Eat

You may have already heard of the horseshoe, so we’ll start there. After all, Springfield’s Horseshoes were featured on Huffington Post’s list of “50 Cities Known for a Specific Food.”

Just one bite, and you’ll know why.

It’s called a sandwich, but that’s a debatable term. This original Springfield dish is technically missing the other slice of bread to make it an official sandwich, but whatever you call it, the horseshoe is our area’s best known culinary creation.

The horseshoe has been made famous on the international food scene thanks to coverage in food magazines, on popular food TV shows like Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Travel Channel’s Man Versus Food, and other media — from the New York Times to NPR.

The delicious delicacy was even described as “unbridled plebian opulence” by the authors of 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late.

So, how is it made?

Start with a piece of bread, typically a thick piece of Texas toast. Top that with the meat of your choice. Supposedly, the original horseshoe — created around 1928 by some accounts — used ham. Today you’ll find your pick of hamburger, chicken, pork tenderloin, sliced turkey, fried fish and more on the menus around central Illinois.

Next add a large pile of fries on the meat, and then comes the linchpin of the entire recipe: the cheese sauce, generously drizzled on top of the entire dish.

According to the book Springfield’s Celebrated Horseshoe Sandwich by Carolyn Harmon and Tony Leone, at least 70 different Springfield restaurants have served some version of the horseshoe over the decades since inception.

And there are many different recipes for cheese sauce out in the world… so you might have to try as many as possible to discover your favorite!

Springfield is also well-known on the chili scene.

Or is it chilli?

In 1909, The Dew Chilli Parlor opened for business under owner Joe Bockelmann, who is credited with Springfield’s tendency to use the spelling with double L.

According to a 2015 article in the State Journal-Register, Bockelmann argued with his sign painter that it should read “The Dew Chilli Parlor and Lunchroom.”

Apparently, Bockelmann later explained he settled the dispute by pulling out his dictionary that showed the double “L” spelling as the preferred version, with one L as a variation.

That spelling was made official in 1993 when Illinois State Senator Karen Hasara introduced a resolution proclaiming Illinois as the “Chilli Capital of the Civilized World” — and that’s chilli with two Ls.

Springfield also was the original home to both Ray’s Chili and Chilli Man Chilli, which were canned in Springfield in the brands’ infancies.

By 1923, 11 chili parlors were listed in the Springfield City Directory; chili operators and recipes came and went frequently during the 20th century.

Springfield is still serious about its chilli/chili; in fact, “The Den” Chili Parlor originally opened by Joe Rogers was featured on Man Vs. Food in 2009 when host Adam Richman attempted to consume five bowls of Firebrand chili.

Today, you’ll find several parlors serving up tavern-style chili around town, along with many chili cook-offs throughout the region.

Springfield plays host to the Illinois State Fair each August, and one of the best things about attending the fair is sampling the mouth-watering fair food.

An Illinois State Fair staple, the Ethnic Village (located near the main gate) hosts stands with Greek, Jamaican, Cuban, Filipino and other tasty cuisines. Sample the salt water taffy and don’t forget to pop in to the popular Dairy Building for some ice cream dessert.

Traditional fair food is always popular - corn dog or funnel cake, anyone? (It’s worth noting that the corn dog is credited with being invented in Springfield, originally launched as “cozy dogs” in 1946. Springfield’s popular Cozy Dog Drive In still offers the original recipe.)

Each year at the fair, the culinary creativity rises to a new level. (What will be fried next!?)

In fact, discovering the “next wild concoction” is the main goal of the Golden Abe's Fantastic Fair Food Competition, which allows vendors to showcase their talents and imagination while competing with each other.

Past winners have included unique creations like deep-fried s’mores, bacon shrimp mac and cheese, dole whip taco, and turtle funnel cake.

The food truck phenomenon has exploded around the United States, and Sangamon County certainly isn’t pumping the brakes on that trend.

With diverse menu options from upscale fusion to mouth-watering BBQ, there has been a surge of mobile dining around the Springfield area.

The popularity of local food trucks can be observed in well-attended local “food truck meet-ups” such as the MacArthur Boulevard Association’s Bites on the Boulevard and Downtown Springfield’s Street Food Festival.

St. John’s Hospital has offered ‘Food Truck Fridays,’ giving staff and visitors access to new cuisine.

In 2017, Springfield hosted a Food Truck Festival at Conservation World on the state fairgrounds, which featured live music and more than 15 food trucks.

You’ll also regularly find food trucks set up at the Old Capitol Farmers Market, as well as other special events.

Whether you step up to the window of a food truck or order yourself a heaping horseshoe, your empty stomach won’t be rumbling for long. From bar food to bistros, chains and small plates to fine dining, satisfying your cravings is a piece of cake here in Springfield!