Food! Glorious Food!

Touring Nauvoo can really make you  hungry. Here are our suggestions for good places to eat and drink. 

As we've already noted, a couple of sites offer small free snacks. You can stop at the Scovil Bakery for a free gingersnap  and the Family Living Center often has free samples of homemade bread. 

TO EAT

For Lunch we recommend the Nauvoo Mill and Bakery.  They have a variety of sandwiches that they serve on a variety of fresh-baked bread.  You can also buy a loaf of your favorite bread to take home.  For dessert, we love their homemade Sorghum butter cookies--they are delicious.

If you prefer to have a picnic lunch,  nearby Nauvoo State Park has a large shelter with several picnic tables with nearby restrooms and playgrounds.

For Dinner You have to visit The Hotel Nauvoo. They have a nice menu.  But we heartily recommend the Buffet!  You've got to try the buffet!  It is a comfort food Mecca.  Though not the largest buffet we've ever been to, it is most definitely our favorite.  When you enter the buffet area, directly in front of you is the salad bar.  It's a pretty typical salad bar. But, if you like Blue Cheese, this bar has fresh Blue Cheese.  Nauvoo used to be world famous for its Blue Cheese (more on that story later).  The hotel still serves it.

To the left is the steam table featuring their hot foods.  The first thing that you will see are two large platters filled with some of the best melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls ever.  In addition to the cinnamon rolls, the buffet also includes Southern Fried Chicken, Hand-Carved Slow-Roasted Beef, Hand-Carved Ham, Hand-Carved Turkey, & Farm-Fresh Catfish. Lightly-Steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower, Vegetable Riviera, Buttered Corn, Sugar-Glazed Yams, Au Gratin Potatoes, Buttered Whipped Potatoes, Home-Made Beef & Chicken Gravies, Wild-Rice Dressing, Blueberry Muffins, Made - From-Scratch Bread, and A Daily Specialty Item.

The buffet is a little pricey, but for a once-in-a-while treat.  It is deliciously worth it.

There are several other places to eat in Nauvoo, but these are our favorites.  

Visit Beautiful Nauvoo for a list of all your dining options in Nauvoo, including more information about the Nauvoo Mill and Bakery.

 TO DRINK

If you are looking for a place to quench your thirst we recommend an ice-cold bottle of root beer from the Joseph Smith Red Brick Store (they sell bottled water as well).  This root beer comes in a bottle with the Red Brick Store Logo on it.  It makes a nice little souvenir to take home.  After you make your purchase, enjoy the beverage while sitting outside on one of the benches overlooking the Mississippi River or the nearby Smith Family Cemetery.

 Our family enjoying Root Beer outside the Red Brick Store.



 Baxter Vineyards is located just about a mile down Parley St. from the historic district.  They have a nice selection of bottled Grape juice (both carbonated and non-carbonated).  And if you prefer adult beverages, they have a fine selection of award winning wines.  Baxter's Vineyards is the oldest winery in the State of Illinois.  I've also heard their pies are really good, though we haven't tried one yet.