Prairie Pie, 307 South Jefferson Ave., Springfield
The wait is finally over! Prairie Pie officially opened the doors of its new brick and mortar shop on March 11. Over the past four years, pie-enthusiasts have devoured every flavor combination Prairie Pie has come up with, and owner Eleanor Taylor has dreamed up some delicious pies. There’s the matcha custard, the cinnamon buttermilk, the honey custard with sea salt, and the mile-high chocolate mousse. And during those four years, slices of Prairie Pie were only available at select shops around town or by order. Prairie Pie fans often tuned into Instagram to learn where their favorite pies were available. Now, Taylor has her own storefront, and she’s expanded her menu to include savory pies plus sides of mashed potatoes and salad. The menu changes weekly, but the savory pie options you can count on include chicken and vegetable. Specialty flavors including curry vegetable and carnitas, will rotate in and out. As for those sweet pies, Taylor says she will have a weekly rotation of sweet pies available by the slice plus whole pies available every day along with an assortment of mini pies and cookies. It’s the perfect delicious combination for a space that’s as colorful and inviting as the fillings of each Prairie Pie. The shop was designed by Taylor’s mom, Sharon Gullet who is the owner of the interior design company Pickwick House. “She wanted to draw eyes upwards toward the ceiling using large pieces of art,” Taylor says. “This also helps showcase our tall, tall ceilings.”
Rise, 105 Park Central Square, Springfield
There’s a new reason to get excited about breakfast in Springfield, and that’s Rise. This new breakfast and brunch spot opened downtown February 21, and the colorful atmosphere matches the dishes on the menu. There are fresh juices, grain bowls, homemade yogurts, indulgent french toast topped with candy coated chocolate pearls and heartier options including biscuits and gravy. Rise is the creation of owners Uliana Komodi and Christina Sava who along with their head chef Branden Dinger, have created a breakfast menu that focuses on the homemade. And if the baked goods look or taste familiar, that’s because Uliana and Christina are also the owners of Rise’s neighbor, European Cafe. “We just love food,” Uliana says. “With European Cafe, we don’t have a full kitchen, so having a restaurant was always the dream.” Now that Rise is open, Uliana and Christina are busy baking all the breads that show up on the menu. Uliana says Christian is the real “yeast queen” and has been perfecting her sourdough recipe for years. Now that they have a full kitchen, it’s time to put those skills to the test, and we’re here for every delicious bite.
Top Shelf Fungi, Springfield
Speaking of mushrooms, Blaine Conway, owner of Top Shelf Fungi, is now selling DIY mushroom kits. Blaine started stocking Springfield restaurants and grocery stores with specialty mushrooms including blue oyster, black pearl king oysters, lion’s mane, and freckled chestnut mushrooms in November, 2020. As his mushrooms have grown in popularity, he’s added new items to his inventory including DIY mushroom kits. The kits allow consumers to grow their own black pearl, blue oyster, or lion’s mane mushrooms. Simply order the kit from Conway, pick up the bag, cut a slit in it, and watch your mushrooms sprout up. If you’re curious how to prepare your harvest, Conway says these mushrooms are best served in soups, stir fry, and on top of pizza.
