

Georgia Mac's & Uncle Bentlys
Joy chats with local restaurateur Jennifer Barr, who—along with her husband, Darryl—owns both Georgia Mac's and the legendary Uncle Bentlys in Springfield! After opening Georgia Mac's in 2018 (named after their moms and serving up incredible comfort food and Southern classics), Jennifer and Darryl …

Michael Bauer, Food Critic
Joy shares a special, bonus interview recorded while at sea on the Chris Botti at Sea cruise! She sits down with legendary restaurant critic Michael Bauer, who spent an incredible 32 years as the food editor and restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. Michael shares fascinating behind-th…

Fazoli's & Capriotti's
Joy sits down with local franchise owners Donna and Jamie Jacobsen to talk about their journey with Springfield's beloved Fazoli's locations and their exciting upcoming venture, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop! Jamie shares his culinary background—starting from cooking in a nursing home at age 14 to serv…

Stusquatch's Rockstar BBQ
Joy visits Metro Eats on West Sunshine to check out Stusquatch's Rock Star Barbecue! She sits down with owner Stu Aldridge and General Manager Betsy Walker to talk about how this rock-and-roll-themed BBQ joint came to be. From music-inspired menu items like "The Limp Brisket" and the "Owner of a Pr…

Bambinos
Joy visits a Springfield favorite, Bambinos, and hits the restaurant "trifecta" by chatting with Andy Faucett, his brother Chuck Faucett, and their mother and matriarch, Mary Faucett! Mary shares her incredible backstory of how she accidentally started her restaurant journey—going to file for unemp…

Billy Gail's
Joy heads down to Ozark, Missouri, to visit the legendary Billy Gail's! She chats with Director of Operations Nick Hurshman about the rich history of this Ozarks staple, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in a building that started out as an old gas station. Famous for their massive, hubcap-size…

Big Whiskey's
Joy sits down with Paul Sundy, the mastermind behind the homegrown Ozarks favorite, Big Whiskey's! What started back in 2007 as a DIY labor of love in downtown Springfield has officially exploded into a booming franchise with over 20 locations and counting. From his early days rolling pretzels at A…

Scratch & Co
Joy is checking out the stunning new look at the corner of Sunshine and Glenstone! She sits down with Steve Belden, co-founder of Scratch & Co., to talk about bringing a true from-scratch dining experience to one of the busiest intersections in the Ozarks. From their number-one-selling beef strogan…

417 Cocktails
Joy drops anchor downtown to visit 417 Cocktails and chats with owner, founder, and home-mixology wizard Mandi Fritz! What started as a fun pandemic-era creative outlet—making custom cocktail kits and syrups while video-chatting on Zoom with her sister—blossomed into a thriving retail shop. From st…

El Cafecito
Joy is visiting the cutest little patio spot on South Campbell for this episode: El Cafecito! She chats with co-owner Shanie Valdez about how she and her husband, Cristhian, built this vibrant, bilingual coffee shop and bakery that blends their love for specialty coffee with authentic Mexican cultu…