The Food in Elgin – Anything Your Heart Desires
This Guest Blog is courtesy of Bartlett High School Student Neel Patel.
People come to Elgin for a variety of reasons but one of the central ones is the fabulous food choices. From domestic to foreign, diners can find anything their heart desires. From food on wheels to old town staples, the food in Elgin covers all fronts. Find a new favorite or stick to old classics in the Elgin food scene.
Variety Keeps Things Spicy
Within the Downtown Elgin area, you can find almost 40 restaurants covering all the different foods you could ever want. Desserts, Breakfast, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Traditional American, and many more. Venturing out of your comfort zone is easy to do thanks to a wide variety of food choices. The community of Elgin is also very supportive of local businesses, especially locally owned restaurants. In fact, restaurants are one of the most desired new businesses, so entrepreneurs take note, good food sells in Downtown Elgin!
The A.R. BBQ Kabob food truck in Downtown Elgin.
Food trucks are also a staple of Elgin culture. Over the years they’ve grown in popularity because you can find nearly anything your heart desires at a food truck! This keeps people coming back to try new trucks and find their favorites. One of the food trucks I had the pleasure of eating at during my time at the DNA was the A.R. BBQ Kabob truck. They were parked in the parking lot in front of the Gail Borden Public Library. When I showed up I was surprised to see how many people were there to try out the fabulous food on wheels. It was both library employees and other locals who had simply seen their ad or just happened to stop by. The food was delicious and it inspired me to try out other food trucks throughout the Downtown Elgin area, as you should too. You can also enjoy some food truck eats on select dates at the Downtown Elgin Farmers Market, which happens every Friday from 3-7 from the months of June to October.
The Elgin Community Loves Local Food!
The people of Elgin are open and loving to all kinds of food each business has to provide and thus the cultural diversity shown at each restaurant is also embraced. Food is food and delicious food is universally liked by all, and it shows with the dedication people have to local restaurants in Elgin. The people of Elgin appreciate the dedication of the businesses to the customer, so the customer returns the favor and keeps coming back for more.
Not only are the customers dedicated to the businesses, but the businesses show gratitude for the customer. They are open for business as many hours of the day as they can, and if one is closed, you’ll find another one that’s open. The dedication of the businesses is prevalent in a lot of ways because they understand that the customers are the reason they have been successful, so they return the favor with amazing customer service.
Downtown Elgin is a Family
Elgin is very centralized on the basis of family and you can see that with many of the restaurants in the area. A lot of businesses have generations of the same family working at the restaurant which adds a comfortable element for both the customer and the employees. The Downtown Elgin Farmers Market is a great example of the element of family in the community of Elgin. This aspect of family does not only apply to the food specific vendors, but to all the vendors that participate in the market. As you walk through the market you can see a plethora of businesses where multiple family members are helping out.
Al’s Cafe is a local favorite in Downtown Elgin.
Al’s Cafe is a well-established restaurant in Downtown Elgin and it is a staple of the community. The building Al’s Cafe is located in was constructed in 1892 and was named the Ranstead Building. Throughout its years the Ranstead has had many different businesses come through it, but the one that has stuck with it for the longest time is Al’s Cafe. In 1982 William Alan Berg bought the building and created Al’s Cafe. After his passing, his family kept up with the business for as long as they could before having to sell the business in 1998, but the name Al’s Cafe stuck with the new owners until this day. Al’s Cafe was built on the basis that family is powerful and that is why it is one of the most sought-after restaurants to locals in the Downtown Elgin area.
Hungry Yet?
The area of Downtown Elgin is one of the most diverse communities in the suburbs of Chicago and it is most definitely shown in the food. All the different food options not only provide people with a new perspective on different cultures, but it brings people closer together. The people of Elgin are built on family and the food industry expresses that perfectly.
Here are links to my personal favorite restaurants in Downtown Elgin. Please give them a try!
Al’s Cafe
BeaUnique Latin Kitchen
Elgin Public House
Kubo Sushi and Sake Lounge
Red Poppy Bistro
The Food in Elgin – Anything Your Heart Desires
This Guest Blog is courtesy of Bartlett High School Student Neel Patel.
People come to Elgin for a variety of reasons but one of the central ones is the fabulous food choices. From domestic to foreign, diners can find anything their heart desires. From food on wheels to old town staples, the food in Elgin covers all fronts. Find a new favorite or stick to old classics in the Elgin food scene.
Variety Keeps Things Spicy
Within the Downtown Elgin area, you can find almost 40 restaurants covering all the different foods you could ever want. Desserts, Breakfast, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Traditional American, and many more. Venturing out of your comfort zone is easy to do thanks to a wide variety of food choices. The community of Elgin is also very supportive of local businesses, especially locally owned restaurants. In fact, restaurants are one of the most desired new businesses, so entrepreneurs take note, good food sells in Downtown Elgin!
The A.R. BBQ Kabob food truck in Downtown Elgin.
Food trucks are also a staple of Elgin culture. Over the years they’ve grown in popularity because you can find nearly anything your heart desires at a food truck! This keeps people coming back to try new trucks and find their favorites. One of the food trucks I had the pleasure of eating at during my time at the DNA was the A.R. BBQ Kabob truck. They were parked in the parking lot in front of the Gail Borden Public Library. When I showed up I was surprised to see how many people were there to try out the fabulous food on wheels. It was both library employees and other locals who had simply seen their ad or just happened to stop by. The food was delicious and it inspired me to try out other food trucks throughout the Downtown Elgin area, as you should too. You can also enjoy some food truck eats on select dates at the Downtown Elgin Farmers Market, which happens every Friday from 3-7 from the months of June to October.
The Elgin Community Loves Local Food!
The people of Elgin are open and loving to all kinds of food each business has to provide and thus the cultural diversity shown at each restaurant is also embraced. Food is food and delicious food is universally liked by all, and it shows with the dedication people have to local restaurants in Elgin. The people of Elgin appreciate the dedication of the businesses to the customer, so the customer returns the favor and keeps coming back for more.
Not only are the customers dedicated to the businesses, but the businesses show gratitude for the customer. They are open for business as many hours of the day as they can, and if one is closed, you’ll find another one that’s open. The dedication of the businesses is prevalent in a lot of ways because they understand that the customers are the reason they have been successful, so they return the favor with amazing customer service.
Downtown Elgin is a Family
Elgin is very centralized on the basis of family and you can see that with many of the restaurants in the area. A lot of businesses have generations of the same family working at the restaurant which adds a comfortable element for both the customer and the employees. The Downtown Elgin Farmers Market is a great example of the element of family in the community of Elgin. This aspect of family does not only apply to the food specific vendors, but to all the vendors that participate in the market. As you walk through the market you can see a plethora of businesses where multiple family members are helping out.
Al’s Cafe is a local favorite in Downtown Elgin.
Al’s Cafe is a well-established restaurant in Downtown Elgin and it is a staple of the community. The building Al’s Cafe is located in was constructed in 1892 and was named the Ranstead Building. Throughout its years the Ranstead has had many different businesses come through it, but the one that has stuck with it for the longest time is Al’s Cafe. In 1982 William Alan Berg bought the building and created Al’s Cafe. After his passing, his family kept up with the business for as long as they could before having to sell the business in 1998, but the name Al’s Cafe stuck with the new owners until this day. Al’s Cafe was built on the basis that family is powerful and that is why it is one of the most sought-after restaurants to locals in the Downtown Elgin area.
Hungry Yet?
The area of Downtown Elgin is one of the most diverse communities in the suburbs of Chicago and it is most definitely shown in the food. All the different food options not only provide people with a new perspective on different cultures, but it brings people closer together. The people of Elgin are built on family and the food industry expresses that perfectly.
Here are links to my personal favorite restaurants in Downtown Elgin. Please give them a try!
Al’s Cafe
BeaUnique Latin Kitchen
Elgin Public House
Kubo Sushi and Sake Lounge
Red Poppy Bistro
“Hi, my name is Neel Patel and I am a senior at Bartlett High School. I am a member of the STEM Academy at school, and I have aspirations to pursue a business-related degree after high school. I wanted to intern with the DNA because I wanted to see what the atmosphere was like in a new field. While interning with the DNA I learned how to work in a professional environment, but still have room for fun. I gained experiences that will help me in my future endeavors. I hope this blog helps people realize that the food scene in Elgin is the best around and it is definitely worth trying out!”
