The Hottest New Restaurant in Peoria

Go straight to the source of the farm-fresh food trend at June restaurant

If you have business, family or friends in Peoria, located about three hours south of Chicago in central Illinois, your trips there just got a whole lot better. June restaurant, which opened in Peoria Heights in late January, brings to life the farm-to-table dining trend that is sweeping the restaurant industry these days by actually being in the proximity of many Illinois farms. June's chef/owner Josh Adams sources ingredients from many of the nearby regional farms for his modern American menu, including Thunder Valley, a certified organic farm that has dedicated 80 acres just for his restaurant.

June is no country kitchen, however. The sleek 60-seat dining room features a bar along one side and a wine display (showcasing more than 500 bottles) on the other. A custom-designed exhibition kitchen is in full view of the dining room, featuring woodwork done by hand by a local woodworker. Paintings depicting the Midwestern prairie created by local artist Ann Coulter adorn the walls, while windows on three sides of the dining room offer plentiful light. An outdoor patio will be added to the repertoire in warm weather.

Adams, who has worked with such acclaimed chefs as Charlie Trotter at his world-renowned Chicago restaurant, Grant Achatz at Alinea in Chicago and Paul Virant at Vie in west suburban Western Springs, marries the simplicity of farm-fresh ingredients with the innovation of molecular gastronomy. The seasonal, ingredient-driven dishes he makes honor the relationships Adams has developed with local farmers. He lets those simple ingredients shine by using low-temperature cooking methods in approximately 75 percent of his dinner menu. In addition to buying locally as much as possible, all of the breads served at June are baked in house, seasonal canning helps extend the life of summer ingredients and all of the butchering is also done on site. June's wine list highlights artisinal, organic and biodynamic selections and features several by-the-glass options.

June, 4450 N. Prospect Rd., Suite S1, Peoria Heights, 877-682-5863

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