Discover | St. Charles

By
July 2017 View more

With a charming downtown district nestled along the bank of the Fox River, St. Charles beckons with antique shops aplenty, restaurants for all tastes and enough bars with spacious patios for an all-day pub crawl. Read on for our top picks around the city and beyond.

EXPLORE

St. Charles Riverwalk & Fox River Bike Trail
A trip here isn’t complete without a stroll along the riverwalk. A bike trail runs along the river through St. Charles as well, heading north to the Wisconsin border and south toward Aurora.
Main Street at the Fox River

Pottawatomie Park
Connected to downtown via the riverwalk, this riverside park boasts picnic pavilions, canoe and pedal boat rentals, a pool and golf course.
8 North Avenue, 630.513.6200, stcparks.org

St. Charles History Museum
While the museum’s permanent exhibit is under construction, check out “Game Changers: Sports in St. Charles,” an exhibit showcasing hometown athletes and unique sports such as rolle bolle, brought to St. Charles by Belgian immigrants in 1895.
215 East Main Street, 630.584.6967, stcmuseum.org

Arcada Theatre
This historic vaudeville theater—built in 1926 by Chicago Tribune cartoonist Lester J. Norris—now hosts concerts and community events throughout the year.
105 East Main Street, 630.962.7000, arcadalive.com

Steel Beam Theatre
This community theater produces both youth and professional productions; the golf-themed musical Fairways is on tap for late July.
111 West Main Street, 630.587.8521, steelbeamtheatre.com

Kane County Flea Market
It’s easy to spend a whole day just in downtown, but this epic market—held one weekend a month, March through December—is a must-see for antiquers, collectors and window shoppers.
Kane County Fairground, 525 Randall Road, 630.377.2252, kanecountyfleamarket.com

Pheasant Run Resort
Fun for a staycation or just to play for a day, this resort has a spa, comedy club, theater, golf course, several restaurants and—perhaps the most unique—an indoor replica of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street all on the premises.
4051 East Main Street, 630.584.6300, pheasantrun.com

Primrose Farm
This plantation has restored farm buildings, farm animals and a vintage tractor. Vistors can climb up on in the fruit orchard, milk cows, gather eggs from the chicken coop and even churn their own butter.
5N726 Crane Rd, 630.513.4370, primrosefarmpark.com

DINE & DRINK

Abby’s Breakfast & Lunch
Fill up on fun and funky offerings such as waffle biscuits with gravy, a duck bacon club sandwich and Abby’s signature bloody Mary spiced with verde sauce.
11 North 3rd Street, 630.377.0797, abbysbreakfastandlunch.com

Shakou
Sip sake and fruity Asian-inspired cocktails alongside spring rolls, noodle bowls and signature maki at this modern sushi bar.
312 West Main Street, 630.444.0850, shakourestaurants.com

The Filling Station Pub & Grill
A corner patio looking out onto Main and Third streets, cold beer and solid bar food draw regulars to this casual pub.
300 West Main Street, 630.584.4414, filling-station.com

The Finery & Blacksmith Bar
Expect farm-to-table American fare with a global accent, from pheasant with risotto and black truffle to English pea falafel with Moroccan herb sauce. Vino fans, try the three- or five-course tasting menu with wine pairings.
305 West Main Street, 630.940.2380, thefineryrestaurant.com

Arcedium Coffeehouse
A bit off downtown St. Charles’ main thoroughfares, this homey coffee shop in a red brick building roasts its own beans and also serves tea, breakfast, salads and panini.
60 Indiana Street, 630.444.0610, arcedium.com

Vintage 53
This sweet wine bar is great for date night: Split a bottle of wine and snack on a charcuterie board or crostini topped with roasted red grapes, goat cheese and honey.
162 South 1st Street, 630.549.0423, vintage53.com

Puebla Modern Mexican
This sprawling contemporary Mexican restaurant tempts with myriad margaritas (hibiscus, raspberry-serrano and even an all-organic lime version), a half-dozen kinds of guacamole and hearty plates ranging from mole-sauced pork shoulder to crispy shrimp tacos.
51 South 1st Street, 630.945.3408, pueblamodernmexican.com

The Office
Don’t let the name fool you: The only thing diners at this gastropub are working hard on is enjoying craft beers and juicy burgers on the pergola- and firepit-clad patio.
201 East Main Street, 630.549.0287, theofficestc.com

Neo
Head to this sleek pizzeria for truly delicious Neapolitan-style pies, dressed with traditional Italian fixing such as prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and soppressata.
31 South 1st Street, 630.377.8700, pizzerianeo.com

McNally’s
In the front, this Irish pub beckons with its cherry-red facade; tucked behind the building, you’ll find a quaint two-story patio with all the charm of a Dublin street.
109 West Main Street, 630.513.6300, mcnallyspub.com

Smitty’s on the Corner
For a speedy lunch with kids, stop in this corner shop for cold or grilled sandwiches, made-from-scratch soups and ice cream for dessert.
15 East Main Street, 630.762.1080, eatatsmittys.com

Taste of Himalaya
This Nepalese and Indian restaurant serves an affordable lunch buffet and an a la carte menu for dinner featuring tandoori specialties (meats roasted in a clay oven) and the not-to-be-missed chicken mo mo, a traditional Nepalese dumpling.
110 North 3rd Street, 630.444.1575, tasteofhimalayas.com

SHOP

Antique Market III
Browse booths full of collectible toys, vintage glassware, sports memorabilia and more from multiple dealers at this antique shop.
11 North Third Street, 630.377.5599, antiquemarketiii.com

Two Wild Seeds Baking Company
At this boutique/bakery hybrid, you can shop original artwork, books and greeting cards and take home a taste of whatever catches your eye in the bakery case, from coffee cake to coconut macaroons.
320 West Main Street, 630.797.5350, twowildseeds.com

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop
The vintage-inspired shop is truly a feast for the eyes, with candy of all kinds and bottled soda in flavors ranging from gourmet (chocolate strawberry or lemon meringue pie) to just plain wonky (ranch dressing or peanut butter and jelly).
301 West Main Street, 630.797.5889, rocketfizz.com

Chic Boutique
This women’s clothing shop is packed with trendy tops, breezy sundresses and unique workout wear that’s sure to illicit a “Where’d you get that?” at the gym or yoga studio.
151 South 1st Street, 630.250.2892

Magnolia Bridal
This airy bridal salon showcases impeccably designed wedding gowns and accessories, plus complimentary frocks for bridesmaids and flower girls.
141 South 1st Street, 630.549.6726, magnoliabridal.com

Warehouse Antique & Confectionary
Shop furniture, home decor and collectibles at this well-curated antique store—and don’t miss the adjacent candy shop stocked with treats that will bring you back to your childhood.
16 North Riverside Avenue, 630.584.6368

Riverside Retreat
The jewel of downtown St. Charles’ riverfront is Hotel Baker (100 West Main Street, 630.584.2100, hotelbaker.com), a fifty-three-room hotel and event venue that earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. A local favorite for weddings (including Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg‘s in 2012), the hotel was built in 1928. The on-site restaurant, Rox City Grill (roxcitygrill.com), serves up steak, seafood and globally inspired dishes such as lobster potstickers and sesame-glazed pork tenderloin with chili mashed potatoes.