(Photo by Jake Williams)
Lazy Daisy Diner & Cafe is now open in Urbana’s Lincoln Square Mall, slinging brunch classics and lunch favorites.
The new restaurant, located on the south end of the mall, has both a cafe and dining room area. The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. The diner’s kitchen serves food every day from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., except Tuesday.
With a simple, one-page menu of “scran and munchery” available at opening, the Daisy focuses on execution and solid flavors. During a preview visit, the Daisy team handpicked three dishes from the new menu for Chambana Eats.
I started my meal off with a mimosa, which was heavy on the orange juice, and a coffee. The coffee, a special blend from Columbia Street Roastery, was a highlight of the whole experience. It was the right blend of nutty, bitter and still smooth — a significant step up from what you expect from coffee at a diner.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
To start the meal, the incredibly-attentive and friendly waitstaff brought out the GrünBaum Salad, called a favorite by co-owner Sam Vandegrift.. The salad was a celebration of leafy greens with kale and rainbow chard accented with a citrus tahini dressing. Pickled onions, hazelnuts and acorn squash provided a delightful crunch.
The greatest part of the salad was that each bite was different, but still a cohesive bite. Whether it was the sharp citrus of the dressing covering a curly piece of kale, or a crunchy-toasty hazelnut and acorn squash bite, the salad was worth taking your time on and enjoying throughout your meal.
For the second course, the Daisy team brought out their biscuits and gravy — with a vegetarian mushroom and sage gravy. The sage was delicately fried and lightly infused the rest of the gravy. The mushrooms were perfect, salty bursts and easily the standout of the whole dish.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
The biscuits were dense and flavorful, holding up well to the thickness of the gravy. For a gravy not rooted in a meat base like sausage, the mushroom and sage take was something special and is a comforting bite for anyone who is foregoing animal products.
The final act of the Lazy Daisy Diner’s preview meal was a glorious, perfectly-cooked burger.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
The burger was as simple as it was good. A well-shaped half-pound patty, perfectly enveloped in a slice of cheese, on top of a light, almost hard roll-like bun. The toppings for the burger came on the side, but held up well when stacked. When cut in half, the burger was perfectly medium rare and glistening.
In a world of ever-increasing smash burgers, the half pound patty was a nice change of pace and a good opportunity for the Daisy to put their stamp on such a ubiquitous sandwich. With all of the included toppings stacked, along with a swath of the included yellow mustard, the burger had the perfect juicy, meaty bite that was cooled with the crisp lettuce and red onion.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
The burger was served alongside some crispy waffle fries that had the right amount of salt. The ridges were perfect vessels for mayonnaise or ketchup. Dealer’s choice.
For an early service — or really just any service — the Daisy team knocked it out of the park. Well-seasoned and cooked food, great service and an electric atmosphere charged with the excitement of full opening.
The food was accessible and affordable. While my tasting came up to just over $45 without tax, the portions of each dish were enough for a full meal for one, meaning you can get in and out of the Daisy for less than $20 and leave with your belly full.
Whether it’s grabbing a cafe coffee on your way to work, or a pre-or-post Urbana market meal, Lazy Daisy gives Urbana another promising establishment to continue its 2025 renaissance that has included the openings of The Yard on Broadway, Yellow Rabbit, H-Mart and more.
Jake Williams is a journalist, editor and publisher, as well as the CEO of the Illini Media Company.