Just visited 1904 General Store for the first time…read more I visited downtown Alton yesterday -- for the first time in years. Decided to check out the general store as soon as I saw it -- it's a cool, welcoming old building. The first floor is full of candy, chocolate, fudge, ice cream, and other treats. I picked out some candy and sampled some delicious Belgian chocolate bars. I bought one for me, but I'll be back in a few months for friends' birthdays, and to try the fudge myself. The ice cream flavors (about 8) were all unique -- you aren't getting a simple chocolate or vanilla here. The most common of the flavors available was a rainbow sorbet. I think some of the other flavors were Shipwreck, Pirate's Bounty, and Superman, though I may not be recalling the names accurately. The upstairs is full of home decor items, including a wall decorated to look like someone's front porch. The styles are cute, though not my speed, as I am something of a minimalist. You can read all about their business and the building's Worlds Fair history over on their facebook page. Hope to visit again soon.

Beautiful old building and lovely stained glass windows! Friendly service from the lady who sold us…read moreice cream and candy.

Love this fabulously funky coffee space in the Milton Schoolhouse! Comfortable and cozy where…read morepeople sat studying, chatting, reading. My dirty chai was really great and Clyde's latte was as well. We shared a GF/Vegan banana chocolate muffin - yum! Staff was friendly and welcoming. The Milton Schoolhouse is a terrific space with other businesses to check out as well. Highly recommend!

I absolutely love this coffee shop. The coffee is always so good and so strong. They offer a bunch…read moreof different bakery items. I am gluten-free and they had this amazing vegan banana muffin that was gluten-free. It was so delicious. The people that work there are so kind. The vibe is really cool too because it's in an old school house and it has a bunch of different little shops in it too. I highly recommend if you're in the area to check it out. It is definitely worth the trip and you will not regret it. They also have alcoholic drinks too, but I have never tried any there.

When a bakery has been around longer then yourself, you know it is a good bakery. Duke has 5 years…read moreon me and I bet they'll still be here after I cross the Rainbow Bridge. There are several new boutique bakeries that have opened in the Alton area and they're good too, but when it comes to traditional baked goods and donuts, nothing beats Duke. They are know for their donuts, my favorite is the Chocolate Long John and a sack of Donut Holes. Another local favorite they serve up is the Cream Horn. It's decadent cream wrapped in a flakey shell. I've branched out instead of getting my standard order and tried the Cinnamon Roll and Cheese Danish. A few seconds in the microwave and you've got a tasty accompaniment to your morning coffee or tea. The staff is young, and they are both friendly and professional. Good bakery items and friendly customer service, gets me as a repeat customer. If you're a selfie person, they have two great places for photos out front of the bakery, Snap Away.

Our family's go to place for donuts! My husband always asks for their glazed donuts, and our pups…read morealways enjoy the dog treats! And if you ask our boys, the cookies are the best around!

We've loved LuciAnna's from the start on State Street. I was so glad to see so many familiar…read morefavorites in the case when we stopped for a visit. The almond horn and espresso tarts are old favorites. My husband was excited to try the sausage rolls and has enjoyed them. The ambiance is cozy and classy. The large windows allow for a great deal of natural light. There is ample seating inside as well as a couple of tables outside when the weather permits. If you get your food to go, they have offered to heat the necessary food or given instructions on heating if needed for a later time. The owners are extremely friendly and kind.

Since I last reviewed, LuciAnna's Pastries, I've moved to IL and LuciAnna's has relocated in Alton…read more The two of us are now within walking distance of each other. That is a good and a bad thing. It's good for their bottom line and a bad thing for my waistline and weight. At least when I walk there, I am burning some of the calories I will consume. During the week, I enjoy stopping by and grabbing a pastry or two. It's hard to only buy one, when they have so many to choose from. I then continue on my way and enjoy a Blueberry Scone or Raspberry Lemon Cannoli at my leisure later in the day. When it's the weekend, that is when I dine in and enjoy the full experience of LuciAnna's. I either take a patio table which is pet friendly, or a relaxing table inside the charming dining room. I order at the counter and get my table marker, so they know where I am seated. It brunch time, so that also means it is Bloody Mary time. I always have mine with a cup of black coffee chaser. The two balance each other out. My two favorite entrees are; Waffles or anyone of their Benedicts. Seriously, you cannot go wrong with either of them. Plus, you gotta get an order of the, Million Dollar Bacon. Service is always top notch and attentive. You'll enjoy the tea room atmosphere.

very efficient and sweet staff. scooping ice cream was my first job and so wherever I am visiting…read more I like to check out the local place. pink cow seems to be the place to go. I likes the mint chocolate chip, epresso next. for $2.50, it's a steal. I highly recommend. they close at 9!

I may be in trouble. I use to go to another ice cream shop in Edwardsville to get my Vanilla and…read moreOrange Sherbet twist fix. Tonight, I found out that, The Pink Cow offers it and it's homemade, too. Having The Pink Cow, close to my home, may put some pounds on my frame. The soft serve was not overly sweet and the orange sherbet had a nice tang to it. The twist of vanilla and orange was almost too pretty to eat, but I managed to enjoy it. I liked how the top curled and draped dramatically down the side. The staff of high school students were friendly and helpful. From what I could see through the service window, the preparation area was kept clean. Even the outside in front of the ice cream shop and around the picnic tables were free of debris. My cone was delicious, so I know I'll be back. Except on my next visit, I'll go down a size, so I don't go up a size.

We stopped off at Mister Donut during a trip to the Midwest to visit family. This place is great! I…read morehad an old fashioned buttermilk and my wife had a vanilla angel. The donuts were fluffy and well cooked and just the right amount of flavor and sweetness. Aimee and Ceasar, the owners came out and we had a long friendly chat about the resaurant, our trip and so many other topics. They were super friendly and made us feel very special. It seemed the clientele all were regulars and knew the owners well - just like a big family in there! Of course we had to get souvenirs, and there was so much to choose from, so we ended up with 3 t-shirts and both ceramic cup styles. I use my cup at work and it gets lots of compliments! Thanks, Aimee and Ceasar for a very memorable experience! Next time we're in the area, Mister Donut will be a must-visit place for sure! BZ!

I have a new favorite donut at, Mister Donut. It's the Blueberry Cake. I love Blueberries, but…read morewould have never thought to try this donut. That was until, Ian Frobe the STL food critic sang its praises in a review. The next day after reading the article, I went to experience it for myself. Wow, the donut was moist, soft and cake had a flecks of Blueberries and the flavor was strong, but not overpowering. I immediately feel in love. Now, I change my order up. I'll have some donut holes, then I'll enjoy a Chocolate Long John and the next visit is the Blueberry Cake. The sign above the entry door says, World's Best Coffee. I don't know if I'd go that far to say it's the world's best, but for Donut Shop/Diner coffee it is spot on. I like that they let me bring in my Yeti and they'll fill it up to-go. Save those paper cups. The staff is super friendly. It's a hon and babe, type place, but they still keep it professional. Tipping is optional and these ladies deserve some of your change tossed in their box. When: January 8, 2026 Why: Donuts for Breakfast

The sweet aroma filled the room. The desserts appealing to the eyes and making my mouth water. So…read moremany options. I had to make a decision. Customer service was pleasant. They handled each customer with care. They didn't rush me. I know i took too long to decide. After finishing my order I kept adding to it. I had to hurry and leave tge building before I added even more to the order. I ended up with 4 delicious cupcakes and a gooey butter cake. Everything was so good. The gold rush was the last cake that I purchased. I had completed my order. But got back in line to get it. 2 ladies told me that I can go ahead of them. I told them I already ordered and I'm ordering again. I initially got 3 vanilla butter cream cupcakes. Then I saw the gooey butter cake. I asked the young lady to add that too.. My coworkers placed their orders. Their desserts are kind of pricey. At least they are on my opinion. But they are very good. Of course there's parking out front.

This location is kind of hidden. It's in the back corner of a strip center and off the main road…read more However, it is still easy to find and parking is a breeze. Yesterday, Sophia my little fur-baby had a vet appointment that was just a block away. Being a good dog dad, I made sure she arrived early. In fact, we were so early I had time to kill so I made a stop at, The Cup. To my delightful surprise, they had a special on two of my favorite flavors and they were combined into one cupcake. I love lemon & raspberry. The cupcake was called, Spring Fling. It was a lemon cake, with Raspberry cream cheese frosting and a raspberry filling. The cake was moist and soft. Most importantly, the frosting was not overly sweet and did not overly dominant the cake. It was just the perfect amount of topping. The lady working the counter was attentive and made friendly conversation. I was glad to see that they are part of the, Gift-A-Meal program and that they offered Student Discounts to those who attend SIUE. That's community supporting community.

Bakers & Hale is a family favorite and an absolute must whenever I am in IL seeing family. The vibe…read moreis incredibly relaxed and very family friendly, ample space so you never feel crowded. The food is consistently good with generous portions, and the friendly service always makes the experience enjoyable. if your there during the live music, it's a really nice touch. Even though I come here all the time, for some reason I always forget the actual name and just refer to it as "Bangers and Mash." Luckily, my family always knows exactly whatI mean!

Bakers & Hale is probably one of the if not the most popular restaurants in the Riverbend area…read more They are know for their amazing bands on the patio, which is year round and a pretty decent Happy Hour. The other day I meet up with some of my cousins for Happy Hour. I cannot go wrong with one of the HH pizzas. Three of the six cousins, ordered pizza with different toppings. I went with the HH Taco's. I enjoyed Two Shrimp Taco's for only $7. The HH pizzas are $10. Three cousins went with the regular menu and enjoyed salads, chicken wings and chicken strips/tenders. Everyone was pleased with their food. The only thing keeping B&H from getting 5 Stars is the service. It's never consistent. One time it's over the top and the next time it's the bare minimum. It really depends on who you get as a server. The seasoned ones who have been for a long time, know how to work a table. The newer and younger ones, just don't get it. They don't hustle and as their station fills up, they get overwhelmed and everything goes downhill. When: January 7, 2026 Why: Happy Hour with the cousins

Love the classic look. The workers were attentive and asked questions to make sure I got exactly…read morewhat I wanted. The small sized sundae was a perfect size after eating dinner.

Satan, be gone. Shivers Frozen Custard is sinful. Having lived in STL for 40 years and the last 20…read morefairly close to Ted Drew's. I can say in my humble opinion that Shiver's is the better custard. Living nearby, I have finally learned that you don't have to be a kid to order the kiddie size. By ordering the kiddie, I can save calories and perhaps be able to stop by twice during the week instead of limiting myself to one treat. I think Kiddie Size can also be called a, Senior Size. As we age, our appetites are like they use to be. Last night I couldn't pass by when I saw the FOTD (Flavor of the Day) was, Gooey Pecan Pie. I'm really not a Gooey person, but Pecan Pie is my favorite pie, so I couldn't resist. I ordered a Kiddie Concrete. It was rich in flavor and had large pieces of Pecan. I even had full sized pecans in my cup covered in the Gooey sauce. It was the perfect sweet treat to end the day. As a reminder, Shivers is also a coffee shop in the early mornings. So you can also get your caffeine fix, too. I also gotta tell you that they're dog friendly and offer free Pup Cups. Dog must be present to receive the Pup Cup. No To-Go orders for the pups.