Nat's Place

Quick history: Nat's Place is a little cafe themed restaurant right when you enter Chillicothe, Illinois (yes, this blog isn't just for Peoria!). They serve many things from full entrees, knick knacks, coffee, to baked goods. From what I've seen they are mostly women-owned and have weirdly long store hours. 

My personal experience: This place is very beautiful from an aesthetic point of view. Personally, I remember first trying them when they just opened and they only had about half the space they have now. Even then, the place was clean, lively, and looked modern. I notice that a lot of local places nowadays, even on a low budget, put a lot of emphasis on interior design. Peoria Nutrition Spot and CxT look incredibly impressive on the inside. Many older restaurants I know that have been in the area for a very long time (such as 460 Pizza or Pitas, for example) look like they could be classified as "hole in the wall" joints, where they stay open because of their reputation of food and not necessarily because the place is well thought of. Maybe this has to do with the newer generation being increasingly drawn to attention to detail in their consumption. Their food is unique, but incredibly fresh and tasty. I usually get their turkey and swiss panini bread, and they have this delicious drink called a lemon lavender sparkler; its just a very floral tasting fizzy lemonade. If you've ever been inside the lobby of a Cracker Barrel, this is what the atmosphere reminds me of; very cluttered but also homey feeling, and is full of overpriced things that you don't need. But the items feel more personalized and handmade than those you would find at a Cracker Barrel. The dining is a bit confusing - because they do have a full menu with entrees for a full lunch and dinner, but their seating doesn't really lend itself to being a sit down restaurant, because it's essentially 2-3 large tables and a lounge area. I personally would only order this place to go or if I'm going with one other friend and expecting to stay there for awhile. They are expensive, but as I've come to realize, basically everything is nowadays, so they could be worse. When me and my mom go, it ends up being around $40 for meals for both of us. Last thing I want to mention is that you can't go here in a rush, the service is pretty slow. Although it's essentially fast food (not low quality, but it's not fancy...not sure how else to put it) they have taken up to 30 minutes for two meals in my experience.