Food Favorites of Springfield, Mo
Springfield, Missouri is one of those towns that make us question if we should pick up and move there every time we visit. In fact, when we moved to Phoenix in 2021, I was disappointed in the idea that we might not have the pleasure of making our way back to the area again. Now that we’ve returned to the Midwest, we’ve stopped in twice, and I expect we’ll make it a yearly trip due to our love of the thriving arts scene, breweries, and nearby nature.
But what really brings us back to Springfield over and over are the restaurants. In my opinion, the 417 area has one of the best culinary scenes in the entire Midwest! So I’ve compiled a few of my favorites, but should note the list grows every time I stop in.
I’ll start off strong, with two restaurants I’m desperately hoping open locations in Kansas City someday. There’s no reason to believe they would, but a girl can dream, right?
Cafe Cusco
Cafe Cusco is a Peruvian restaurant that sits grandly on the corner of the historic Commercial Street, or C-Street. Step inside the brick building and prepare to be tantalized by the scent of citrus and spice, and the site of the ornate interior and flowing sangria.The owner of Cafe Cusco was inspired to open the restaurant during a hiking trip to Machu Picchu. We all get to benefit from this serendipitous event.
Dave and I always start with the refreshing ceviche. Well, we order the ceviche after we ensure a pitcher of the house-made sangria is on the way. I could eat one of everything on the menu if my budget and stomach allowed, but you cannot go wrong with the Lomo Saltado ( flavorful tenderloin with potatoes and a garlicky, white wine sauce and rice), Fryer Rabbit (yes, rabbit. Try something new!), or our very favorite Arroz Con Mariscos, a paella-like dish that’s Ford approved.
Black Sheep Burgers and Shakes
My sister and I argue over who discovered Black Sheep Burgers and Shakes first. It doesn’t matter who is right (it was me), we both dream of these juicy delicacies on a regular basis. There’s a few locations in Springfield, each rocking the same too-cool-for-school, but not too-cool-for-you-vibes. I’ve gone to the downtown location both times and will likely keep this up.
The three stars on the menu are of course the burgers, fries and shakes. I’m not so much of a sweets person, and I can never seem to leave room for the shakes but I trust like everything else on the menu, Black Sheep knocks it out of the park. The fries are golden strands of heaven, with that immaculate balance of potatoes and crispiness, and are served with an array of dipping sauces. My trio of choice is the truffle mayo (duh), chipotle ketchup and organic baba cheese sauce.
And the burgers…those beautiful burgers. I couldn’t resist the Cowboy Carl, a burger beneath a pile of brisket, bbq sauce, pickles and spicy onion strings. My second time in, I opted for The Foodie with boursin style cheese, caramelized onions, and truffle mayo. I added bacon to mine, why not?
College Street Cafe
I’m a sucker for the quirky and historic, and my Australian husband is a sucker for an all-American diner experience. Located on Historic Route 66, the cozy College Street Cafe combines these elements in the most delightful way.
Upon our visit we were greeted with the friendliest, most hospitable hellos from the servers and locals. Dave was thrilled to see his most sought-out diner scene, a row of older gentlemen quietly reading the paper over black coffee, toast and eggs. We visited on one of the coldest days of the year, and our sweet server, who naturally referred to us both as “hun”, surprised us with a plate of snowman pancakes, a pair of lovers because she thought we made a cute couple.
The breakfast was everything you’d expect from a place like this, served hot on white ceramic plates, and perfectly tasty. It’s the opposite of pretentious brunch and sometimes starting the day like that is just what the doctor ordered.
Leong’s Asian Diner
If you’re someone who likes to scope out dishes with local ties, Leong’s might be the place for you. The restaurant features Springfield famous dishes passed down from the family’s previous restaurant, Leong’s Tea House, which served the community from 1963-1997. Leong’s Tea House was owned by David Leong, who immigrated from Guangdong, China in 1940. Here he became the originator of Springfield-style cashew chicken, which you can find on hundreds of Chinese restaurant menus today.
Somewhat American inspired, the dish includes bites of crunchy fried chicken and salty cashews doused in brown gravy and topped with bright green onion. It’s an approachable dish for people of all palletes and is known to bring in travelers passing through on a daily basis.
Finley Farms
When I first came across Finley Farms I must admit it took me some research to wrap my head around it. It’s a restaurant! No wait, it’s three restaurants? It’s an event space? A farm? A historic mill? A museum? A store? Well, not to confuse you even further, but it’s all of the above.
A destination that is truly the only of its kind, Finley Farms was dreamt up and owned by the family of the founder of Bass Pro Shops, Johnny Morris. It was inspired by the Finley River, milling industry of the area, and the need to preserve the importance of both.
The spacious grounds are made up of The Ozark Mill Restaurant, which is housed inside the historic Ozark Mill, along with a fine dining establishment, The Garrison, a gift shop and an interactive museum that takes you through the history of the milling industry and space itself. Then down the way, closer to the main entrance, you have The Workshop and farm. The Workshop is an Instagram-lover’s dream, a rustic coffee shop that sells lattes, light breakfast and homeware Joanna Gaines would certainly approve of. From the patio you can see the lush green farm and garden, which holds all kinds of events, classes and plant sales throughout the year.
And then there’s a chapel! And a place for wedding receptions! And a walking bridge! You can take family photos there! Really, if you’re like me and won’t believe it until you see it, you must add this attraction to your list the next time you’re passing through the Ozarks.
We enjoyed coffee on the patio at The Workshop, Ford loved the toast with jam and honey. We dined at The Ozark Mill Restaurant, which was uncharacteristically busy for the time of day, due to an event going on across the road. We hung out around the gift shop and viewed a bit of the museum while we waited, and then enjoyed craft cocktails and farm-to-table coffee crusted hanger steaks. Admittedly, we both would have been more satisfied with steaks twice the size, but they were delicious and the truffle fries and chimichurri sauce were the perfect pairing. Steak and frites is my very favorite meal, and the riverside view made it even better.
This one is on my list to explore more next time we’re in town. I have to say I feel like I’ve hardly scratched the surface of all the dining the 417 area has to offer! Hopefully this list leaves you hungry and inspired to stop in Springfield soon.
