Our Bite-Size Review of Casper's Diner's New Location

When you walk into the new Casper’s Diner location (937 S. Glenstone Ave.), you’re likely to feel right at home amid the familiar bright color scheme and decorative tchotchkes. Dining inside is simply comforting and nostalgic, and you’ll find this especially true if you were a regular of the former spot or of Anton’s Coffee Shop. While the address of Casper’s Diner has changed, Springfield’s love for it hasn’t. Its enduring local support helped it weather the ebb and flow of the economy since 1909. In fact, they’re still using the same depression-era recipe for their chili. This chili can be a bit polarizing. Sometimes novices order this classic, overflowing bowl of chili, and say it lacks spice. However,  that’s just because they haven’t tried it with a drizzle of the Arizona Gunslinger sauce that’s conveniently sitting on every table. This allows you to choose your own spice level, so everyone wins. The sauce gets its full-bodied flavor from the simplest of ingredients: red ripened jalapeños, vinegar and salt. We’d argue that this hot sauce would taste excellent on pretty much anything on the menu. On our visit, we tried it on the hand-breaded and fried chicken tenders, which are a new menu addition. The batter is wonderfully light and crispy, and like the other main entrees, it’s available combo-style with fries. If you’re wanting to get a taste of the iconic chili on your visit but don’t want to commit to an entire bowl, the Casper’s Coney Combo it is. This hot dog comes topped with a generous helping of chili, mustard and diced onion. Also a word to the wise here: Don’t sleep on the sides, even if your meal comes with fries. The fried pickles dipped in the lightly spiced and tangy Casper’s Boo! Sauce are a must-try. All in all, we can’t think of a more fitting Springfield staple to fill the shoes of Anton’s Coffee Shop.