Day Trip

by Vicki Wood More than a drinking town

Belleville, Ill., is a short drive east of St. Louis. Belleville’s name comes from the French for “beautiful city.”

Those local to the area know Belleville for being

America’s tavern capital. There are more taverns per capita in the county than anywhere else in the country.

“We like to have fun here,” one local resident said. The bartender at the Copper Plate Pubin downtown Belleville confirmed this.

“We are a town that really likes to drink,” he shared while serving up a scrumptious lunch of Buffalo Fried Cauliflower,

Lobster Crab Rangoon and a hummus plate.

There are whiffs of the diverse cultural history that lingers in Belleville, with German influence being the strongest. But

Irish, French and more recent Eastern European residents influence menu choices and location names about the city.

Belleville’s downtown is one of the longest main streets in the U.S., Chamber officials claim, and perhaps lends to the large amount of taverns placed. It runs from East St. Louis through Belleville.

One of the most popular drinking establishments is a recognizable chain, HofBraeuhaus St. Louis. Located on the edge of town between Belleville and St. Louis, Hofbraeuhaus offers authentic German beer flown in from Germany. But they stick local on the sausages served, preferring to keep it fresh by using locally-raised meats for their most famous dishes such as Wienerschnitzel, Sauerbraten, Rouladen and

Wursts. HofBraeuhaus St. Louis is located at 123 Eugene

Drive, Belleville.

The town square fronting the St. Clair County Courthouse with its famous fountain is the center of the town’s very popular festivals. The 150th birthday celebration drew some of the biggest crowds to date around the magnificent fountain. Oktoberfest is sure to bring a lot of folks out.

Later in the year, Belleville is host to the largest Christkindlmarkt outside of Chicago in the Midwest. Modeled after the famous Vienna markets, Belleville’s Christkindlmarkt houses bavarian-style markets offering German, Swiss and other Old World gifts and snacks.

A night out of entertainment is not in short supply while visiting the eastern St. Louis suburb.

The Skyview Drive-In, opened in 1949, has two screens and is open April through October. With events such as craft shows and car cruises, The Skyview pairs an appropriately famous movie night to such events. Recently their car cruise hosted hundreds of vintage vehicles watching “Dazed and

Confused,” a modern classic of car culture. The Skyview

Drive-In can be visited at 5700 N Belt W, Belleville.

Another vintage theater still serving movie goers is the

Lincoln Theatre in the downtown district. Its been in opera-

Fresh Nurnberger Bratwurts from Schubert’s Smokehouse served over a bed of imported Sauerkraut topped with cranberry onions.

HofBraeuhaus St. Louis - Belleville

tion since 1921 and is currently showing first and second run movies and special live performances. In it’s early days it presented vaudeville acts and silent movies. Vestiges of the past can still be found at the Lincoln Theatre, with its vivid neon marquee hanging over the downtown sidewalks, and an oldfashioned bar-pull candy vending machine in the lobby. The Lincoln Theatre is located at 103 E. Main Street, Belleville.

Art on the Square in May has become one of Belleville’s biggest events, and perhaps has spurred the permanent influence of an emerging downtown art district. Merging vintage nostalgia with modern art forms has created a unique combination seen throughout the downtown art district. It’s a funky style that can be seen in the eclectic bars and taverns across the street at the vintage second-run movie theater and in park beer gardens.

Going out into the farmland surrounding Belleville, travelers will find a simple farm store that has grown into an Illinois franchise. It’s a favorite for locals and visitors alike in the autumn season.

Eckert’s Farm Market is the largest family-owned pickyour-own orchard in the U.S. Began in 1910 as a simple roadside stand, the food served at Eckert’s is homegrown and hearty country fare. It couldn’t be more fun to harvest your own fresh local farm food. It’s located at 951 S. Green Mountain Road, Belleville.