Springfield Food News

Two New Ways to Take Your Party Food to the Next Level

This week, news on two mobile food bars came across my desk, which was a fun coincidence. We will be in the throes of party season again soon, so save this email to return to for when it’s time to start planning the food, aka the most important part of any gathering. 

• Grazing Ozark is a new mobile food bar offering charcuterie, brunch and dessert packages. The brunch package seems like an extra unique offering for the area. Just say the word, and Grazing Ozark will show up to your event with bagels and parfaits with all the fixings, plus coffee. 

• Kravings Carts is a new concept by Your Sweet Kravings (which, if you haven’t ordered one of their delicious and beautiful cakes yet, you should). They are specializing in what they call “interactive” carts, and their first one is a cake bar that comes with unlimited toppings. 🍰

New Sweet Treat Alert

We’ve officially reached the point in the summer where it’s getting harder and harder to come up with new ways to entertain the kids. Going out for a frozen treat is a fun activity that never disappoints, but going out to a new place makes it a more novel experience. Froyo Frozen Yogurt opened just a couple of weeks ago at 4127 S. Kansas Expy., Ste. 120, and its interior is just as colorful as its toppings and frozen yogurt. There’s a fun selfie wall with faux flowers and light-up wings, plus a couple of mini arcade games that are the perfect size for your littles. They are also serving those viral strawberry Dubai cups everyone has been raving about. I’ve yet to get my hands on one, so I need to make my way over there. 

Brewing News ☕️

Ahead of the back-to-school season, there’s a good chance we could all use some extra caffeine. Here are two quick coffee shop updates for you.

• Kingdom Coffee on Lone Pine just expanded! They’ve taken over the suite next door, and it’s now a sleek seating area. I checked it out this past weekend, and it’s got beautiful pops of green that mirror the great wooded view outside. Check it out and treat yourself to an iced lavender sage latte.

• Back in January, Common Grounds Coffee Cafe & Bakery closed up shop at 100 E. Pine St., leaving a major coffee void in Strafford. But just a few weeks ago, The Coffee Commons picked up the torch and is now slinging espresso and pastries in the same spot. They currently have four signature lattes on the menu, and they all sound incredibly decadent. In fact, there is even one named The Decadent that features white chocolate, raspberry and hazelnut. In addition, they are also serving a hefty food menu with offerings like quiche, biscuits and gravy and Buffalo chicken.

New Nepalese Eats in Republic

Is it just us, or does it seem like there’s always a new, delicious place popping up in Republic as of late? The Himalayan Grill & Bar is the latest of these. It’s serving up a fusion of Nepalese, Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine. They hosted their grand opening this past weekend, and we spent yesterday drooling over pictures of their dishes and menu descriptions. Even the beverages look incredible with offerings like mango lassi (a traditional Indian drink made with mango and yogurt) and masala tea. They’ve got samosas, curries, and plenty of noodle dishes on the menu as well. We’re most excited to try the Paneer Kadai, which is a semi-dry paneer curry dish with bell peppers and onion. 🍛

Cheers to Piney River Brewing Company 🍻

Piney River Brewing Company has once again repped 417-land well at the U.S. Open Beer Championship. This is the second year in a row that their lager, Float Trip, has won in the “American-style Wheat Beer” category and the brewery’s fifth US Open Beer Championship medal overall. If you haven’t tried Float Trip yet, consider this your sign. This wheat-based blonde lager is extra refreshing during these extra hot days of summer. In 2024, Piney River changed Float Trip from an ale to a lager. In a press release, Brian Durham, co-owner and co-founder of Piney River, said the change has “smoothed out the finish” of the beer.