Table Talk: October 1–7

Bringin’ Home the Brisket

Branson’s brisket mecca Gettin’ Basted started humbly as a food trailer roaming the streets three years ago. Now, the team and its award-winning barbecue are inching closer to Springfield with a second brick-and-mortar location, this time in Nixa’s former Buckingham Smokehouse Bar-B-Q building. The Nixa location is slated for an early January opening and will have a slightly more expanded menu (including more burgers and composed plates) than the Branson location, plus a drive thru for that good-good on the go. 

Need something closer to home? Springfield’s City Butcher’s second location is officially opening this November, so you can start planning your barbecue road trips now. 

What’s Brewing? 

Downtown’s Springfield Brewing Co. has been running the beer game for more than 20 years, and it’s garnered a following for its stick-to-your-ribs pub foods (including those pretzels 😍). At the end of October, you can expect a few new favorites to show up now that Brew Co.’s is under the direction of food and beverage director Zach White. White was formerly the executive chef at Hotel Vandivort’s The Order before moving to Springfield Grocer Co. Now that he’s at the helm at SBC, he’s planning a menu revamp, emphasizing local farms and producers and "getting back to our roots and [to] what makes the Ozarks great," he says. White says the menu will be about half the size as it currently is, and the remaining dishes will take a refined twist on pub fare, including classics, new items and weekly features. The Weekender brunch menu is also getting revamped and will feature Benedicts and new brunch items.

Quit Hogging the Dance Floor

You know and love Millsap Farm for the super-fresh produce and jam band-style pizza nights. Now, get ready to boogie at the farm for the Whole Hog n Dance Fall Fest happening this Saturday. Bring a potluck dish, a drink of your choice, a chair or blanket, a small donation and your dancing shoes, and the farm will provide a pit-roasted hog and live bluegrass music for a contra-style dance extravaganza. 

New Menu Roundup 

New menus are still rolling in, so ready your appetite: 

• Aviary Cafe is launching its fall menus on October 15. In the meantime, check out monthly specials like Fall in a Jar—cinnamon ice cream, brown butter crumble, pumpkin mousse—and a pan-fried pork chop with apple cider reduction. 

• Ocean Zen’s long-awaited new menus are now live, including plenty of sushi, appetizers and non-seafood entrees. But worry not; fan-favorite macadamia nut chicken is still on the menu. 

Puffed Up

Whether its local coffee you crave or a piping hot meal, you can get almost anything delivered straight to your door. Now, joining the ranks of food delivery options, goPuff has launched in Springfield. The delivery service offers a flat-rate shipping fee and late-night delivery and specializes in convenience store goods like snacks, drinks, and any other essential you could find in a gas station or neighborhood CVS. 

Dinner with Friends

Farmers Gastropub is known for celebrating all things local, but next Thursday, join the restaurant for a special collaboration dinner with Marshfield’s Blue Heron Farm and Public House Brewing in St. James. The five-course dinner features seven beer pairings and costs $65. Call 417-864-6994 for more information and reservations. 

Feeling Festive

It’s officially October, which means that it’s officially Oktoberfest season, and if the pretzels don’t pull you in the beer surely will. Down a pint or two this Saturday as Great Escape Beer Works celebrates its first fest. The party kicks off with live music, games and releases of German-style beers.