Daily Kneads Cafe

My wife and I stopped by for lunch last weekend, first time visitors. We both ordered the crab soup, very tasty and nicely seasoned. I ate the grouper sandwich which was better than most I had in South Florida! She had crab and lobster sandwich also very good. This restaurant is a gem and we will return next time we drive south! the décor is south florida too. thanks for a wonderful lunch!

This is a small, cute place but be prepared to wait. It took us 15 minutes to get seated, 10 minutes to place our order, 10 minutes to get our drinks. We were near the 1:30 cut off but even though their entrée specials were still listed on both erasable boards they were out of all of them. And all salads. And two of the desserts. The single vegetarian item listed on their online menu… they no longer offer. My soup was good but they only had a cup left. My friends liked their food and my key lime pie was excellent but I doubt we’d go back. Oh and after all our waiting they turned the lights out near the end to make sure we hustled out of there.

Venturing up to Chicago, our road warrior van stopped in to Arcola for this restaurant. As the food guy for the tour I was just cautiously optimistic only due to the lack of numerous reviews.
Before any further reading, the important parts that other people have included, but need to be stated again.
Cash only. No separate tabs. They’re nice people so help em out. It’s what they’ve asked for.
They also don’t really accommodate groups of more than 6. Small town, small restaurant. Get that quaint town feel with your quant sized group.
Hours. 11 – 1:30. Be there before 1pm. Like I said. Nice people who are very up front with what they can accommodate.
Now on to the review. Food was quite tasty. Everything is homemade. The bread is wonderful. I’m not a bread snob or anything but as a purveyor of delightful sandwiches, the right bread can make a sandwich.
We had the Grouper sandwich, the lobster and crab Reuben, and the gumbo. Grouper was nice, well cooked and the bun took it to a satisfying level. The lobster and crab was my favorite thing, perfectly golden brown crusty bread with a flavor profile I never really have had (and I come from the Chesapeake Bay area). I was most skeptical about this sandwich and also most impressed. The gumbo was delicious with fried catfish pieces on top that made that «sauce» and rice really come together. Homemade roll was crusty soft on the inside and tasty. We also had the potato salad and cole slaw which were both better than many restaurants. (I feel people don’t care about sides sometimes. WHY!?!)
The earlier you come the more food options you’ll have to choose from. They run out of things. Is it disappointing I didn’t get the Cuban or Beef on weck I wanted to try? Sure. Am I happy they don’t have tons of sandwiches frozen, or pre-​made? Sure am.
Bottom line. Tasty homemade stuff. Great sandwiches, tasty entrees, and satisfying sides. Is this place the next culinary center of America? Nope. But the food is fresh, the people are friendly, and for $ 10 I am extremely happy with my experience. I don’t need a lunch to blow my mind. I need it to make my tummy happy. And right now it is.

This is not a traditional Amish home cooking place, of which there are several around. This is a 5 star lunch! All I can say is fresh awesome food! Menu has everything from fresh grouper to chicken gumbo, Cuban pork and much much more. Daily homemade soups such as crab bisque and unique lunch specials. Desserts are also homemade and carrot cake is best anywhere. Only open for lunch 11 – 1:30. But get there early to get a seat.

Amazing food! Although there are some tips I posted earlier to be aware of… once you’re here and eat the food, you’ll fall in love with the charming little café!
Unfortunately, I still have not squired the taste for seafood. However, my cousins and family are in the love with the crab cake salad… to the point she comes in and the owner doesn’t even hand her a menu anymore! Plus the homemade warm roll… yum! The roll has a crisp outside with the softest inside warm enough for the better to just soak in.
I had the pleasure of trying the avocado turkey club. First, who doesn’t love a sandwich with bacon on it! Second, The avocado was perfectly ripe and a beautifully green that just finished the sandwich! Wheat bread toasted for a perfect crunch!
Looking forward to trying my dessert! Carrot cake! I hope you enjoy this gem in downtown Arcola!

My husband and I have been eating here occasionally for a few years now and every time we go it is an amazing experience. The seafood dishes in particular are always excellent, especially the grouper! The soups, sides and desserts are awesome too. You can tell that a lot of thought and preparation goes into each dish. We also have always had great service. It is rare to find such a gem in a small town. Definitely worth going out of your way if you live in central Illinois or if you are on the road. They are only open for lunch and have limited seating, so get there early!

Daily Kneads Café is a great little secret in Arcola… they have excellent specials, Delicious sandwiches, soups, homemade bread and desserts. You really need to check this place out! Unfortunately they are only open for lunch… but it’s really the best place to grab lunch in the area.