Firefly Grill : vimarsana.com

Niall Campbell has cooked in New England, Puerto Rico and California, but he and his wife, Kristie, decided to open Firefly Grill in wee Effingham, Illinois. The result is worth the nearly two-hour drive from St. Louis: a beautiful, eco-friendly restaurant serving classic American bistro fare, much of it grown in the restaurant's own garden or sourced locally. Steaks and pork chops are grilled over oak, and pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven. Unusual dishes like elk and upscale takes on crab rangoon fill out the lengthy, oft-changing menu.