Table Talk: February 23–March 2

Ready, Set, RISE

Downtown’s newest breakfast/brunch spot is officially open and it is quite the sight for sore eyes. RISE, a concept from the creators of European Cafe, officially opened on Sunday. The new spot, which sits on Park Central Square, is bright and airy and exactly the kind of place that will perk you up in the morning. The menu is wonderfully innovative and diverse, featuring quick eats like breakfast sandwiches and parfaits, indulgent traditional-style breakfasts and innovative delicacies like a pavlova French toast, sweet and savory rice puddings, creamed eggs and so much more. I was able to attend their soft opening on Saturday where I got an early taste of the Monsieur Forager—a mushroom-centric croque monsieur—and the spiced cold brew. Both my plate and my cup were spotless by the end of the meal and my stomach was fully satisfied.

[MORE: Best Breakfasts in Springfield, MO and Beyond]

There's a New Meat Shop in Town

Specialty grocers are one of those small but necessary delights for foodies everywhere. Schuchmann Meat Co., a new butcher and specialty shop, will open its doors on Springfield’s south side on Friday. The team at Schuchmann has been working in the cattle business for more than 25 years, but during the supply chain disruption that occurred early in the pandemic (many meat processing plants were closed and/or backed up, making it difficult for independent farmers to have their cattle processed) the team opened a meat locker and processing facility in Conway, Mo. to process their own cattle for sale to the public. Now, the brick and mortar meat shop is the final piece of the puzzle. Located at 4406 S. Campbell Ave., Schuchmann Meat Co. specializes in USDA prime beef and sells any accompaniments you can dream of. With a selection of sides, charcuterie, cheese, wine and liquor, this is more than a quaint butcher shop. We can’t wait to visit this new spot for all of our top-shelf taste needs.

A Farm to Deli Concept in Ava

Nestled inside the original Mama Jean’s Natural Market, Jean’s Healthway, in Ava is the soon to open VanDeli, a “farm to deli” concept that will serve local and organic products. The team at VanDeli hopes to open in mid-March with lunchtime hours Tuesday–Friday and the occasional dinner club on Friday evenings. The menu will be that of a typical deli—sandwiches, powerbowls, soups, salads and sweet treats—made fresh, in house. They’ll also offer a selection of superfood lattes, medicinal mocktails and possibly even house-made kombucha. When the deli isn’t open, items will be available for grab-n-go at Jean’s Healthway. Finally, VanDeli will also be a preservatory pickling and fermenting vegetables and more to make Kimchis, sauerkrauts, hot sauces and more.

National Margarita Day (Was Yesterday)

Okay so we might be a little late on this one, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate. Yesterday was National Margarita Day and although I do not believe you need a reason to drink a margarita, here’s one for you anyway, and here are a few places to grab one in town. 
The Cuban Margarita from Cafe Cusco adds a hint of cinnamon for a twist on the classic.
The Jalapeno Pomegranate Margarita from Team Taco turns the classic margarita upside down in an absolutely delicious way.
The Top Shelf Margarita form Little Hacienda will quench all of your margarita cravings with this top-notch beverage.
Any margarita from Cesar's Old Mexico is sure to please and, of course, their food will complement it perfectly.
If that's not enough to convince you, you can also peruse our curated list of delicious margaritas in 417-land.