Moreno’s On Main

Thinking about going here this Sunday is it worth it or should I go someplace else? I have heard the food is not good.

This place is a gem. We went b/​c we had a coupon and are always up for trying something new. It’s a small place with a lot of character. My husband and I each had a cup of the homemade cream of asparagus soup and it was absolutely delicious. It’s obviously homemade and fresh. My husband had the Italian beef sub and it was huge and yummy, if a tad salty. I had the pork tenderloin and it was delicious, one of the best I have had. It was obviously homemade and very large (and I chose the small portion so I can only imagine what the large one was like!). My daughter had a pancake and sausage and it was very good and well cooked, my son had a pork tenderloin like me and he cleaned his plate. The staff was VERY friendly and accommodating and the owner came over and welcomed us as well. I would definitely recommend the food here as well as the down home atmosphere. We will be back.

I moved to, admittedly «B.F.E» (ie. the middle of nowhere) and was thrilled to try this charming café in the nearby town. In an unfortunate world where most «mom and pop» restaurants have turned to hermetically sealed bags of chicken noodle soup or roast beef from big food distributors or Costco, Moreno’s is like a breath of fresh air. There are a few of the commonplace menu selections that can be found in about every place in downstate IL (fried cheese appetizers, frozen pizza) BUT, aside from that:
EXCELLENT and extensive choice daily specials, all of which I have tried so far were made from scratch.
Daily selections of HOMEMADE PIE
One of the best ITALIAN BEEFS I’ve ever eaten — you will not find Italian beef this good in very many places outside of the city. Absolutely top-​notch.
The owner is always in the place, a congenial, lovely woman who shares her Italian heritage in many of her specials and know the fine art of connecting with her customers. She always makes it a point to chat with us when we come in. The waitstaff is always attentive and very nice to deal with.
If you happen to be in this neck of the woods, perhaps making a Chicago to Peoria jaunt, it’s worth travelling 5 minutes off the highway to get some great food and a dose of small town hospitality.