What a nice surprise! Excellent food, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Diamond in the rough.

Thyme Craft Kitchen is worth the trip to to get there! Located in downtown Peru, Illinois, the restaurant serves freshly made food with ingredients from local farms. They even list the farms where the ingrediants came from on the menu. When I arrived I had to use the washroom. Not only was it clean but it was stocked with cotton towels. I knew that this was a good omen of things to come. My husband and I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup and the grass fed hamburger. This may have been the biggest and most pack grilled cheese I've ever had. The hamburger was good but the potatoes that came with it stole the show. Since the entrees were so good we were excited to try the desert. We ordered the homemade chocolate peanut bourbon pie. This had the consistency of a pecan pie and was very rich. Everything was great at Thyme Craft Kitchen. It comes highly recommended! read more

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Delicious place! Yummy caipirinha, watermelon marg- sour but balanced, & lavender vodka! Great price. Birria tacos! McRib w tomato soup! Wow! What a feel for this range of food! Amazing service! I'll come back! Please support! read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Delicious place! Yummy caipirinha, watermelon marg- sour but balanced, & lavender vodka! Birria tacos! McRib w tomato! - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

The interior is nicely decorated, the bathrooms are both designed very cute. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food was delicious . We had a double burger with fries, cooked just right l. The smash fries were nice and crispy. The Thai salad noodles with peanut sauce was another hit. The lamb was on point. The gnocchi was delicious also. The Bordaine mix drink was refreshing. The food was fresh and I appreciated the the location they obtained the food from, was noted, farm to table concept. I understand the menu changes also read more

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The food here is just what you would hope for in a farm to table restaurant ! I love that the menu lists where what you are ordering comes from, what farm, or bakery, or butcher! And the food is delicious, and very creatively put together. We travel a lot, and I wish there were more places like this. The server was knowledgeable and lovely as well. We sat outside, even though it was warm, there are umbrellas and we wore hats, just totally enjoyed! read more

Another great dinner here! We love the atmosphere , the wait staff is professional and knowledgeable, and the food is a delight! Fresh, healthy and innovative are all adjectives for the food here. Perfect portions let the food shine. Wines and craft beers compliment the flavors of the food. Tonight, we had a smoked salmon appetizer (one order is perfect for 2 people), elk steak and foie gras sausage. All were delicious! This is our 6th visit, and we are never disappointed! read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Venison ribeye. - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

Never regretted going there. Love the place. Eclectic menu from locally sourced food. Food is excellent. Friendly staff. A gem of a place. Never a wait. Probably my favorite place in the area. read more

Wow the menu rocks. Torn between the bistro burger, the Thai noodle bowl and spicy Korean chicken. I am on the burger and will report read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - The menu for cocktails - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

This has to be one of the yummiest restaurants! Everything was delicious! The service was friendly and efficient. I absolutely loved the tacos. The meat was so flavorful and it came with two salsas that were very good. My mom had the burger which was huge and she had potatoes as a side. Can I say these were the best ever. They were smashed and crispy (not vegetarian). My sister lover her lobster pasta which was a good portion. For dessert we tried the cheesecake and chocolate pie. We loved them both and left stuffed! I highly recommend! The margaritas were very good, too! read more

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This restaurant is a gem! We headed out for a wine tour and ended up having dinner here. The food was amazing and the atmosphere relaxed and friendly. Great service and a creative and delicious cocktail menu. If you get out to the Lasalle Peru area I highly recommend you make time to eat here! read more

Great food and farm to table experience. As a tourist from SoCal and on my way to Starved Rock State Park, I was pleasantly surprised to find this place. Both the food and drink menu is diverse and has the breadth to rival any other restaurant. I got the rib sandwich with crispy potatoes and aioli. The food was delicious. Would definitely stop here again if in the area. Service was friendly and prompt. Restrooms were clean and the reusable towels were a nice touch. read more

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We were delighted to find this beautiful restaurant on our trip from Colorado to Lake Michigan My cucumber margarita was delicious Watermelon salad Crab cakes and hamburger were so good The crispy potatoes were especially delicious read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

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Excellent farm to table food. The service was great. The atmosphere was nice too. We would recommend going out of your way if you're traveling on 39. read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Delicious burger, wings, watermelon salad - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

Hubby and I are visiting for the week, and we checked out Yelp for some foodie recommendations. This place popped up as one of the best, and now we totally understand why! Hubby just declared it has the best crab cake he's ever tasted! And I absolutely loved my grilled cheese sandwich with avocado and bacon--so delicious! The drinks were on point!! We'll be back! read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Beet salad and crab cake! - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

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Terrific food! Very impressed by everything we had. This place is a real gem and incredibly surprised to find such a place in such a small town. read more

Second time for myself and first for my husband wish we lived closer would be a weekly spot. Staff were friendly, fast and great recommendations. Food was amazing and delicious. read more

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This restaurant is aaaaammmaaaazing! Locally owned and local produce has never tasted better. Eat clean and delicious gourmet food at reasonable prices! read more

I was in this area to visit a winery. It was August and it was very hot. Before visiting the area I did some homework on what the eating scene is like out here. The most likely reason a Chicagoan like myself is in this area is to visit Starved Rock which is just a few short minutes away. Starved rock is beautiful. Well my fellow Chicagoans if you find yourself in this area please consider stopping by this place with delicious cutting edge international menu that is probably more at home in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. They have a farm to table revolving menu that would impress anyone. I started with the beet salad with pistachios and Ukrainian farmers cheese which was delicious. It was my first time trying this very delicious cheese. In the past, I have been in Ukrainian stores in Ukrainian Village neighborhood Chicago many times. (Next time I will make sure to pick some up when visiting.) I also enjoyed their crab cakes with large pieces of lump crab. These are the best crab cakes that I have enjoyed in a long time. In addition, I also had the very good salmon lox with bread and dill/lemon cream cheese. I enjoyed my lunch with a glass of very good chilled Spanish Rueda white wine. Yes, they even had a nice selection of wines and craft beers. I struck up a conversion with both owners and mentioned that their restaurant would be more at home in Chicago than Peru Illinois. They both laughed and it turns out they are both from the northside of Chicago. One of their wives is the person that delivered the food to my table and it turns out she is from Elmwood Park. They are very nice people from Chicago making great international food out in the countryside of Illinois. My fellow Chicagoans please make sure to include your visit to the state park with refueling stop at this farm to table restaurant run by fellow Chicagoans. You won't regret it! I highly recommend a stop here. read more

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May have just had the best roasted tomato soup ever. Generous bowl, incredible. Could have (should have) skipped the rest of lunch only because it was so good. Excellent service, diverse menu, good beer selection. We will be back. read more

I would recommend this farm to table restaurant. They were extremely diligent about making sure that my meal was gluten free. The server was knowledgeable and checked with the chef to make sure of safety. The food was very good. Was told that the menu changes based on ingredient sourced locally; thus, gluten free options vary. read more

Stopped in yesterday after reading other reviews and we were not disappointed. Loved almost all the options on the menu but chose the shrimp and grits and my wife got the noodle bowl with grilled shrimp. Both were delicious (as were the beers) and the chill vibe and great service made for a delightful evening. read more

Solid 5-star farm to table restaurant in a small town of IL. The restaurant was packed at 6pm on a Saturday. It seems to be the go-to place for every big celebration. Service was prompt here. While requesting warm water, we found the water have some funny taste. What we like: 1) Grain bowl is so healthy and delicious. It's a must have. 2) The smoke salmon dish is plentiful for sharing for sharing between two. Craft Thyme Kitchen is highly recommended for anyone passing by on a road trip! You won't regret it. read more

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The food is so good!! It's a cute little place and lists where the food is sourced from which I thought was a nice touch. Really creative menu and well executed! Must try if you're in the area. read more

Excellent service from our young lady from Wigan. A little northern English spice for the excellent farm to table. read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Me and the name plate - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

My daughter and I went to dinner at Thyme last night. We were a little unsure because we looked at the menu online and we weren't exactly sure what everything listed was but it turned out the food was amazing. We ordered a burger with a side of crispy potatoes and filtet mignon that came with parsnip puree. Oh and crab cakes for our app and finished off sharing a basque cheesecake. Everything was cooked perfectly and looked beautiful when served. Moderately priced but we feel it was priced right for the food we ordered. We will definitely go again. read more

Wow! Farm to table. I ordered the Seasonal Mixed salad with avocado and chicken and it was super, super fresh and absolutely delicious! read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

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This place is so cute! Great food, lovely ambiance and the service was great too. Husband and son got the cheeseburger and grilled cheese and each ate half and loved both. I got the mk rib sandwich and it was tasty as well. Like the crispy potato side and the aioli I was offered for dipping. A lovely gem. read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - Restaurant - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

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TCK is a hidden gem. I can't speak highly enough of my recent culinary experience there. I had the roasted beet salad which was reason enough to drive an hour and a half to eat there. Little did I know that even that symphony of flavors and textures was going to be surpassed by the glory of the shrimp and grits which was next. Unbelievable. I'm originally from S.C., where the standard for fresh seafood and real corn grits takes on a whole new level. Kudos to the chef and many thanks to Abby (sp?) for not only skillfully and graciously answering my questions about the menu, but also for her attentiveness and bright smile. Well played. 10/10. read more

The best restaurant experience we've had in a long time. First of all, Lili, was a burst of sunshine when she came to our table. We ordered the fried green tomatoes as our appetizer Absolutely the best that we've ever had! Not to be out done were our delicious entrees. Mine was an amazing Thai noodle bowl! I could eat this every day of my life. My husband ordered the grass fed burger with the tomato soup. The burger was excellent and the tomato was creamy and delicious. Do yourself a favor and experience for yourself Real Food at Thyme Craft Kitchen. read more

Wife and I stopped in on a Tuesday night about 6:15 pm, they close at 7:00 pm on Tuesday's. We sat at the bar, everyone was very friendly and attentive. Wife got the Watermelon Margarita and I had their Old Fashioned. Both were amazing. We had the Korean Chicken Wings and a couple other fabulous dishes!! read more

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My parents and I came here after spending a day at Starved Rock. It's really incredible that a place like this can exist in small town Midwest. The food was wonderful. We bad the pork belly sandwich, shrimp and grits, and a salad with smoked salmon. It was all perfectly done. For dessert we had a slice of Basque cheesecake and they made fresh whipped cream on the spot. Absolutely amazing. The owner was super friendly. If this place existed in my Chicago neighborhood I'd be a regular. read more

The food and the service is amazing here! We'd been wanting to stop here for a while, but live an hours drive away. This day we were very close by to see the Hegeler-Carus mansion so we stopped here for lunch. I had the beet salad appetizer and a smoked salmon plate. You could taste the freshness of the beets and the salmon was perfectly smoked. My daughter had a grilled cheese sandwich, which was huge and decadent, and a tomato and red bell pepper soup which was frankly the best fresh tomato soup we've ever tasted. The ratio of red bell pepper to tomato was perfectly balanced. I know that because of the fresh farm to table menu these items may not be available when you dine here, but know that the chef really knows how to create a menu and execute dishes wonderfully. The decor was really cute and you can see the awareness of being environmentally conscious in the both the doing room and the bathrooms. The service was also excellent. Our waitress was sweet, attentive and masterfully handled a large, rowdy table near us with great decorum. We will go out of our way to dine here again and highly recommend you try this place. It is well worth it! read more

Food outstanding, service great, ambiance perfect 10/10. Split the burger and chicken sandwich both very good. Highly recommend the fried potatoes read more

Stopped for lunch and will certainly stop again! I had the MK Rib sandwich with salad as a side, and my sister had the smoked Salmon sandwich with a side of crispy potatoes- and they were definitely crispy . Both sandwiches were excellent, that perfect combination of toasted bun. Sauce, meat and other tasty additions. Highly recommend!!! read more

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Can I swear on here? Because DAMN. Thyme is it. I was looking for a good meal while driving cross-country on I80. This was a few short miles off the highway, and 100x better than a fast food joint. They had our pickup order ready in 15 minutes and included cutlery and a generous side of aioli. We parked out front easily, the restaurant is very easy to spot with the large white sign. The restrooms were clean and they had nice REAL towels for your hands, love that. The staff was very friendly, the bar was well-stocked, and the atmosphere was too cute! For food, we got the Korean wings, burger (medium and added a patty), autumn grain bowl plus chicken, and pumpkin hummus. The Korean wings are the BEST ever. I am not a spicy fan, and these had so much flavor without being spicy. The burger was outstanding, although the patties were over-salted. I've never had fried potatoes where they fry nearly the whole potato. It was good, although a little more fried chunks vs potato meat than I'd prefer. The grain bowl was delicious, but the chicken I added was a little too smoky in flavor. The pumpkin hummus is 11/1, although we were hoping the naan was served warm. It is so rich and delicious, it's like dessert! We were so excited to eat this food while we pulled over at the gas station down the street that I only got a couple photos. Just go check it out for yourself! Would recommend every dish we ordered. read more

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Delicious, fresh, incredible experience close to starved rock. Everything was yummy and refreshing after a day of hiking. We loved the staff, the ambiance and all of the made to order choices from cocktails and the menu. We sat outside with our dogs and shared the beet salad (amazing) plantains (too cheesy), elote bowl w/chicken and crispy potatoes (not on the menu) and we were happily stuffed. Perfect for vegans and vegetarians, to share or to enjoy alone. Cant wait to be back! read more

Thyme Craft Kitchen - American Near Me - Peru, Illinois

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Found this amazing little treat after a hike/kayak nearby before heading back to the city. Enjoyed the friendly service, tasty brunch, and cool vibes. The mimosa was a great balance of pineapple to bubbles, the Breakfast martini was not too sweet & not too punchy but just tart & smooth enough. The Chilaquiles was so flavorful, crunchy, under the perfectly cooked eggs, and packed a good kick with spice. The egg breakfast sandwich was tasty and filling with a massive side of smashed, crunchy potatoes. Yum!!! read more

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Amazing! Loved the food. Loved the staff . Only had appetizers. All fresh tasting and clearly homemade read more

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I'm still stunned that this farm-to-table concept even exists in small-town Illinois, but boy am I glad it does (to the other small towns: we need more of this). A note to the kitchen: puh-lease don't take your gnocchi dish off the menu...ever. read more

Creative, delicious - amazing food!! Farm to Table. Potatoes (not quite fries but something way better) are out of this world