417Foodist's Perfect Saturday in Springfield, Missouri

How do you like to spend your weekends? As a food blogger and content creator, I am always on the go, hunting down my next meal. So, when I don’t have something on my schedule, my family and friends like to plan our perfect Saturday right here in the 417!

Starting the Day at Roots Coffee Bar 

I always like to start my Saturday morning by heading to Roots Coffee Bar to get my staple beverage: a dirty chai latte! By now, it’s pretty much a script that the staff at Roots knows, as I order the same item every time—a 20-ounce dirty chai latte, hot to go. Once I have that sweet nectar of Mother Earth racing through my veins, we're off to the farmers market!

Discovering New Finds at Farmers Market of the Ozarks

We head to Farmers Park to scope out any new finds on the food scene that are set up as vendors at the Farmers Market of the Ozarks. There are always multiple food trucks lined up, and since I’m a Chatty Kathy, I like to make my way down the line and catch up with the owners I've become friends with over the years. This is great because they’ll give me the inside scoop on any new vendors—or tell me about their favorites that I absolutely must check out!

I like to pick up things to snack on instead of committing to a full breakfast, so if I can get my hands on a sausage roll from London Calling Pasty Company or a croissant from Sweet Pieces by Lupita, then I’m set!

Stocking Up at the Greater Springfield Farmers' Market

Why stop at one farmers market when there are multiple going strong on a glorious Saturday? We’ll head over to the Greater Springfield Farmers' Market, where we love to get most of our produce for the week. This market gets large and in charge once the weather starts to stay nice, and we load up on tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, and my favorite: green onions!

I’m always bound to run into a local chef or restaurant owner browsing produce for their menus, which I love because you really get to see local supporting local.

A Downtown Springfield Lunch Stop

Once we’ve loaded up the cooler and totes with farmers market finds, it’s time for lunch! I’m always on the hunt for something new. That could be a brand-new restaurant or food truck, a spot I’ve never visited before, or even one of my regular eateries with a rotating menu that offers something new to try.

My favorite thing to do on a Saturday, though, is head into Downtown Springfield, walk around, and admire everything the downtown food scene has to offer.

We’re a family of three, and sometimes it’s a real challenge finding a lunch spot that has something everyone wants, but one place always wins: Greek Belly! Greek Belly is a favorite for my whole household, and we’ll load up on those packed pitas, a crisp City Greek Salad, and, of course, the dolmades!

Sharing Dinner at Corner 21 Chinese Cuisine

After enjoying the morning at the markets and the afternoon downtown, I’m already planning my evening. As someone who is always on the hunt to bring my followers great food content, planning is a must! One thing I really enjoy is getting together with my like-minded food friends and ordering some grub family-style, and there’s one spot that has family-style dining down to perfection: Corner 21 Chinese Cuisine.

It’s always difficult to settle on just a couple of dishes since the portions are generous, so it pays to have hungry friends. The Hot Crispy Fish is always a must-order, as it’s perfectly spicy, crunchy, and savory. You can never go wrong with the Cumin Lamb with cilantro, Egg Tofu, or the Dry-Fried Green Beans.

If you’re really hungry and brought a whole crew along, the Whole Duck is a must-try! The presentation alone will take up your whole table, and it comes packed with sliced duck, vegetables, and soup.

The Perfect Springfield Saturday

There you have it—the perfect little Saturday that I would love to have every single week if it were up to me! Which it is, but with my schedule, you never know where I’ll be from week to week because I like to stay on the move!