The Greenhouse Cafe at Allerton Park serves up breakfast and lunch for your visit.

If you’re feeling tired of the same places you normally eat and want a reason to plan a short trip from C-U, you’ll be happy to hear there’s something new to try. Drive out to the gorgeous Allerton Park & Retreat Center for a visit and plan to grab lunch at the Greenhouse Cafe.

Enjoy spending time in nature with your family? Check out our list of places to do just that in and near Champaign-Urbana. 

Allerton is a great place to plan a picnic outing for your family but in the event that you don’t want to pack a meal, or perhaps you want to grab some ice cream after you work up a sweat strolling the grounds, the Greenhouse Cafe is open for business. Located in Allerton’s Visitor Center, you can drive straight ahead on Old Timber Road into the park (not turning towards the mansion) and park near the cafe.

When you arrive, simply walk up to the counter to place your order. Daily offerings change and there are some grab-and-go options in the cooler if you need something quick. There’s also a generous ice cream and popsicle selection to choose from.

We went with the build-your-own sandwich option. No matter what your preferences are, there will likely be something that sounds good to you. We did not see any gluten-free bread options on the menu and know that there are salads and soups available, if a sandwich isn’t what you’re looking for.

They serve breakfast items and coffee drinks, too. And we were lucky enough to arrive on a day they had homemade ice cream sandwiches. Now THOSE are not meant to be passed up! You really can’t go wrong with anything you choose, and how convenient it is to be able to take a break and grab a bite right in Allerton.

Called the Greenhouse Cafe, you’ll enjoy taking a peek at Allerton’s Greenhouse located adjacent to the Cafe. The many colors of flowers growing in there caught my daughter’s eye right away and she loved looking through the window at all of them while we waited for our food.

Peak season includes weekday hours (not on Mondays though) and during the colder months they are open for business only on the weekends.

Open hours, according to the Allerton website:

Peak Season (Mid-March – Nov. 30)
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Friday: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Off-Peak Season (Dec. 1 – Mid-March)
Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
*The Cafe will be closed Dec. 25, 26, 31, and Jan. 1.