When you live at Highland Woods, you will never have a shortage of options when it comes to going out to eat. And while there are several great restaurants within a few miles of your home, you won’t be a true Elgin resident unless you’ve tried three of Elgin’s most beloved restaurants.

Al’s Cafe and Creamery

43 DuPage Ct, Elgin, IL

This downtown gem is known for its comfort food, innovative dishes, and most of all for the legendary Burns’ malts. Decorated with bookshelves and antiques, the restaurant makes you feel right at home as you enjoy delicious food for lunch or dinner.

Yelp review: “This place is one of the sweetest and most enjoyable cafes I’ve been to in a long time.”

My favorite dish: Manhattan Tuna:  Tuna dill, guacamole, sprouts, tomato, Muenster & Colby cheese broiled open-faced on pumpernickel bread.

Elgin Public House

219 E Chicago Street, Elgin, IL

This friendly restaurant is set up as a traditional pub, and what really draws the customers and keeps them coming back is the delectable menu where you really can’t go wrong—people rave about the burgers. They also have one of the widest selections of ales, stouts, lagers, and pilsners in Kane County.

Yelp review: “Delicious food, a VERY big beer list, and a wonderful staff.  Every week or so they have a brand new beer on tap, which is a great change of pace.”

My favorite dish: Chicken Po’ Boy Fold: Provolone cheese, andouille sausage, creole mayo, black cherry chipotle sauce, lettuce and tomato all on a fresh baked fold.

Paul’s Family Restaurant

1300 Lawrence Avenue

This family restaurant has been around since 1961. It is well loved in Elgin for its diner fare, particularly for its delicious, fresh breakfast food—and for that reason you may have to wait during the busiest of breakfast times on weekends. But the service is great, and your coffee will always be full. People also love their lunch, dinner, and dessert offerings.

Yelp review: “Paul’s Family Restaurant is a fixture in Elgin, and for good reason; they make their food fresh, and incorporate vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli to name a few) and greens they grow in their very own garden… They have reliably great food, good service, and a personable staff.”

My favorite dish: Pancakes, eggs, and hashbrowns with a coffee.

So if you haven’t checked out these great Elgin restaurants, be sure to stop in soon!

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