Restaurants in South Holland

Al Basha corrals an eye-catching lineup of Mediterranean platters onto its menu and buffet tables, spicing palates with rotisserie-cooked meats adorned with signature seasoning. Kebab spears can lift bites of shrimp, lamb, and filet mignon into mouths or tuck them under fedora brims for later snacking, while sandwiches carry a classic cargo of falafel and shawarma. The staff prepares piping sips of authentic Middle Eastern tea with mint or sage, as well as all-natural smoothies and a daily-dessert selection.

Mark's On 66 straddles the border of two distinct culinary philosophies, sating rumbling stomachs with a menu of timeless Tex-Mex standards while entertaining eyes and ears with sports-bar-style dartboards, TVs, and games. Overstuffed burritos and steamy fajitas intermingle with American-inspired burgers molded from quality beef and steak. Complimentary WiFi and matches on the in-house Wii add to an ambiance often tinged with upbeat notes and perfectly in-pitch meal orders sung by live musicians.

The first IHOP—the dream of founders Al and Jerry Lapin—opened in 1958 in Toluca Lake, California, and was originally dubbed the "International House of Pancakes." Since then, rapid expansion has led to myriad milestones across the company's colorful history, from introducing its modern IHOP acronym in 1973 to its 1,000th restaurant opening in Layton, Utah, in 2001.

Today, the company stands strong with around 1,500 locations across North and Central America, each one an enthusiastic dispenser of pancakes, french toast, and tables constructed entirely out of bacon. Though IHOP is known as a bastion of breakfast, it also stays open during the day and into the evening, delivering lunch and dinner as well.

Renowned chef Michael Papandrea leads a team of culinary craftspeople as they create wide-ranging Italian fare including shrimp, veal, and pasta dishes, as well as a slew of sandwiches. Pizza artisans bake hand-pulled crusts directly on stone, bestowing each round foundation with a scrumptiously crispy texture and excellent posture. The eatery’s pesto sauce kicks butter to the curb, while cheesy bread stashes gooey mozzarella inside an italian loaf prior to baking. Parmesans’ skilled staffers deliver catered fare and set up the Italian nibbles, freeing up hosts to light candles, arrange flowers, and retrieve the special-occasion china from the basement’s 7,926-mile hole leading to the other end of the world.

Fox's Restaurant & Pub first propped open its doors in 1964, welcoming diners with an extensive menu that eventually grew to encompass comfort foods from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to familiar Irish staples—including corned-beef sandwiches and shepherd's pie—the cooks sear 10-ounce hamburger patties and slather baby-back ribs in a rich barbecue sauce. For a distinctly Mediterranean touch, they also hand-form meatballs into perfect dodecahedrons and whisk together their own marinara sauces in-house. The pizza chefs can layer oven-crisped pies with more than 10 available toppings, such as giardiniera, sausage, and chopped garlic.

Select locations help to keep spirits high by hosting live music and restaurant-wide games of musical chairs throughout the week. Bands can get diners' toes tapping and heads bobbing by playing a combination of lively Irish classics and popular favorites.

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 a poached-egg and sausage benedict smothered in country gravy and french toast stuffed with cinnamon apples, strawberries and pecans, or blueberries and bananas. 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 strawberries, granola, and multigrain toast and swapping out regular maple syrup for bottles that are low-calorie, sugar-free, or simply sealed shut. 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 summertime salads with sun-ripened veggies to bowls of homemade wintertime chili.