Northwest Illinois Directory
Family-friendly in Amboy
Every supper club, trailhead, main-street shop, and stay across all four counties: searchable in one place.
Busy Bee BakeryBusy Bee Bakery is a locally owned bakery located at 205 N. Main St. in downtown Amboy, Illinois. Michelle Wiemken opened the shop, which brings a wide selection of fresh, made-from-scratch baked goods to the community and fills a long-standing need for homemade treats in town.
Customers can find a rotating variety of items, including breads (such as sourdough), cookies, pies, cinnamon rolls, and coffee cakes, along with savory options like quiches, meat pies, soups, and chicken salad sandwiches. The bakery also offers breakfast favorites like biscuits and gravy and egg casserole, plus made-to-order cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and coffee cakes.
Busy Bee Bakery is currently open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon, making it a convenient stop for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat.
Operating Hours: Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. To confirm hours, check their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/busybeebakeryandgifts.
First Carson Pirie Scott Store PlaqueThis historic plaque marks the Amboy storefront where Samuel Carson and John T. Pirie established the dry-goods business in 1854 that became Carson Pirie Scott & Co. The marker is mounted at the original brick building, now home to the Long Branch Saloon.
Inspired Home Decor & GiftsInspired Home Decor & Gifts is an independent Amboy shop filled with home accents, office decor, gifts, kitchenware, candles, teas, and seasonal finds. Browse curated items at the shop's current location on North Jefferson Avenue, and check Facebook or Instagram for current hours, new arrivals, and seasonal displays.
Long Branch SaloonLong Branch Saloon is a longtime Amboy dinner spot serving fried chicken, steaks, ribs, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, cocktails, and desserts in a casual historic setting. The building stands on the 1855 site of Samuel Carson and John Pirie’s first dry-goods store, a predecessor of Carson Pirie Scott. Guests can dine in or order takeout; the restaurant offers accessible seating, a kids’ menu, high chairs, and reservations.- Sunset Inn RestaurantFamily-owned roadside diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with scratch-made American comfort food, soups, sandwiches, fried chicken, burgers, pies, and kid-friendly choices.
