of the best restaurants for the young ones in your life. It is full of jungle gyms and also has an arcade. In addition to pizza, patrons enjoy hot dogs, chicken bites, burgers, and other sandwiches as well as appetizers and desserts. Click here for more amazing details.
- Acquaviva Winery (Maple Park)
Facebook/Acquaviva Winery
Facebook/Acquaviva Winery More than just an elegant place to dine, this winery is also home to a bed & breakfast and a retail market, and it also serves as a wedding venue. Guests enjoy the large estate while dining on gourmet meats and cheeses, authentic pizzas, salads, pasta, steak, seafood, veal, and chicken dishes. Click here for more information about this beautiful place.
- The Garden (New Berlin)
Facebook/The Garden"'
Facebook/The Garden"’ This fabulous hot spot doesn’t look like much from the front, but it is actually home to one of the best restaurants in Illinois. It is a pizzeria and sports bar known for its high-class eats and upscale menu. In addition to pizza, guests enjoy delicious seafood, lamb, pasta, salads, and more. Click here for more delicious details.
- Crazy Joe’s Fish House (Ava)
Facebook/Crazy Joes Fish House
Facebook/Crazy Joes Fish House Locals come to this eatery as much for the food as they do for the fun atmosphere found at this joint. Your eyes won’t rest here as there’s a plethora of memorabilia on the walls. Though best known for its fried fish, this eatery also specializes in smoked meats. Click here to learn more about this wonderful spot.
- Maldaner’s Restaurant (Springfield)
Facebook/Maldaner’s Restaurant and Catering Since 1884
Facebook/Maldaner’s Restaurant and Catering Since 1884 This downtown eatery offers upscale dishes like beef wellington, ribeye steak, veal meatballs, wild salmon, and much more. Inspirations from across the globe come together to create the unique menu at this local favorite. Click here to get more information about this timeless restaurant.
- Paddy Long’s Beer and Bacon Pub (Chicago)
Facebook/Paddy Long’s Beer and Bacon Pub
Facebook/Paddy Long’s Beer and Bacon Pub If the smell doesn’t get you, the lovely, bright facade of this astounding place will surely draw you in. Best known for the bacon bomb, you can get anything from drinks to desserts with an infusion of bacon. Click here to learn what makes this one of the best restaurants in the city.
- The Rafters (Lena)
Facebook/The Rafters Restaurant, Catering & Events
Facebook/The Rafters Restaurant, Catering & Events Family owned and operated, this gorgeous place includes a dining room, bar, and banquet halls. It is a great place to celebrate any goals you achieve in the new year. Menu items include steak, chicken, pasta, and seafood dishes as well as a plethora of fun appetizers, elegant entrees, and classic sandwiches, burgers, salads, and ice cream. Click here for more interesting details.
- Frato’s Pizza (Shaumburg)
Facebook/Frato’s Pizza & Catering
Facebook/Frato’s Pizza & Catering Epic eats abound at this wonderful pizzeria. You’ll find the best cheese sticks on the planet, as well as pizza slices the size of your head, deep-fried pizza, pizza puffs, and much more. You don’t want to miss this award-winning restaurant. Click here for more information.
- Fat Patties (Carbondale)
Facebook/Fat Patties
Facebook/Fat Patties Locals go mad for the burgers at this amazing place. Eat in or order for delivery in 2018 for the best eats your mouth ever tried. Other menu favorites include sweet corn nuggets, fresh baked cookies, homemade potato chips, and french fries. Click here for more details about Southern Illinois’ best kept secret.
- J.M.’s Tap (Menominee)
Facebook/J.M.’s Tap
Facebook/J.M.’s Tap This no-frills, family-friendly sports bar is another one of those little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that locals have been keeping in business for years. The menu mostly consists of pizza, but patrons will also find burgers, sandwiches, and chicken or seafood baskets as well. Click here for more deets on this pizzeria.
- Seasoning Bistro (Rend Lake)
Facebook/Seasoning Bistro
Facebook/Seasoning Bistro Locals can’t get enough of the upscale takes on classic American fare at this joint. Here, you’ll find high-quality food at small town prices that can’t be beat. Click here for more information about this top-notch diner.
- Spoonies Bar & Grill (London Mills)
Facebook/Spoonies Bar & Grill
Facebook/Spoonies Bar & Grill At this one-of-a-kind eatery, patrons enjoy a wealth of different menu items like fried fish, gizzards, liver, burgers, wraps, or salads. Most come in for the tenderloin that’s bigger than your head. Click here to learn more about this incredible sandwich.
- Lino’s (Rockford)
Facebook/Lino’s
Facebook/Lino’s For more than five decades, this beautiful Italian eatery has been a favorite place for locals to enjoy dates and celebrate special occasions. The interior will whisk you away to Tuscany as you enjoy a wide array of white, red, and sparkling wines that pair with appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Click here for more information.
- Papa Del’s Pizza Factory (Champaign)
Facebook/Papa Del’s Pizza Factory
Facebook/Papa Del’s Pizza Factory Kids of all ages love the pizza at this amazing place. It is great for parties like birthdays and receptions. The pies are so good that the restaurant offers catering and will even ship frozen pizzas to your door. Click here to learn more about this pizzeria.
For more great restaurants to visit in the new year, check out these 13 Irish pubs in Illinois with the best food and spirits.
Facebook/Old Bank Restaurant & Bar
Located just off a stretch of highway between Bloomington and Champaign, this unique eatery was once a working bank. Today it is a charming diner that serves amazing eats like burgers, sandwiches, ribs, and meatloaf as well as appetizers like nachos. Click here for more juicy details.
Facebook/Going Bonkers in Quincy Illinois
This playland pizzeria is one of the best restaurants for the young ones in your life. It is full of jungle gyms and also has an arcade. In addition to pizza, patrons enjoy hot dogs, chicken bites, burgers, and other sandwiches as well as appetizers and desserts. Click here for more amazing details.
Facebook/Acquaviva Winery
More than just an elegant place to dine, this winery is also home to a bed & breakfast and a retail market, and it also serves as a wedding venue. Guests enjoy the large estate while dining on gourmet meats and cheeses, authentic pizzas, salads, pasta, steak, seafood, veal, and chicken dishes. Click here for more information about this beautiful place.
Facebook/The Garden"'
This fabulous hot spot doesn’t look like much from the front, but it is actually home to one of the best restaurants in Illinois. It is a pizzeria and sports bar known for its high-class eats and upscale menu. In addition to pizza, guests enjoy delicious seafood, lamb, pasta, salads, and more. Click here for more delicious details.
Facebook/Crazy Joes Fish House
Locals come to this eatery as much for the food as they do for the fun atmosphere found at this joint. Your eyes won’t rest here as there’s a plethora of memorabilia on the walls. Though best known for its fried fish, this eatery also specializes in smoked meats. Click here to learn more about this wonderful spot.
Facebook/Maldaner’s Restaurant and Catering Since 1884
This downtown eatery offers upscale dishes like beef wellington, ribeye steak, veal meatballs, wild salmon, and much more. Inspirations from across the globe come together to create the unique menu at this local favorite. Click here to get more information about this timeless restaurant.
Facebook/Paddy Long’s Beer and Bacon Pub
If the smell doesn’t get you, the lovely, bright facade of this astounding place will surely draw you in. Best known for the bacon bomb, you can get anything from drinks to desserts with an infusion of bacon. Click here to learn what makes this one of the best restaurants in the city.
Facebook/The Rafters Restaurant, Catering & Events
Family owned and operated, this gorgeous place includes a dining room, bar, and banquet halls. It is a great place to celebrate any goals you achieve in the new year. Menu items include steak, chicken, pasta, and seafood dishes as well as a plethora of fun appetizers, elegant entrees, and classic sandwiches, burgers, salads, and ice cream. Click here for more interesting details.
Facebook/Frato’s Pizza & Catering
Epic eats abound at this wonderful pizzeria. You’ll find the best cheese sticks on the planet, as well as pizza slices the size of your head, deep-fried pizza, pizza puffs, and much more. You don’t want to miss this award-winning restaurant. Click here for more information.
Facebook/Fat Patties
Locals go mad for the burgers at this amazing place. Eat in or order for delivery in 2018 for the best eats your mouth ever tried. Other menu favorites include sweet corn nuggets, fresh baked cookies, homemade potato chips, and french fries. Click here for more details about Southern Illinois’ best kept secret.
Facebook/J.M.’s Tap
This no-frills, family-friendly sports bar is another one of those little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that locals have been keeping in business for years. The menu mostly consists of pizza, but patrons will also find burgers, sandwiches, and chicken or seafood baskets as well. Click here for more deets on this pizzeria.
Facebook/Seasoning Bistro
Locals can’t get enough of the upscale takes on classic American fare at this joint. Here, you’ll find high-quality food at small town prices that can’t be beat. Click here for more information about this top-notch diner.
Facebook/Spoonies Bar & Grill
At this one-of-a-kind eatery, patrons enjoy a wealth of different menu items like fried fish, gizzards, liver, burgers, wraps, or salads. Most come in for the tenderloin that’s bigger than your head. Click here to learn more about this incredible sandwich.
Facebook/Lino’s
For more than five decades, this beautiful Italian eatery has been a favorite place for locals to enjoy dates and celebrate special occasions. The interior will whisk you away to Tuscany as you enjoy a wide array of white, red, and sparkling wines that pair with appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Click here for more information.
Facebook/Papa Del’s Pizza Factory
Kids of all ages love the pizza at this amazing place. It is great for parties like birthdays and receptions. The pies are so good that the restaurant offers catering and will even ship frozen pizzas to your door. Click here to learn more about this pizzeria.
Which of these best restaurants for 2018 are you looking forward to most? Share your food goals for the new year with us!
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