Penny Zimmerman-Wills

Autumn means cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and carved pumpkins on front porches. For local chefs, this time of year also means an abundance of round orange produce that gets the creative juices flowing. Chef Michael Higgins of Maldaner’s uses pumpkin in a variety of interesting dishes, such as pasta mixed with chanterelle mushrooms, boar, and […]

There’s a lot to be said for familiarity. Like a favorite old pair of boots you pull out of the back of the closet or a holiday movie you watch each year with your family, some things just make you feel better, and you never grow tired of them. Saputo’s is like that. The family-owned […]

Brew-Bakers Caffe is a little bit like one of the specialty coffee drinks it serves: A mix of ingredients gives it a unique flavor. The small café offers bagels, bread, and flavored cream cheeses just like Panera Bread, the popular bakery chain. It serves up many varieties of coffee and espresso drinks, as does caffeine […]

The low-carb craze has finally hit Springfield. Although this way of eating is nothing new, a new specialty grocery store that offers takeout meals gives customers a one-stop low-carb eating and shopping experience. Maggie Andrews-Stone and her two brothers, Dan and John Andrews, adopted a diet in which they cut their intake of carbohydrates more […]

Like many things in downtown Springfield, Robbie’s has a Lincoln connection. Located on the Old State Capitol Plaza, the restaurant is housed in a building that began life in 1855 as a dry-goods store owned by Mary Todd Lincoln’s brother-in-law. Through the years, the building has seen several changes — it was even a dress […]

When our friends Barb and Tom Jackson want to celebrate a special occasion, their place of choice is Fritz’s Restaurant, the Wagon Wheel. Like many regular customers, the Jacksons have decided that Fritz’s is a perfect place to go for a good steak and friendly service. Regardless of your mood, the Wagon Wheel’s atmosphere can […]

The Illinois State Fair offers carnival rides, farm animals, and lots of entertainment, but one of the event’s biggest attractions is the food — lots and lots of food. The fairgrounds are a food-lover’s dream, with vendors selling everything from traditional corndogs and lemonade shake-ups to unique offerings such as fresh mango juice, cheese curds […]

Is there any better way to enjoy the warm-weather months than to dine in the open air? Food just seems to taste better when it’s served outdoors in the sunshine. At one time, the choices for outdoor dining in Springfield were few. But, fortunately, more restaurants this year are responding to customer demand for dining […]

“How can black beans be so delicious?” a young woman asked Ryan Flynn at Saturday’s fifth annual Taste of Downtown. Flynn and chef Eric Lehnen spent 10 hours dishing up pan after pan of fried black-bean cakes at the Augie’s Front Burner tent. The unique, tasty cakes were just one of more than 70 items […]

Sometimes food, like life, should follow this motto: The simpler, the better. And in the summertime, a grilled hamburger, milkshake, and seat at an outdoor picnic table may be all that’s required for a perfectmeal. When you can enjoy this simple pleasure for less than $5, so much the better. Krekel’s Custard & Hamburgers is […]