I’ve heard about Yummy Bowl for quite some time but had never visited until now, which was my loss. Most of the comments I heard were about how crowded it is and how much creativity diners used in loading their bowl – but more on that later. My friend and I planned to have lunch […]
Newsletter – Taste
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Three businesses receive $20,000 awards from Isringhausen DRIVE Grant
Isringhausen Imports has announced the recipients of the 2024 Isringhausen DRIVE Grant, a program designed to support local entrepreneurs in establishing their businesses within downtown Springfield. This year, $20,000 grants have been awarded to three local business owners: Jacob Dinardo of Arrowroot Coffee, Kimsimone Manning of A Taste of Seoul and Alli Donaldson of Golden Hour […]
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Whimsy Tea Company adds lunch menu
Whimsy Tea Company has released its fall menu, which includes soups and sandwiches in addition to the drinks and sweet treats for which the downtown business originally became known. Gordon Davis, who co-owns the business with his wife, Laura, said a menu expansion had been in the works for a while but the June 19 […]
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New tenant for former MOD Pizza location
Does the area near White Oaks Mall need another fast-food chicken restaurant? Representatives for Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken, seem to think so. A building permit recently filed with the city of Springfield lists the chain as the new tenant planned for 2401 Wabash Ave., which most recently […]
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New downtown business to focus on gourmet baked goods, coffee and wine
A new business in the works downtown plans to offer coffee, wine and gourmet baked goods, whether customers are looking for breakfast, lunch or a late-night snack. Signage has appeared at 227 S. Sixth St. for Schlee’s Gourmet Bakery & Bottle Shop, which is slated to open by the first quarter of 2025. “We wanted […]
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A sampling of Springfield’s chili
Every month for over more than 20 years, a group of four friends have been visiting Springfield restaurants and taverns to sample chili. They’ve all become good friends of mine, and we’ve shared hundreds of rounds of golf together. So, I was very pleased when they decided to add me and another friend as probationary […]
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Ad Astra to open café
Ad Astra Wine & Tapas Bar is expanding its operations to include extended hours and a more expansive food and drink menu. “We’ve gotten a lot of requests from people who work downtown who wanted someplace casual to take coworkers for lunch or a drink,” owner Kristina Barbee said. “And a lot of people who […]
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A Taste of Seoul opening downtown
Seoul 4 Soul has closed less than nine months after opening, but one of the owners is launching a new Korean fusion bistro in its place. In January, Kimsimone Manning and Emily Tylman teamed up to open a restaurant in the upper level of Buzz Bomb Brewing Company at 406 E. Adams St. Manning had previously […]
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Cured Catering to purchase Arlington’s
Arlington’s Catering and Historic Venue is changing hands, but the new owners say they plan to keep a good thing going. “We’re pretty good friends with Ebben (Moore), so he approached us first about wanting to leave the area,” said Melissa Reilly, who co-owns Cured Catering with her husband, Brian Reilly. “He’s got such a […]
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Out of the ashes
The 911 call came in at 10:29 a.m. June 19 – someone in one of the apartments near Café Moxo smelled smoke. Two Springfield firefighters arrived and wandered about the apartment but couldn’t detect anything of concern. They ended up leaving after 20 minutes. About 45 minutes after the initial call, the building at 413-415 […]
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Fairgrounds Cafe
I love diners, and the closing of the Ritz’s Jefferson Street location hit me pretty hard. Thankfully, two former staff members from Chatham Café decided to go out on their own to open a new diner in the former Jungle Jim’s space on Peoria Road. They delivered exactly what you expect – basic but good […]
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Sweet Basil Cafe closes following eviction notice
Sweet Basil Cafe in Prairie Crossing closed as of Aug. 23, with an eviction notice taped to the front door the only explanation offered. The company’s website still lists the Springfield location at 4241 Conestoga Drive, along with other restaurants in Champaign, Peoria, Rockford, Skokie and Hanover Park. However, Sangamon County court records show that a […]