Illinois Street Food Emporium

Dropped in and had the cutest lunch with a friend. The croissant with the egg salad was so layered and beautiful. Egg salad itself was great too - soft, a little creamy and maybe some dill? The ham and cheese quiche was delicious and such a sizable portion, I was shocked! The fruit salad had a good mix and was also generous. Staff was very friendly and welcoming to first-timers. And pricing was great when everywhere else I’m absolutely shocked with costs of dining out. Had a perfect lunch! Looking forward to coming back soon.

Catered breakfast buffet where I work - a variety of options, including gluten free. Everything tasted amazing!

What an adorable hidden gem! I have lived in the neighborhood for years and just discovered this place. While waiting for my to go order today, an employee took the time to chat with me, only to find out he was the owner! Such a sweetheart and so personable. Think Panera-esque fast casual but with so much character and better ingredients. The to-go section was incredible! Bakery items, coffee, and a fantastic breakfast and lunch section. I already can’t wait to go back.

This place is a little gem. Line out the door on the Friday that I had lunch there. The service was great. The cashier was very kind- made sure to give me options for topings and add ons . I ordered Turkey Health sandwich and it came with choice of chip, salad or soup. I had chili and added cheese and sour cream on the side - it was fabulous. I ordered a lemonade, add raspberry syrup. I saw they have take and bake items, bulk deli items and a delicious dessert case everyone looked over after they ordered. Yummo. I paid between 15-20 for my lunch. Very fresh

The cashier was incredibly nice and patient. I was unimpressed by their food. Their croissants come highly recommended but in store, it may have been a bad day, but they were not well laminated and the layers were evidently chunky. I got a banana chip muffin and it was underbaked. They sold out of their plain glazed donuts 20 minutes after opening. I don’t really care about service or atmosphere, because at the end of the day I’m here to eat. I may give them another chance down the line but as of right now I can’t recommend them. Prices were reasonable.

Stopped here to grab a quick bite to go, quiche lunch special and a pastry. Quiche was warm and tasty. Eclair was less so, heavy on the filling and the pastry was dense, not flaky. Nevertheless, we would have come back to try something different if the customer service had been better. Nothing in the pastry/cake cases had prices. You have to ask and when we did, we got "um, $6 and something, I think?"Same for the coffee, zero pricing posted. How hard is it to price your products? The items in the freezer cases were on a price sheet that was posted and easy to find. But the cakes, rolls, desserts and coffee had zero pricing. Just irritating to have to get an employee’s attention just to ask "how much?". It seems to me to be a simple fix that most customers expect and would appreciate. Atmosphere was nothing special, but tables were orderly and clean, inside and outside. It appears to be pet friendly outside, as we saw patrons with their furry friends.

Our family absolutely loves this local gem. It’s become our post Holliday Park lunch spot and every one can get something they love. Prices are more than reasonable and the food is fresh and made in house with care. The tables are clean and employees are friendly and authentic. I remember going to places like this growing up; delis and cafes with locally made meals and familiar faces. Unfortunately genuinely great local spots like this are so few and far between now. But Illinois Street Food Emporium has stood the test of time so far and I hope they continue to do so for a very long time.