The 51 Best Places to Eat in Springfield

A freestanding fireplace anchors the dining room at this steakhouse on a former mill site, and the front door alone stops people mid-stride. Counter service keeps the mood loose despite the chic surroundings, which is a combination Springfield seems happy to have. The setting does real work without taking itself too seriously, and the kitchen is focused on steak.

1. 417 Magazine Best Highly-Anticipated Opening · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO
2. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

1. 417 Magazine Best Growing Pastry Empire · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield
2. 417 Magazine Best Seasonal Treat: Strawberry and Rose Matcha Latte · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

A French-Cajun bistro built around a sub-basement that nobody knew existed until construction crews found it, two levels below the street with old stonework still intact. The team leaned in rather than filling it with concrete, so you can eat your way through a Cajun-and-French-inspired menu deep underground like some kind of delicious urban spelunking. Ground level is technically the third floor, which is a good conversation starter if the food leaves you speechless.

1. 417 Magazine Best Origin Story · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

1. 417 Magazine Best Cozy Food on a Cold Day: Stuffed Cabbage · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

1. 417 Magazine Best Robot · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

The chalkboard by the counter poses a daily trivia question, and a correct answer earns you a quarter off your drink. This easygoing coffee shop on Commercial Street has been around forever, and the staff will probably greet you by name whether you've been coming for years or it's your second visit. The caramel mocha with two shots of espresso is the drink regulars tend to order without looking at the menu.

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

The building is hard to miss, which helps, since The Potter's House is the kind of coffee shop that earns its following on more than convenience. Close to the Missouri State campus, it runs on a community-minded mission and a menu that goes beyond the standard order. The King, an iced latte with chocolate, peanut butter, and banana, reads like a smoothie that decided to grow up.

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

1. 417 Magazine A Roundup of the Best Coffee Shops in Springfield

Fire pits ringed by outdoor couches give this Springfield steakhouse the feel of a backyard party that got very good at cooking beef. The patio draws a celebratory crowd, and the menu obliges them with filet mignon and fresh oysters alongside a dessert called Sex in a Bowl, which is crème brûlée inside a chocolate shell with cheesecake mousse. No one is here to be understated, and the kitchen seems to respect that.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri
2. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine Best Spicy Bite: Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

1. 417 Magazine Best Comfort Food · Best Restaurants in Springfield, MO

A craft brewery where a pizza food truck parks just outside and freshly popped popcorn sits on the counter inside, which tells you everything about the vibe before you've even ordered. The patio spills into a grassy area with picnic tables where kids have room to run while the adults work through a rotating tap list. Come as you are and stay longer than you planned.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

The Galloway Trail runs right past the back fence, so the patio fills up with cyclists and runners who've just earned something fried. This casual American bar and grill keeps things straightforward: big sandwiches, Frito pie, barbecue-sauced burgers, the kind of food that makes a two-hour ride feel like a sound investment. Sun shades cover the back-corner tables where you can hear the trail traffic rolling by outside.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

Hold Fast is a Springfield craft brewery with a patio strung with lights and a rotating cast of food trucks pulling up to feed whoever's around. The house golden ale, the Patio Pleaser, is the kind of thing you order without overthinking it. Hammons Field is a short walk away, so the crowd skews toward Cardinals fans doing some productive pre-game research. Live music most nights keeps things lively without tipping into loud.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

A wide backyard lawn gives Mother's Brewing Company the feel of a cookout that never quite ends. It's a Springfield craft brewery and taproom with a rotating roster of beers, from hazy IPAs to sour wheat ales to hard seltzers, and the lineup changes often enough that regulars still find something new to argue about. The kind of place you bring out-of-towners when you want them to think well of your city, which they generally do.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

A brewpub that's been an old-school downtown Springfield institution long enough that the regulars have strong opinions about which house beer to order first. The setup is classic pub: fresh-brewed drafts, pretzels with beer-cheese fondue, burgers, root beer floats made with house-brewed soda. The east end of the patio offers a decent perch for watching whoever's wandering through downtown on a Friday night.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

Mismatched tablecloths and cloth napkins set the tone at this cozy Mediterranean-leaning tea room and cafe, where the menu runs to sandwiches, salads, and sampler plates with a light Greek accent. The house iced tea is steeped with clove, and the patio, tucked behind a fountain, manages to feel like someone's backyard despite sitting right off the street. A good spot for a slow Saturday lunch with no particular agenda.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri

A craft brewery and pizza spot on Cherry Street with a tiered outdoor patio that does a convincing impression of a neighborhood park, sun shades and all. The beer list swings from a New England IPA to a French toast pastry ale, with a Cherry Street Sour for those keeping it local. Detroit-style squares and thin tavern-style pizzas handle the food side. Live music plays regularly, but the back picnic tables sit just far enough away that conversation survives.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

A rooftop cocktail bar perched above downtown Springfield with an art deco walk-in and a big-city view that the city itself doesn't always advertise. The long bar-height table near the corner fits a group comfortably, and the sightlines over the railing make it easy to feel like you've escaped somewhere. Flatbreads circulate for sharing, and the drink menu runs from cocktails to mocktails, which keeps everyone at the table happy.

1. 417 Magazine The Best Patios For Outdoor Drinking and Dining

1. 417 Magazine The Best Steaks in Southwest Missouri