Springfield Food News

New Sandwiches, Familiar Faces

Here’s a new sandwich shop to add to your rotation. Big Dog Deli is now open at 3459 W. Kearney St., Ste. 100. Judging by its convenient location by the airport and right off the highway, plus its menu full of light and fresh fare, it looks like the perfect spot to get some nutritious food in a jiffy. We love that they have a build-your-own option (cleverly referred to as Mutts), but also 10 signature sandwiches (named Best in Show). In addition to sandwiches, paninis and salads, the menu features breakfast offerings such as oatmeal, pastries and coffee. John Allen co-owns the venture with Mark Burgess, and this isn’t the first time they’ve worked together. Burgess and his wife, Debra, were the original owners of the Aviary Café (they’ve since sold the business), and Allen worked as its first executive chef until late 2015.

A Taste of Nepal is Coming Our Way

You all know we love trying new flavors from around the world (it’s why we recently dedicated an entire feature to the topic). It looks like we will soon be able to add another country to our list, and that’s Nepal. The Himalayan Grill & Bar is just a few weeks away from opening at 250 Highway 60 East in Republic (the former location of Rocco’s Italian Kitchen) and will serve a fusion of Nepalese, Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine. They’ve yet to release the menu, but we’re told to come expecting stir fry, curry and Nepalese dumplings, plus drinks. We will keep you posted!

Summer Solstice Sippers

This Friday marks the first official day of summer, and the forecast is currently sunny with a high of 89°F. We think this calls for an iced pick-me-up. Lucky for us, several local gems really brought their A-game when designing their summer menus, and it seems that fruity iced coffee drinks are on trend. 

• The European’s summer drink menu is packed with tropical flavors. Personally, we can’t decide on whether to try the iced mango matcha or the iced blackberry vanilla latte first. If you’re not in the mood for caffeine, you’ve got to go with the pineapple mint lemonade. 

• As always, Urban Grounds seasonal menu features flavors that you won’t find anywhere else in 417-land. The cherry blossom latte sounds absolutely divine with its housemade cherry rose syrup as the star ingredient. There are three fruit-themed lattes on the menu as well, including banana, raspberry and lemon. 

• The Workshop at Finley Farms’ summer drink menu shows off delights for both coffee and tea lovers. Just imagine sipping a blackberry cobbler latte, an iced coconut matcha or a peaches and cream tea while shopping the Ozark Farmers Market. Plus, we’ve heard they’re offering chamomile ice cream as a special.

A Reason to Flock Downtown

Speaking of coffee, 7 Feathers Coffee & CO-OP has set up shop at 601 W. Walnut St. (AKA the former Casper’s location). This tiny coffee shop has big curb appeal with a fresh coat of gray paint and lots of plants that have been thriving in the rain. 7 Feathers Coffee is focusing on hand-pressed espresso, which is a manual method of extracting espresso using a lever. In addition to coffee, you can also leave with a haul of produce, plants, and locally made jewelry and skincare products. If you’re looking for fun Saturday plans, here’s your answer.