roadtrip - springfield, st louis, louisville indy

looking for places that lie on the route between the above cities - anyplace really special, barbeque espectially.

thanks

Hi,

There are several major threads covering Springfield, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Not so sure how much there may be for Louisville. Why don't you look through those to gather ideas and make queries.

Regards,

globetrotter wrote:looking for places that lie on the route between the above cities - anyplace really special, barbeque espectially.

Between St Louis and Louisville, you'll be making the 50 mile detour for Owensboro, KY, won't you?

In Springfield, IL make sure you stop at the Dr. of BBQ for some of the best Que I have ever eaten that did NOT come out of my own backyard. The Dr. has a trailer in a trigular shaped lot with a picnic table, or can take it out/back to the hotel, and it is amazingly great food. Often one meat will shine over the others, but everything Jack makes is outstanding, ribs, pork, and brisket.

He is also located right down the street from the Cozy Dog, birthplace of the corn dog, another excellent stop in Springfield (closed on Sundays) but not to be missed.

http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/

http://www.drofbbq.com/

I'll second the Dr. of BBQ. But note that he is periodically closed during the posted hours because he is at a competition. So definitely have a back-up plan. Cozy Dog is a few blocks away and is very good. I'd also suggest D'Arcy's Pint for a horseshoe. If you are going during the next two weeks, the state fair will be going on.

D'Arcy's Pint
661 West Stanford Avenue
Springfield, IL 62704-7808
(217) 492-8800

HI,

The best of horseshoes seems to be in the past. While on a state fair visit a few years ago, we sat down with Buzz Waldmire, whose Dad founded Cozy Dogs, and other long time Springfield residents. None really liked the horseshoes available currently, but could recite a number of good ones at long gone establishments.

Regards,

we never really tried the horseshoes, because the waits were always so long at D'Arcy's etc.
and Mr. is not really good at doing long waits...

I have also heard about a good chili joint in Springfield, but I am blanking on the name.

Chili is probably from Joe Rogers. I'm told that is the one Springfield institution I haven't been to yet.

Cathy, I'm sure you know that nothing is ever as good as it used to be. Why would horseshoe's be any different?

Hi,

Here is a report on D'Arcy's mixed in with other corn dogs: viewtopic.php?p=144407#p144407

If I were to seek out another horseshoe, I would not go to D'Arcy's. I would go here: viewtopic.php?p=275382#p275382

Probably the best horseshoe can be found by making it yourself.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

There are several major threads covering Springfield, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Not so sure how much there may be for Louisville. Why don't you look through those to gather ideas and make queries.

Regards,

thanks - actually, I might not have made myself clear, I was more looking for places on the routes between the cities, and I don't know the geography well enough to pull all the place names out. does that work? I wasn't trying to be lazy.

Rene G wrote:

globetrotter wrote:looking for places that lie on the route between the above cities - anyplace really special, barbeque espectially.

Between St Louis and Louisville, you'll be making the 50 mile detour for Owensboro, KY, won't you?

that is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for - I had heard about heanderson, but not owensboro.

I have some plans for the cities - including Dr BBQ.

the trip is being fueled by fairs - ill, ky, ind, 3 fairs in 5 days.

If you are going to the fair, go to Vose corn dogs at the Illinois State Fair.

See http://www.sj-r.com/publications/x15913 ... -corn-dogs

Moonshine.

Coming up from Louisville to Indy, you might want to hit Gray Brothers in Mooresville. As an alternative that would not require much of a detour off I-65, you could go to Zaharako's in Columbus, IN. Columbus offers many fantastic pieces of modern architecture, but for pure food experience, I'd go with Gray Brothers. Best macaroni and cheese I've ever had, anywhere; and really decent fried chicken, better than average to excellent pies, and a generally hospitable place to do a pre-Indiana State Fair carb load (as the Indiana State Fair is all about the pork).

cool - this is all gold. thanks people.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:Coming up from Louisville to Indy, you might want to hit Gray Brothers in Mooresville. As an alternative that would not require much of a detour off I-65, you could go to Zaharako's in Columbus, IN. Columbus offers many fantastic pieces of modern architecture, but for pure food experience, I'd go with Gray Brothers. Best macaroni and cheese I've ever had, anywhere; and really decent fried chicken, better than average to excellent pies, and a generally hospitable place to do a pre-Indiana State Fair carb load (as the Indiana State Fair is all about the pork).

Man my chowist career seems so incomplete as I have not yet been to Gray's. Perhaps that in that trip to Nashville the kidz are pining for...

Anyways, I have been to the so-called world's largest cafeteria, Byrd's in Greenwood, IN, right off of 65, about 20 min south of Iindy*. I surely defer to JiLS's IN expertise, but I have to say, Byrd's is pretty darn fun (too).

Sadly, when we visited Columbus a few years back, Zaharako's was then closed. I still found Columbus wholly worth the detour for the architecture. The Saarinen churches are espcially worth seeing.

Zaharako's actually reopened last year. When we stopped in Columbus on Memorial Day 2009, carpenters were putting finishing touches on a new front. Inside was expanded and spruced up; but closed that day while work was being completed.

I have never been to Byrd's, but it has a strong following and is one of Grays' two main competitors (the other being Poe's in Martinsville).

here is the plan -

evening drive to springfield,

morning go to ill state fair, then have barbeque at doctor of barbeque
evening go to st louis
morning, arch, city museum, lunch with friends at crown candy kitchen or pappy's barbeque
visit st louis mounds, start driving east towards luisville, stop for dinner in henderson for barbeque, sleep in luisville

morning go to frazier history musem, then kentuky state fair, start driving to indy, gray brothers cafeteria in moorseville

wake up, go to indy kids museum, then indiana state fair, start driving home.

open to suggestions

globetrotter wrote:here is the plan -

evening drive to springfield,

morning go to ill state fair, then have barbeque at doctor of barbeque
evening go to st louis
morning, arch, city museum, lunch with friends at crown candy kitchen or pappy's barbeque
visit st louis mounds, start driving east towards luisville, stop for dinner in henderson for barbeque, sleep in luisville

morning go to frazier history musem, then kentuky state fair, start driving to indy, gray brothers cafeteria in moorseville

wake up, go to indy kids museum, then indiana state fair, start driving home.

open to suggestions

Great plan. There have been cutbacks on Cahokia museum hours; the site itself is worth a walk and visit, but the museum helps put everything in perspective, so check carefully. There is a nice little Mexican place (El Gallo Jiro, no-frills, earthy food) just down the road I highly recommend. I wasn't thrilled with Pappy's in February but as we all know, 'cue can be variable. Can't wait for the Indiana State Fair report; happy travels.

I remembered another fun place last night. Just when Indiana turns rural again, north of Louisville, is a cool old farm restaurant kinda place called Joe Huber's. Maybe a bit too kitchsy, but myself and family enjoyed oursevelves here a few years ago.

Vital Information wrote:Man my chowist career seems so incomplete as I have not yet been to Gray's. Perhaps that in that trip to Nashville the kidz are pining for...

Hi,

I hope to go to Gray's over the next day or so. I love mac and cheese!

Regards,

Just got back from the IL state fair. Food highlights were Vose's corndog and a really amazing shredded pork sandwich at the Cuban stand in Ethnic Village. More on the sandwich here.

Your monring in St. Louis might be a TAD ambitious....
the arch can get quite crowded and can take take 90-120 minutes...
The city museum, is an amazing and wayyy fun place and it's so easy to spend 2-3 hours there, no problem.
Of course you may be planning a late lunch, in which case, it would work out OK...
I'm just sayin.....

irisarbor wrote:Your monring in St. Louis might be a TAD ambitious....
the arch can get quite crowded and can take take 90-120 minutes...
The city museum, is an amazing and wayyy fun place and it's so easy to spend 2-3 hours there, no problem.
Of course you may be planning a late lunch, in which case, it would work out OK...
I'm just sayin.....

thanks - that is what my friend in St Louis said, but the globetrotter family rolls pretty quickly, so I hope it works. the main reason that I wanted this trip was to get to the mounds, so I want to make sure we make it.