Grabbing a bite with Joey Wright
Each week, we chop it up with the folks responsible for dishing up food around the area. What restaurant should we try next? Let Joey Wright know at jwright@news-gazette.com.
Experience Champaign-Urbana’s 10th annual C-U Area Restaurant Week is a boon for local restaurants and bars during a typically quiet time of the year.
And among more than 50 participating restaurants are Salt Fork Food Works’ three restaurants: Martinelli’s Market Bakery and Deli, Pekara Bakery and Bistro and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery.
“This has been a very difficult year,” owner Lauren Brokish said. “Two of our largest shopping weekends prior to Christmas, we had the two winter storms. And it hasn’t really let up at all in January. So it has been an exceptionally difficult year for food service.
“Restaurant Week is so important … we appreciate them coming out and dining out with us this week.”
Each of the eateries in Salt Fork’s ecosystem will feature Restaurant Week specials, with Martinelli’s set to serve a take on its most popular sandwich.
Martinell’s is in its fourth year of business after opening in downtown Champaign in 2022. Salt Fork is also rebranding its pop-up in Bloomington to prevent confusion from folks searching for the Champaign location’s famous reuben.
“Our specials are kind of reflective of each individual restaurant and their own individual vibe. The Martinelli’s menu, the one that we’re most excited about is the pastrami croissant because we have an awesome, killer reuben at Martinelli’s.”
