Hick'ry Stick

This is one of my very favorite places in town for a few simple reasons.  The restaurants in Peoria are predominantly chain restaurants.  That's not to say you can't have a great dining experience at any number of them, but I personally appreciate when a restaurant is clearly locally owned and a little more unique.  I like it when I can tell the person behind the counter serving my food has a vested interest in the business because it is a part of their family, as is the food they're serving.

This is definitely the case with Hick'ry Stick.  I didn't pick up on it immediately the first couple of times I ate there, I just noticed that something was different about it.  The food was all delicious, the people were friendly, the prices were reasonable and you could tell by peeking over the counter in to the kitchen that the staff work together....like a family.  After becoming curious I finally asked, and sure enough it is a family owned and operated business serving family recipes.  

I have tried most things on the menu and have never disliked a single bite of it.  It is incredibly obvious that these are recipes that came straight from a family's kitchen table.  Even the BBQ tastes of family tradition.  Their sides and their deserts are what really sets this place apart, in my opinion.  You can get good ribs or pulled pork in a lot of restaurants, but I dare anyone to try the mac and cheese at this place and tell me they've ever had better.  They make homemade cheesecakes and other desserts.  At the urging of the owner, I tried their sweet potato cheesecake one time (something I normally wouldn't have chosen on my own) and it is the best cheesecake I've ever had, hands down.  

These are the things that make this place great, and make it different.  You can have a good meal at a chain restaurant, but I absolutely love knowing that I'm handing my money over the counter to a member of the family that operates the business, and the food they're feeding me is something they've all eaten for decades themselves.  This is the sort of thing we seldom see in Peoria, and I hope more people notice this place and keep it around for years to come.  These folks clearly deserve it.