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Chef Chris Szymanski hard at work in the kitchen at Silvercreek restaurant. photo by Wallo Villacorta

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Silvercreek »
Address: 402 N. Race St. Urbana, IL 61802
Phone: (217) 328-3402
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Now open 20 years, Silvercreek Restaurant in Urbana offers a unique atmosphere for casual fine-dining. Since its inception, Silvercreek has focused on making food with fresh and local ingredients, even using produce from the Urbana Farmer’s Market. “We do everything the old world way,” said Silvercreek Owner Allen Strong. “We have a pastry chef, we bake our bread fresh from scratch every day, we have an herb garden and nothing comes from bags and microwaves.”

In April of 1989, Strong began the restoration of an abandoned warehouse which would soon house his new restaurant, Silvercreek. The exposed brick and exposed ceiling beams from the restored original ceiling create a rustically elegant yet welcoming vibe. The building is surrounded by streetlamps from the 1930s and the interior of the restaurant is filled with antiques including old clocks, a restored floral cooler, and a backbar from an old barn in Mansfield. The back of the restaurant contains glass greenhouse strung with miniature lights that can be rented for private dining events.

Executive chef Chris Szymanski has worked at Silvercreek for almost two years and has been impressed with the variety of ingredients he has worked with. “Our menu changes seasonally. If you come here often enough there are so many things to try, you’ll never get bored. It’s all about high-end ingredients done simply and well and bang-for-your-buck,” Szymanski said.

Szymanski has a degree in Culinary Arts from Robert Morris College and has previous experience at other restaurants, but explained that he has learned a lot from his time at Silvercreek. Szymanski worked his way up at Silvercreek from line cook, to sous chef, to executive chef. “I’ve grown the most through the sourcing of seafood we do here. I’ve probably worked with about 50 or 60 fish here and it’s become one of my favorite things to work with,” Szymanski said. “I source the best fish and meat and try to sell it at a reasonable price.”

Silvercreek likes to base its menu changes off the idea of “New Prairie Cookin,’” generally offering more rustic comfort food. “In the fall, we try to bring up classic comfort food and bring in contemporary flair,” said Szymanski. Allen explained that this, again, means a focus on unique, seasonal ingredients and vegetables. “We’ve gotten into some of the more interesting wild meats. Right now, we have bison burgers on the menu,” Allen said.

Concerning a “must have” dish right now, Szymanski said, “I think our pork chop is excellent. We get really great pork, and we cook it well, topping it with crispy onions and a white truffle [with] gorgonzola butter.” But despite the frequent menu changes, Allen points out that a customer can never go wrong with a filet.

Although Szymanski puts a great deal of energy into finding high-quality meat and seafood, Silverceek’s menu has diverse offerings, including several vegetarian dishes. “We like to make vegetarian food that’s good enough for anyone to enjoy it,” said Allen. This versatility extends beyond traditional restaurant menu items, as Silvercreek has a reputation of being the best spot for Sunday brunch in the CU. The buffet includes a variety of breakfast and lunch items, including a short-order cook for omelets and specials on mimosas and bloody marys.

Silvercreek’s focus on top-notch ingredients and menu development shows a commitment to authenticity customer satisfaction. “I’ve learned that I don’t make food for myself, but for my customers,” said Szymanski. “Overall I try to keep my dishes simple and flavorful and memorable.”

Lately, Strong has been making an effort to bring more students into the restaurant and lure them away from campus town with over 100 beers and 100 wines. With open parking around the restaurant, “You’ll never get a parking ticket at Silvercreek,” joked Strong. He is currently working on some specials geared specifically toward students, possibly introducing a $1 slider night. Currently, every Friday from 5:30-6:30pm customers can enjoy half-priced appetizers at Silvercreek’s humorously named “Appy Hour,” with live music from 6-8pm.