Southern Belle's Pancake House Restaurant, Crest Hill

If a visit to one of Southern Belle's restaurants feels a lot like coming home, it might have something to do with the hearty family traditions behind the kitchen's down-home breakfast and lunch dishes. “My father was in pancake houses all his life,” says owner Steve Fotos. Today, many of the same recipes used by Steve's father help populate a menu of hearty comfort foods that includes skirt steak and eggs, house-made cheddar biscuits and gravy, and oversized buttermilk pancakes. But while the country fried steak or smoked sausage skillets are tempting, the expansive menu offers options for diets of all kind, pairing fluffy egg whites with fresh fruit, low-fat granola, multigrain toast, or gluten-free options. Photos of farms and pastoral images smile down upon diners as they dig in and gently remind them to inquire about the restaurant's seasonal specials, which range from specialty juices, summertime salads and wraps to bowls of homemade wintertime chili.