Table Talk: October 29–November 4

Live Lavishly

Launching this Friday is the answer to all of your party needs. Lavish Grazing brings charcuterie boards to any gathering—ranging from a small date night or a casual get-together to large parties or even weddings. “We call them lavish boards because they are just so much more than some meat and a few crackers,” says Elizabeth VanMetre. VanMetre is a co-founder along with her fellow “cheese girls” Mollie Wilson and Courtney Williams. The social media–based business promotes engagement with its customers so that each board is tailored to your style and party needs. The best part? The whole spread, board included, is brought to you. Every board is custom, so although prices will be posted on Instagram and Facebook on November 1, quotes vary depending on your specific charcuterie needs. 

Talking Shop

New to Ozark’s Finley Farms, The Workshop is now open for business. The coffee shop serves traditional coffees and teas plus seasonal offerings, like a sweet and chocolatey s’mores latte—in addition to a small cafe menu of fully loaded toasts, parfaits and pudding. The Workshop is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Finley Farms is also home to the Ozark farmers market, and additional dining and gathering spaces are planned for the development’s future. 

The End of a Chapter

On July 4, restaurant, bar and music venue Krave Seafood & Oyster Bar closed after a fire destroyed the kitchen overnight. Krave was formerly Cartoon’s Oyster Bar & Grill, which opened in 1987. The longstanding restaurant, known for its live music, will no longer be re-opening, and the owners plan to demolish the building and sell the property. They are exploring the option of reopening Krave in a new location, but keep an eye on Facebook as their plans develop. 

Brunch Bunch

Fresh off of debuting new fall menus, jazz bar The Hepcat is also now open for brunch. The offerings include several of the bar’s popular late-night dishes, like shrimp and grits, the house burger or Jake’s vegan burger in addition to brunchy offerings like french toast, biscuits and gravy or a fully loaded breakfast bowl. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

The What-To-Do Roundup

Just when you thought your social calendar was slowing down, we’ve got loads of foodie-focused events to fill ’er back up. 

• Celebrate Harvest’s fourth (!!) birthday this Friday at 6:30 p.m. with a five-course anniversary menu paired with hand-picked wines. 

• If you need an emergency pre-Thanksgiving dessert crash course, the Springfield Botanical Gardens has you covered with Garden Nights Out: Pie Clinic. Learn how to perfect a pie crust and filling, and take home a whole pie to bake or freeze. 

• This Sunday, pair your sugar high with a light beer buzz with Great Escape Beer Work’s Pie & Beer pairing, featuring slices from resident pie royalty Prairie Pie. 

• Next Wednesday, head to the Republic Macadoodles to get schooled in Wine 101. This course focuses on wine pairings for Thanksgiving along with food from Village Inn. It’s not a competition, but you’re definitely going to win the holiday this year. 

• Ozarks Beerfest is just around the corner. The 11th annual event is November 16 at the Springfield Expo Center and features beer tastings and food samples galore.