2 Restaurant Finds in Galena, Illinois

2 Restaurant Finds in Galena, Illinois Including One Eleven Main and Otto's Place

Galena's historic main street invites wandering, exploring and relaxation. During our quick getaway to Galena, I found that I really was able to sit and relax at a number of spots plus saunter through a number of shops. I was so relaxed that I actually didn't take many photos of our tasty exploits. So, I guess Galena is one of those places that finally got me to relax, so I will need to return again! I do have a couple of places that we enjoyed to recommend. So, all is not lost!

One Eleven Main:

For our dinner, we ate at One Eleven Main which features locally sourced items. We found One Eleven Main to be a nice place to sit and unwind for a little bit. My husband enjoyed a beer and I enjoyed a glass of wine while perusing the menu. I chose the salmon and was entirely surprised that I would receive both soup and salad with my meal. My husband chose the smoked brisket sandwich. We started the meal with lovely fresh baked bread.

Fresh baked bread and herbed butter.

I enjoyed my salad and cup of clam chowder. I believe that there is only one soup of the day. In my meal, they accommodated me by switching out sweet potato mash for the sour cream mashed potatoes. So, I would ask if you need a switch. The bow tie dish that soup and salad were served on. For me this worked well:

Salad and soup pair added to dinner at One Eleven Main.

My salmon was topped with maple bourbon pecans and on top of a citrus reduction. I added the sour cream mashed potatoes. Dinner also included fresh veggies. Truly a delicious meal! I wasn't sure if I would like the maple bourbon pecans, but the texture and flavor did work.

Maple bourbon pecans atop salmon

My husband was in the mood for a sandwich and enjoyed the slow smoked brisket featuring slow-smoked beef, provolone, giardiniera, horseradish cream and brioche bun. We both really loved the fries -- yes, more potatoes for me!

Smoked brisket sandwich!

Otto's Place:

We discovered Otto's Place on our first visit to Galena and have been fans ever since. Otto's is our go-to spot for breakfast but it is also a nice spot for lunch or a coffee as well.

Otto's Place is in a lovely historic building footsteps from the Galena River.

Otto's has several daily items including a quiche of the day. However, I always go with an omelette. I love omelettes when traveling because you can get them loaded with veggies. I usually skip the cheese when on the road. This omelette included plenty of spinach and mushrooms. Yum!

Yummy omelette to start the day!

My husband started his day with a delightful french toast using a banana bread. We really liked the twist of using fresh banana bread!

Tempting Banana Bread French Toast

Otto's Place is off of main street on the other side of the Galena River. The building was built in 1899. The original owner of the building, Otto Sallman, planned to open a restaurant in the building but never was able to. Decades later, Otto's was born and named in honor of Otto. Otto's is wonderful all around and definitely a favorite among locals and travelers alike. I do recommend a reservation on Sunday mornings if you are planning a visit!

Another restaurant to check out in Galena is Fritz and Frites which has a combined French and German flare. We LOVED Fritz and Frites on a previous visit, so check my post Our Family's Galena, IL Discoveries for more.

We had such a lovely holiday season getaway to Galena! We look forward to future relaxing getaways to this quaint historic town. Truly a place to wander!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.