Jubelt’s Bakery & Restaurant

Third-generation family bakery, from-scratch since 1922. All-day breakfast, diner classics, hand-dipped shakes — and a bakery case worth arriving early for.

Baking From Scratch Since 1922

If the Ariston is Litchfield’s dining room, Jubelt’s is its kitchen table. This third-generation family bakery has been in business for more than a century — and the smell of fresh bread has been part of the story since day one.

A Family Century The story begins in May 1922, when three brothers — Paul, Fred, and Albert Jubelt — bought an existing bakery in the coal-mining town of Mt. Olive. Bread was the business, and the brothers built it well. Paul’s son John was driving a delivery truck by age 14, and after serving in Korea, John and his wife Iris opened a Jubelt’s in downtown Litchfield in 1952. At its height, the family ran bakeries across central Illinois — Taylorville, Lincoln, Carlinville, Staunton, Gillespie, Springfield.

When Litchfield’s business shifted west, the family made a bold move: in 1982 they bought the former Burger Chef building on Route 66 and expanded from bakery into full restaurant. As John liked to say, if they hadn’t gotten into the restaurant business, they wouldn’t be here to talk about it.

Today Jeanmarie Jubelt, John’s daughter and the third generation at the helm, runs the last and best Jubelt’s — named Litchfield’s Business of the Year on the eve of its centennial.

What to Order The bakery case is the headline: donuts, danish, cinnamon rolls, cookies, pies, and cakes, most of it made entirely from scratch. The restaurant side serves all-day breakfast, fresh sandwiches, soups, salads, diner classics, and dinner specials — and yes, hand-dipped milkshakes are still served with a smile. Custom cakes and full catering available.

Visitor Tips

• The bakery case sells down — go early for the best selection, especially on weekends.
• Order at the counter and grab a table number.
• A favorite pilgrimage stop for Route 66 travelers from around the world.