Smoked favorites in southeast Missouri Smoke fills the air on the back patio as Alfea Crenshaw tends to the seemingly endless rows of chicken, ribs and pork steaks. He checks to make sure the smoked meats are about ready to be pulled off the heat in time for his...
Most mornings in downtown Chillicothe you’ll find Brent Kepner where he’s been for the past 14 years; standing outside the front door, cup of joe in hand, greeting the sun and ready to welcome customers. Walking through the front door of Boji Stone Cafe, Coffee House...
You can order off the extensive menu at The Mudcat Coffee House. But then you would miss out on all the fun of having owner Rebecca Moore surprise you with one of her off-the-cuff creations. This culinary leap of faith has a name: The Matt. “It’s named after a good...
Delicious Housemade Eats in a Retro, Casual Setting If you ask someone to describe what a tavern is, you’ll probably get a wide variety of replies. A tavern is a place of business where people gather to visit with friends. All serve drinks, and most have the added...
Island flavors in mid-Missouri You can’t drive by without getting a whiff. The distinctive Caribbean smell of pimento berries, Scotch bonnet peppers and other island spices on tender meat billows out of the grill that is manned by Rex Scott next to a Jamaican flag....
Fry bread, flavor and family tradition are on the menu in Willard The shutdown surrounding COVID-19 posed a significant challenge to small businesses, especially for a restaurant that just reopened its doors six months prior. For Linda Moody-Ivey, the owner of Momma...
Smokehouse Classics with an Elevated Twist Your nostrils will tell you as soon as you walk through the door. This is undoubtedly a smokehouse. The pecan- and cherry-wood-filled smokers might be outside, but their aroma fills this St. Charles County restaurant. That’s...
Ryan VanWinkle may hold the title “executive chef,” but don’t be fooled: He’s actually in the business of time travel. Every dish he’s created for the past seven years has been an attempt at taking diners back to his late grandmother’s house. “We’d walk in the door...
Down-home food in a cozy setting The southeast corner of Camden County is definitely meat-and-potato country. Mike Jones knew that about his hometown of Montreal when crafting the menu for his first restaurant, and today he goes through more than 500 pounds of...
It was supposed to just be a small microbrewery. Joe and Abbie Backes knew that people were willing to travel to visit breweries, wineries and distilleries and wanted to bring one to their hometown of Carrollton. “I knew how to make beer and everyone seemed to like...
