Best of Springfield

Visit our Flickr album to view all the photos! AMERICANA/FOLK BAND COUNTRY BAND ORIGINAL MUSIC BAND (ANY GENRE)Lick Creek To say Lick Creek floated to the top this year would be an understatement, winning by wide margins in three separate, but somewhat related categories. Our readers aren’t the only ones taking notice of Lick Creek’s […]

Visit our Flickr album to view all the photos! BEST ACCOUNTANTPaul SchaferEck, Schafer & Punke, LLP227 S. Seventh St., 525-1111 Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP, provides income tax and estate planning for closely held businesses and their shareholders, as well as individuals. Paul Schafer describes their clients as ranging from “mom and pop” small businesses […]

Visit our flickr album to see all the photos! BEST TATTOO SHOPBEST TATTOO ARTISTNew Age Tattoos, Jason Lee2915 S. MacArthur Blvd., 546-5006 We confess. We are not tattoo aficionados. But plenty of folks are, and readers, by an overwhelming margin, agree that New Age Tattoos is the place to go for a forever stamp on […]

BEST AUTO LUBE SHOPBrahler Tire and Auto Center531 E. Laurel St., 523-56451950 N. Dirksen Parkway, 523-00271557 Wabash Ave., 546-0234When we bring our vehicles in for routine maintenance, we want it done right and we want it done fast. Readers agree: Brahler brings it on both fronts, and that’s been our personal experience. In business since […]

BEST LOCAL FAMILY FUN SPOTKnight’s Action Park1700 Knights Recreation Dr., 546-8881Knight’s Action Park is a child’s wonderland. There’s the water park, with its seven twisty slides and a giant wave pool. You and the munchkins could easily spend all day on the go-cart track, 18-hole mini-golf course and arcade. If you’ve left the kids at […]

BEST BARISTAKori GreenGrab-A-Java1702 S. Sixth St., 523-5282If you’ve pulled up to the Sixth Street Grab-A-Java on your way to work in the morning anytime in the past seven years, it is more likely than not that Kori Green was there to greet you with a smiling face, kind words and a tasty beverage. Green has […]

BEST BAKERYIncredibly Delicious Bakery and Cafe925 S Seventh Street, 528-8548Winning again this year, Incredibly Delicious provides Springfield with delicious cakes, pastries and bread. We love the aroma of freshly baked bread, especially when dining al fresco in the patio area around the ever-changing landscaping at the Weber House. Yes, that’s right – Incredibly Delicious also […]

BEST BASS PLAYEREric TinsleySo we finally wised up and added a category for the most important band member, at least that’s what these keepers of the bottom end and masters of the groove feel, anyway. With any one of the finalists a likely contender for the bass crown, Eric Tinsley fingered the highest level of […]

Best of Springfield 2016 It’s that time of year again when loyal IT readers sound off on their favorite things in the capital city and surrounding area. It’s a two-step process again this year, and here’s the way it works:   Results Issue – October 27th The results issue will list all winners. Stories and/or […]

BEST CROSSFIT GYMCapital City CrossFit1615 W. Jefferson, 726-3817On its Facebook page, the sole self-description of Capital City CrossFit (C3 to its friends) is “forging elite fitness.” While CrossFit is a proprietary brand (read: franchise) of “physical exercise, philosophy and competitive fitness sport”  (Wikipedia), not all CrossFit gyms are created equal. “C3 has done what no […]

BEST BAKERYBEST WEDDING CAKESIncredibly Delicious925 South Seventh St., 528-8548You no longer have to go to St. Louis or Chicago for good pastries and bread, and this year’s winner, Incredibly Delicious, is one of the main reasons why. The “all butter” handmade croissants (available in plain, raspberry, chocolate and almond cream) are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the […]

BEST BLOODY MARYJP Kelly’s300 E. Adams St., 753-7933What goes into making a good Bloody Mary? JP Kelly’s likes to leave that up to the customer, which is surely one of the reasons they scored high marks in this category with our voters. A wide variety of choices are offered to Bloody Mary enthusiasts, which they […]