Best of 417 2025 Editors’ Picks

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Best of 417 2025 Editors’ Picks

Best Caffeine Culture Mash-Up

El Cafecito | 2462 S. Campbell Ave., Springfield, MO

This is a little restaurant that packs some big flavor. The menu features authentic food and great coffee that bring an all-things-Mexican vibe. Our recommendation for a morning meal: a plate of chilaquiles, a hot cup of cafe de olla and a Mexican pastry.

Best Grab-and-Go Lunch

MaMa Jean’s Natural Market | Multiple Locations

It’s not just MaMa Jeans’s Natural Market’s proximity to our offices that we love. The salad bar is top-notch, with unique ingredients. (Roasted sweet potatoes? Yes!) The Drunken Bean Dip (made with Mother’s Lil’ Helper IPA) plus a bag of chips always hits the spot too.

Best Taste of the Islands

Palm & Paddle Grille | 2515 S. Campbell Ave. Suite 400, Springfield, MO

The coconut shrimp and the jerk chicken both make us swoon at this Caribbean-inspired eatery, and the coconut martini pairs perfectly with both. Plus you can get an order of salted caramel plantains for dessert... I mean!

Best Creative Foodie Moments

Good Spirits & Co. Headquarters | 1424 E. Cherry St. Suite A, Springfield, MO

You won’t find an imperfect cocktail here, but that’s not the only draw. There are luxe pop-ups, multi-course Sunday Supper Club events and lots of seasonal events that always surprise and delight. Good Spirits & Co. owners are also the minds behind other local hotspots, like The Golden Girl Rum Club and Cherry Picker Package & Fare, so their reputation precedes them.

Best Way to Win Friends and Influence People

St. George’s Donuts | Multiple Locations

Need to earn some goodwill points at the office? Bring in a dozen donuts. Need a quick breakfast treat for your out-of-town guests? Pick up a dozen donuts. The possible scenarios in which you might gain social capital by being the bearer of a box of donuts are endless, and all of them lead you straight to ol’ reliable: St. George’s. You can’t go wrong with a combo of classic flavors, but we suggest adding in a few special donuts when you really want to impress—like our all-time favorite cinnamon twist or the delightful maple long john.

Best Mocktails

The Royal | 1427 E. Cherry St Ste. B, Springfield, MO

Cocktails at The Royal, sipped in an intimate setting with a live band nearby, are always a winner. The mocktails, which are created by So Curious Co. and don’t skip on sophistication, are just as good. They incorporate Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits and flavorful additions like the plum and peppercorn shrub, Earl Grey tea and orange bitters in the Plum Silly mocktail.

Best Vegetarian Breakfast

Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe | 220 E. Walnut St., Springfield, MO

The best breakfasts tend to go one of two ways: a plate of eggs plus an array of salty meats, or a plate of some sweet dessert disguised as a morning meal. We adore both of those things. But vegetarians who don’t have a sweet tooth are often out of luck. Not so at Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe, though. There you can get locally made (and very tasty) Jake’s Vegan sausage inside your breakfast burrito.

Best Lake Day Pick-Me-Up

The Funky Twig | 9828, 13272 MO-13, Kimberling City, MO

After a long day on the water, soaking up the sun and swimming your heart out on Table Rock Lake, you need a treat. We love The Funky Twig in Kimberling City for these moments. Get a scoop of maple-bourbon-bacon ice cream on a bubble waffle.

Best Menu Change-Up

Skully’s | 1427 E. Cherry St., Springfield, MO

Skully’s surprised us all when it added a sizeable banh mi sandwich section to the menu—and we are here for it! These Vietnamese-inspired sammies are absolute flavor bombs, and we love that there are multiple vegetarian options.

Four Best Glow Ups

Avanzare Italian Dining | 3240 S. Fremont Ave., Springfield, MO

Corner 21 | 1369 E. Sunshine St., Springfield, MO

Omo Japanese Soul Food | 2219 W. Chesterfield St., Springfield, MO

Sleepy Opossum Cafe | 1423 E. Cherry St. Suite 101, Springfield, MO

It’s been quite a year for local restaurants getting major upgrades. Avanzare Italian Dining moved out of its longtime (super-tiny) strip center storefront into a massive freestanding building. Corner 21 added a second location, this one much bigger and decorated with a fun and modern vibe. Omo Japanese Soul Food moved out of its spot in Chesterfield to another location in the same neighborhood, decorated with a cherry blossom theme. And finally, the Sleepy Opossum Cafe team outgrew sharing a space with The Royal and moved into an open storefront just down the block, to a space all their own. We’ve been thrilled to see these local favorites (some newer, some around for ages) evolve and grow—and keep serving up the good stuff!


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