T he Channing-Murray Foundation, a red-and-white wooden building reminiscent of a gingerbread house, sits pretty on the corner of Oregon and Matthew. Turn the corner, and a cheeky hand-painted sign pronounces that here be Red Herring, a vegetarian restaurant. Walk down the stone steps, and greet another hanging sign that welcomes all locavores, before entering the eatery, all bright colors and mismatched tables and chairs. The day’s special entrée and soup of the day, as well as the fixed menu, are handwritten on big chalk and poster boards. Kathy Davis, manager of Red Herring, describes the restaurant as “homemade food that you can recognize, food that you’re comfortable with, [and] food that’s approachable. It’s all fresh. We make everything here.” In a nutshell, the food here is “veggie kosher — you don’t have to worry about it sitting next to a pound of roast beef or whatnot.” She sets the casual, friendly tone of the place, bustling about in the kitchen, most likely singing or joking around with the staff. She is all about interaction and connection between herself and the patrons; this explains her no-numbers approach for serving food. Everyone’s somebody, and so the musically-inclined Davis opts to call names in sing-song.
Red Herring has been in Urbana for 37 years as a vegetarian alternative for the students and locals. Previously, the restaurant has been a volunteer-only operation, but Davis is working to turn that around, as well as to get the place more in touch with the community and its happenings.
Red Herring is open for lunch Mondays through Fridays, from 11 a.m. ‘til 3 p.m., and for dinner from 5 to 8. They offer sandwiches, salads, soups and a selection of teas and coffee.
Runners up:
- Bombay Grill
- Common Ground Food Co-op
