- Spoon Baking Company-4 E Broadway, Alton, IL
Known as “Spoon,” this baking company in Alton focuses mainly on cookies. Although cookies are their specialty, they offer treats like cinnamon rolls, pecan rolls, coffee cakes, brownies, and other assorted goodies. Spoon bakes daily from scratch and donates proceeds to local shelters, schools, and charities. You’ll want to make sure you get to Spoon with the weather cooling down, because they also have great coffee and other assorted warm drinks!
- State Street Market – 208 State St. Alton, Illinois
This European-style bistro only offers organic options. State Street Market has great sandwiches, paninis, and homemade soups. Gather a group of friends and make a reservation for their Saturday brunch!
- LuciAnna’s Pastries – 212 State St, Alton, IL
LuciAnna’s is a quaint and comfortable bakery that offers tons of sweet options, teas, and coffee. LuciAnna’s goes above and beyond with all of their confectionery options and is currently offering treats like baklava, tea cookies, pumpkin whoopie pie, molasses cookies, salted caramel chocolate pecan pie, almond horns, chocolate spice cookies, frangipane, chocolate mousse cheesecake, and so much more.
- My Just Desserts – 31 E Broadway, Alton, IL
Whether you are going for brunch or lunch, you are missing out if you don’t get a slice of a My Just Desserts pie! My Just Desserts is a casual and fun lunch spot that overlooks the Mississippi River. They have a new menu daily that consists of soups, sandwiches, wraps, free wifi, and great desserts. You will not be disappointed!
- Wasabi Sushi – 100 S Buchanan St, Edwardsville, IL
Wasabi is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in sushi but offers many other Japanese options as well. They are reasonably priced and have great happy hour deals on sushi and other dishes if you get there before 6pm (weeknights only). They have been voted best sushi in Saint Louis for the past 11 years. Go taste it for yourself!
- The Loading Dock Bar and Grille – 401 Front St, Grafton, IL
Casual and inexpensive, the Loading Dock is right on the river and always has a fun atmosphere. The menu mostly consists of finger foods and is the perfect place to go if you’re looking for something a little classier than Principia’s Pub, but just as chill.
- ChillOut Frozen Creations – 2833 Homer Adams Pkwy, Alton, IL
ChillOut is a self-serve frozen yogurt place with many unique flavors and toppings. It’s less expensive than FroYo and is constantly updating flavors. They have a very unique and fun atmosphere and it’s the perfect place to go on a house outing!
- Village Pancake Inn – 2611 College Ave, Alton, IL
Village Inn is a classic diner, but it’s nicer and cheaper than International House of Pancakes (IHOP). Their menu has more diversity than IHOP’s, and it trumps them in service as well. Their M&M pancakes are ridiculously good!
- Dewey’s Pizza-112 E Vandalia St, Edwardsville, IL
They describe themselves as “your neighborhood pizza place” and have awesome options when it comes to making everybody happy. That happiness includes 15 different types of pizzas with either white or red sauce—both are delicious! Those options can be made into half pizzas so that you can share with a friend who wants a completely different kind of pizza, even if that means a different sauce. You can also create your own custom pizza from any of Dewey’s wide range of ingredients.
