Pig Minds Brewing in Machesney Park, IL
In addition to Cheeze Factory, Pig Minds Brewing in Machesney Park, IL is a great lunch stop on the way to Chicago from Minneapolis-St. Paul. They have a wide range of beer, and all of the food is plant-based.
I love having fried pickles as a starter, though I'd prefer ranch over wasabi aioli. Buffalo cauliflower, Krabbie Cakes, and onion rings are some other yummy starters.
You can get the Chikin' Sandwich with buffalo or bbq sauce. The buffalo sauce works perfectly on this sandwich, though it's huge and difficult to bite into. I found the same with the Impossible Burger Deluxe.
But it was fun to indulge, and the chedda cheeze and garlic aioli pulled it all together. I got a side of Mac and Cheezy, but I wasn't a fan. The sauce was watery and not very flavorful, so I'd stick with fries.
I can pretty much never pass up a chocolate dessert, and this brownie did not disappoint. Pig Minds uses their Imperial Coffee Stout as an ingredient, and the peanut sauce on top helps balance out the chocolate.
Pig Minds regularly offers specials, and this Caramel Apple Cheezecake was on special. We were so full from everything else, so we took it to go. It was amazing! Pig Minds has something for everyone, and it's totally ok to go just for the food and not get beer. They have a fun patio space for when the weather is nice, and I recommend splitting a flight between two or more people so you can sample everything.