Features
Global Dining Experiences in the Ozarks
A handful of food-centric events and experiences around Springfield, Missouri give you the chance to go all in on trying the world’s tastiest cuisines.
by Katie Pollock Estes
Apr 2025
Photo by Brandon AlmsAlong with your dips and Souvlaki Skewers at Greek Belly, order a Kraken gyro and some delish Loux sodas.
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Cook Like an Italian
Italian Kitchen, located in downtown Springfield, has made a name for itself by offering hands-on cooking classes focused on classic Italian flavors. A few months ago, 417’s Custom Publishing Editor and Staff Writer Jordan Blomquist got a chance to try one of their pasta-making classes with Italian Kitchen co-owners Alessandro De Luca and Jennifer Morris. There, Blomquist got to create homemade tagliatelle pasta to take home. While the students learned, De Luca cooked, and they all got to eat a meal of salad, bruschetta, tagliatelle with pesto and lemon, and maritozzo con la panna. De Luca offers other themed classes as well, like ones where you learn to make focaccia, tiramisu, gnocchi, ravioli, cacio e pepe and more. Find info on their Facebook page or on their website, italian.kitchen.
Learn To Make Global Cuisines
Pickwick & Cherry (located unsurprisingly near the intersection of Pickwick Avenue and Cherry Street) is another local spot offering recurring hands-on classes is. Some of the classes are meant to be immersive date night experiences for two, each focused on the cuisine of a different part of the world. Participants learn to make a multicourse meal that they prepare and eat that night. Some of the date night themes include Italy, the British Isles, the Alps, Greece, Georgia, South Africa and more. If date nights aren’t your thing, there are other hands-on classes that incorporate various baking and cooking skills, some from world cuisines. Feeling a little German? Go for the pretzel-making class. Find class details and sign up at on their website.
Customize Your Meal
If you don’t want to go all in on a cooking class but still want to get a little bit hands-on, make a reservation for dinner at Shabu Hot Pot. This southwest Springfield spot has tables with built-in Japanese hot pots, one for each guest. You choose whatever type of soup broth you want (spicy, chicken and herb, savory pork and more). Then you choose what type of meat you want to add, and the soup will cook right in front of you. There’s even a conveyor belt that weaves through the restaurant, so you can grab additional ingredients to add to your soup to make it completely your own. The conveyor belt has a variety of noodles, several types of mushrooms, plenty of veggies and classic hot pot additions like fish cakes, lotus root, dried bean curd and soft boiled eggs. Read more about the hot pot process online at shabuhotpot417.com.
Let the Chef Take the Lead
Another Japanese option is the omakase meal at Ariake Sushi & Robata on Battlefield Road. And this one is a prime choice for a special occasion or a big date night with your foodie significant other. At $200 per person, you’re paying for a unique experience that has surprises and new tastes around every corner. Here’s how it works: You sit at the sushi bar, and you indulge in a multicourse meal where every single item that comes out is chef’s choice. The Araike sushi chefs will pick the very best little bites of the night, often prepared in ways you can’t find on the regular menu. Your job is to sit back, relax and approach each piece of sushi with an open mind.
Be Greek for the Night
A recurring event at Greek Belly that has had a special place in Springfield for years is My Big Fat Greek Night, an evening celebrating all things Greek, punctuated by delicious food. Four courses of delicious Greek food, in fact! The event takes place inside the charmingly decorated (we love the colorful umbrellas on the ceiling!) downtown Springfield restaurant, and it includes a belly dancer who provides entertainment the whole night long. There are always a breaking of plates tradition and many, many joyous shouts of “Opa!” to toast the night and really get you into the celebrating spirit. Although My Big Fat Greek Night already happened this year (it was on March 15), you can keep an eye on Greek Belly’s Facebook page for announcements and information about future dates for this beloved event.
Watch the Pros at Work
Sometimes, you want something that feels interactive, but you don’t want to have to do any of the cooking yourself. Enter: hibachi dinners. This is when guests sit around a teppanyaki grill while a chef prepares grilled meats, veggies and noodles in front of them. There’s usually a bit of performative flair here, with controlled blazes of fire and dexterous handwork with the spatulas. And of course, the food is then handed right to you, super-fresh. There are several local restaurants offering this beloved experience, like Nakato Japanese Steakhouse, O’Hana Japanese Steakhouse and Hinode Japanese Steakhouse in Springfield, Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse in Joplin, and Shogun Japanese Steak & Sushi in Branson.
