By Stacie Peecher Lewis

The much-anticipated opening of CoreLife Eatery at 2580 Wabash Ave. will be realized today.

Taking a step away from the usual fast food offerings, the restaurant prides itself on its fresh and made-from-scratch ingredients and dishes.  As community relations spokesperson Pauline DiGiorgio points out, the restaurant does not have any freezers for frozen foods or microwaves to use in food preparation.  “Everything is made completely from scratch, right down to our soup broths and juices, which are made in-house daily,” she says.

Many ingredients will also be locally sourced when that option is available.  “We plan to use local farms for many of our vegetables, fruits and meats, when that is feasible,” says DiGiorgio.

DiGiorgio says that in addition to the fresh concept, CoreLife Eatery takes food allergens seriously.  The menu is almost free of ingredients that contain gluten and the website includes a chart of all of the ingredients and the common allergens that may be contained in them, such as eggs, nuts and soy.

The fast-casual, health-focused chain will be open daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.  You can also order and pay ahead for pick up with their app, CoreLife Ascend or call 217-331-7038.