Restaurants come and go, but some spaces seem destined to remain restaurants forever, like the space occupied since early 2024 by Clocktower Cafe at 751 S. Durkin Drive in Springfield. To the best of my memory, it previously housed several restaurants including Nico’s Homestyle and, more recently, Brunchfield Café.
Clocktower Cafe is advertised as an “American-based café” that is “not just a place to eat; it’s a space where the community comes together to savor mouthwatering dishes and create lasting memories.” Although I’m not so sure about the memories part, it’s largely succeeded in all other aspects.
The first thing returning patrons will notice is that the interior remains familiar. The dining room retains many of the features from the prior incarnation, including comfortable booth seating, attractive wall décor and a layout that strikes a nice balance between openness and privacy. The space feels bright and welcoming, aided by ample lighting and large windows that help bring the outside in. It’s clearly well-maintained, and the overall impression is warm, almost homey, comfortable and inviting, which is exactly what a neighborhood diner should be.
My guest and I arrived shortly before noon and found a steady lunch crowd already in place. Fellow diners appeared to be mostly out on social outings or taking a break from outdoor work. The staff moved efficiently, and service was friendly and attentive from start to finish.
The menu is, to put it simply, enormous. While it focuses heavily on breakfast, Clocktower Cafe also devotes considerable attention to lunch and dinner offerings. Burgers, sandwiches, wraps, melts, salads, horseshoes and comfort-food classics fill page after page. In an era when many restaurants continue shrinking menus, Clocktower Cafe has embraced the opposite direction. I’m generally wary of such large menus under the theory that it’s impossible to do that many things well. Clocktower Cafe bucks that general rule.
Several items caught our attention – the gyro sandwich, the liver and onions (off-putting to me, but loved by many) and the “hungry man” chopped steak. Salad options ranged from traditional chef-style to the Greek salad. Wrap lovers have several choices as well, including turkey, fajita, corned beef, chicken and buffalo-style offerings. Breakfast appeared to be available all day and included the usual offerings and a large variety of “skillets” and crepes. For the older crowd (who probably like liver and onions), there’s a separate senior section of the menu.
Both our meals began with cups of chicken and rice soup (included in the price of our entrees). The soup delivered exactly what one hopes for in a lunch outing – a hearty broth, tender chicken and a satisfying amount of rice. If I were being picky, it may have been a bit too salty for my taste, but the flavor was still quite good, and my cup was quickly emptied.
I decided on the turkey club sandwich. I’ve written before that a club sandwich serves as a litmus test for diners. It is a simple menu item but one that immediately reveals the quality of ingredients and a kitchen’s attention to detail. Clocktower Cafe’s version passed with flying colors. What immediately distinguished it from many competitors was the turkey. Rather than relying on paper-thin deli slices, Clocktower Cafe uses thicker cuts that appear to be carved in-house from a roasted breast. This allows the meat to retain moisture and heft, giving the sandwich a more substantial feel and allowing its flavor to take center stage. Combined with crisp bacon, fresh vegetables and toasted bread, the result was a club sandwich that managed to be familiar while still standing apart from the crowd.
The accompanying fries initially caused me some concern; they were lightly breaded, which I generally try to avoid. Fortunately, they were very well executed; they arrived hot, properly seasoned and fried to the point where the exterior remained crisp without becoming greasy. Again, they aren’t my preference, but with that limitation they hit the spot.
My guest selected the cheeseburger with American cheese. It was reported as straightforward and satisfying, featuring a properly cooked beef patty, melted American cheese and the classic toppings one expects at a diner. Her only real complaint was that the bun was barely toasted; while opinions vary, we both like the texture provided by a grilled or toasted non-artisan bun.
Portions were generous, prices were reasonable, and service remained consistently attentive; it’s a combination that has sustained successful diners for generations. Well done.
Clocktower Cafe isn’t a fancy restaurant, nor is its food. But it’s fresh, made with quality ingredients at reasonable prices and with generous portions. Couple it with some good service, and we hope it has staying power.
This article appears in September SBJ 2026.