Hidden Gems in Peoria: Richard's Under Main

The "Lucky Luciano"

The Entrance to Richard's Under Main

Hi everyone! 

I discovered a unique establishment in downtown Peoria called Richard's Under Main located right on Main Street. As the name suggests, this is a restaurant underneath the street. There is a big colorful glowing sign along the street so you don't miss it. They serve steaks til 4 am. I think it's a really cool concept to have for a restaurant. The environment underneath is cozy and very tavern-like almost similar to a speakeasy where people would drink in the 1920s. It felt very clean and quiet throughout the space. They had a main bar along with a dining area for those to sit at. I really liked the menu options as well with most of them being very traditional bar food options. I decided to have a burger called the "Lucky Luciano" which had melted mozzarella, fried dill pickles, and ranch on it along with a side of tatter tots. It was probably one of the best burgers I had in Peoria. I'd highly recommend this place to those looking for the next dinner with a friend or family member. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Hidden Gems in Peoria: CxT and Kickabrew Coffee Co.

 Hi yall, 

Today I wanted to share a few gems I found this week in the Peroia metro area. If you're into coffee and looking for a place to be productive then these two places won't disappoint. I found both of them to be very above average not only with the coffee but also when it comes to the environment and location. 

Latte from CxT

CxT Roasting Company: Located a few miles north of Bradley University's campus on Knoxville Ave is CxT. This place has always been my favorite go-to coffee place of mine and has a great environment in my opinion. It strays away from the generic granola style of most coffee places and instead features more of an industrial interior style that feels very unique. The space they utilized used to be an old train station hence why the interior feels very old. The coffee doesn't disappoint either. I ordered a hot vanilla latte and it tasted just as good as it looked. One of the reasons I like this place so much too is because of the hours. If you need a place to go to be productive after work or school you're in luck because they don't close til 7 pm on weekdays. If you live in the area I'd highly recommend checking this place out! 

Kickabrew Coffee Co.

Kickabrew Coffee: I had never been to Kickabrew Coffee Co. before until this past week. I was expecting it to be one of those very generic coffee shops with a white interior and minimalist style but to my surprise, it was different than I expected. For one, it feels as if you're in a cabin with an exposed wooden interior and yellow lighting. While small on the inside it feels cozy and has comfy couches. The menu wasn't anything crazy but had very typical coffee offerings as well as a seasonal menu. I ordered just a regular coffee with some cream and it was very average but really enjoyed the environment and was much quieter than other coffee shops in the area such as Zion. While it is far away from Bradley's campus (about 9 miles) it's definitely a great place to get some work done while sipping on a cup of cheap coffee. 

Kickabrew Coffee Co.