The Best Places to Eat in Central Illinois

"Explanations do exist as to how Krekel’s — since 1949 — has transcended from mere burger joint into something more mythological around these parts. There’s the scientific, of course. It’s called the Maillard reaction — when beef is not so much smashed and pressed onto the griddle as it is held down with conviction, to the precise point where crispy and crunchy peacefully coexist, where “juicy” coalesces into “lacquer”  — and it’s how the burgers here stop time with each bite. There’s also the frozen lemon custard — cheeky, creamy, and sweet; an order at Krekel’s is hardly considered complete without one, and then only if red sprinkles are on top, though it continues to be anyone’s guess what flavor the red really is. The reason for their success, however, is something far more profound. Krekel’s — which has branched out to other locations across Central Illinois — is a genuine shared experience by all those born in, raised in, living in, or otherwise connected to Decatur. It’s where parents take kids for a weekend treat, where high school friends go when one among them finally gets a driver’s license, and it’s where anyone returning home for the holidays after decades away makes their first stop. But since profound isn’t for everyone, there’s always the Krekel’s Chicken Car, which like the Bikini Tree nearby in Decatur’s Fairview Park, just has to be seen to be believed." - Timothy DePeugh