Shopping can make you hungry, here's some Appleton-area spots to visit on a day of gift-getting

Holiday season is here and stores are already putting out themed gifts and having sales, which means shoppers are starting to pour in. If you like to get some early gift shopping in, then chances are you'll be amongst the crowds.

And, after a long day of spending money on not-yourself, the best way to treat yourself is, of course, a meal.

Luckily, there are a lot of locally owned restaurants and eateries throughout the Fox Valley's prime shopping areas, like the Fox River Mall in Grand Chute and the College Avenue area in downtown Appleton.

Here are some places you can get eat before or after your day of shopping.

If you're doing your shopping at Fox River Mall

The mall is the hotspot for many major brands in the Fox Valley area, and surrounded by lots of places to eat. Besides the mall food court here's some locally owned options.

If you're coming from the Heart of the Valley and looking for a breakfast spot to hit before your day of shopping, Galvan's Restaurant and Pancake House, 2220 E. Northland Ave., is a perfect spot. It first opened in 1998 and sits only a 12-minute drive from the mall. The menu is full of different omelets, skillets, crepes, breakfast combos, waffles, pancakes and other breakfast staples. The restaurant also serves savory lunch and dinner options, like sandwiches and burgers.

Sam Useini, owner and manager of Galvan's, said the restaurant always sees an uptick in business around the holidays.

"We've been here for over 20 years so we're pretty established," Useini said. "I don't do much advertising but we still see more business around this time of the year."

If you're shopping with a group, The DINER, 3011 W. Wisconsin Ave., and Mary's Family Restaurant, 2312 N. Richmond St., are family-friendly dining options with both breakfast and dinner meals which aren't too far from the mall, but just beyond the thick of the traffic.

For those looking for a quick snack that isn't a drive-thru, Taste Of The Windy City, 3402 N. Richmond St., is a good place to go. Only 10 minutes from the mall and right near an Interstate 41 exit, this quick-eatery offers Chicago-native meals like Chicago style hot dogs, sandwiches, subs, wraps, pizzas, gyros and more.

Our last two recommendations are right next to the mall, and offer some cultural flare.

The first, Eggrolls Inc., 1015 Mutual Way — near Walmart, TJ Maxx & HomeGoods — offers a wide variety of eggroll flavors including pork, chicken, Mexican, breakfast, spicy curry chicken, Hawaiian, and veggie.

Those looking for a sit-down meal and a drink might also consider Osario's Latin Fusion, 1910 N. Casaloma Drive, five minutes north of the mall. The restaurant serves Latin cuisine with its own personal twist and a list of uniquely flavored drinks and margaritas.

For those who prefer to shop locally for gifts

College Avenue is the heart of locally owned business for the city. From clothing stores to crystal shops there's a plethora of choices to find a holiday gift. Not too far from these shops are a few locally owned restaurants as well.

The Cozzy Corner, 111 N. Walnut St., has been a popular spot in the downtown area since it opened in 2012. It's known for its southern cuisine and BBQ dishes. The menu features entrees like fried chicken, baby back ribs, catfish, pulled pork and traditional sides like mac and cheese, collard green, fried okra and hush puppies. End the meal with comforting desserts like peach cobbler, banana pudding or sweet potato pie.

Because the weather is more than likely going to be cold, Bowl 91, 100 E. College Ave., is a close option to warm your hands and body with ramen and other soups while walking up and down the avenue. The Asian-themed restaurant also offers pho, rice bowls, stir fry, fried rice and a number of traditional appetizers.

No matter which end of the avenue your shopping takes you to, you can find comfort food. Our picks for this area are The Wooden Nickle, 217 E. College Ave. and Spats, 733 W. College Ave., which both offer a relaxed vibe with a full bar and traditional American cuisine like burgers, steaks and sandwiches.

Author's Kitchen and Bar, 125 E. College Ave, has gained a lot of interest recently, earning a spot on Yelp's 100 best midwestern restaurants. Reviewers rated the restaurant 4.8 out of 5 for its brunch menu, cocktails and waitstaff. The restaurant also has an expansive dinner menu with options like seared salmon, braised beef short ribs, and chicken Florentine.

More: This Appleton eatery was named one of Yelp's best 100 restaurants in the Midwest for 2023

Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton restaurants near College Avenue, Fox River Mall serve shoppers