Come for the zoo, stay for the food in Brookfield.
In the cheeky words of “The Irish Pub Song” by The High Kings every town has (or deserves) an Irish pub. Well, Brookfield has a wonderful one, Irish Times at 8869 Burlington Ave. From the moment you lay eyes on the exterior you feel transported into a cozier, friendlier, more relaxing mindset. Inside there’s a bar and menu to match. Fish and chips, corned beef in various forms and Shepherd’s pie come to the table to meet the cocktail, cider, beer or whiskey that you already have in hand. But you don’t have to stay in the traditional lane, there’s tacos, buffalo wings, fried pickles, and even a salad, if you insist.
Handcrafted barbeque is just down the street at Beach Ave BBQ, 3453 Grand Blvd. Beef, pork and chicken get in-house treatment – dry rubbed and smoked for more than 12 hours over oak logs. Meats platter up beautifully on the combo BBQ meat sampler. There are sandwiches, ribs, rib tips, sausage, and even BBQ nachos. And do your kids like ribs, but you don’t want to share your slab? There are kid-sized meals for them.
Over in Riverside, downtown is popping with new options and long-time favorites.
The Chew Chew, established in 1996, has become an icon at 33 E. Burlington St. In the evenings, this regular award winner is great for a date night, a celebratory moment, or just about anytime delicious food is on your mind. The menu rotates to face each season’s freshest flavors. A featured appetizer is oysters, shucked to order. House specialty entrees include a smoked gouda alfredo pasta, steaks, and a variety of flatbreads.
La Barra, 2 E. Burlington St., covers a lot of bases. They have a patio, live music and a dedication to fresh ingredients with a modern take on Italian classics. Open in the evenings and also for lunch on the weekends, the menu spans pastas, salads, soups and many styles of pizzas. Crisp crusted ciabatta-dough pizzas are available in new and familiar flavors, such as cupping pepperoni with hot honey and margherita. Deep dish pizza comes in regular or “skinny” varieties. There’s even a Chicago-style thin crust like the tavern style that Pizza Hut just introduced to a national audience.
Leave room for a sweet treat while you are in downtown Riverside at London Ice Cream, La Ofrenda Market, Sawmilly or Aunt Diana’s Old Fashioned Fudge.
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More Info:
Brookfield:
irishtimespub.com
beachavebbq.com
Riverside:
thechewchew.com
labarrariverside.com