Restaurants in Concord

Steeped in a rich history that includes incarnations as a general store, a dance hall, and a stagecoach stop, Dreamland Palace dates back to 1875. With more than a century of laughter and good times embedded in its walls, the well-loved building exudes cozy German charm with its architecture, decor, and most important of all, cuisine. Beer steins and the occasional cuckoo clock line the walls of the cottage, and low-hanging Tiffany-style lamps illuminate aromatic plates of wurst, often accompanied by savory cabbage and potato pancakes.

Amid the roar of Cardinals fans from the adjacent Busch Stadium, the Angry Beaver pub pairs mugs of beer with a straightforward menu of burgers, dogs, and brats. Behind the building’s cheerful red façade, mugs clink beneath neon beer signs as DJs spin vibrant music. Outside, a green awning stretches out over a massive patio speckled with umbrellas and tabletops. The bar boasts a staff of nimble and attractive bartenders, saving customers the awkwardness of ordering a drink from a wall gargoyle that never makes eye contact. The joint operates on Cardinals home game days, making it an ideal venue to visit before or after trips to the ballpark.

Serving what the Riverfront Times calls "jazzed-up American-grill standards," Fox Park Grille infuses its starters, sandwiches, and wings with signature touches. The grill's casual atmosphere ushers sports fans and foodies alike to its tables, where burgers stuffed with american, blue, and swiss cheese challenge hands to heft their kaiser rolls. From the meatballs to the sauces, including roasted red pepper, honey mustard, and marinara, the kitchen crafts many eats in-house and remains open until at least 10 p.m. six days a week.

Aside from innovative bar fare, Fox Park Grille also specializes in evening entertainment. Guests vie for the top spot during Wednesday trivia nights, and karaoke singers take the stage on Thursday and Friday. On Saturdays, DJ Rayn spins songs from the ’80s and ’90s for a nostalgic dance party that segues into a fight club for former prom kings.

In the 1930s in Springfield, Illinois, an innovative chef lavished two slices of texas toast with meat, french fries, and cheese sauce. An immediate hit, the savory open-faced treat—christened the horseshoe—has since galloped from diner to diner, moseying to H2 Horseshoe House with help from the restaurant’s founder, a Springfield native. Today H2 reinvents the classic sandwich with more than 10 variations, from buffalo chicken to portobello mushroom. Waiters ferry horseshoes, salads, and desserts onto a sunny patio, or to indoor tables where sports on flat-screen televisions glint off the dining room’s sleek chrome accents. H2 also invites patrons into a hookah lounge, accented with fuchsia walls and hanging lanterns, to sample plumes of peach and mojito-scented smoke, available in tobacco and tobacco-free varieties.

At Kim’s Pizza, pies come in small, medium, large, and heart-shaped varieties. The retro restaurant’s chefs can shape a romantic pizza with a day’s notice, helping diners reinforce their affection or providing target practice for Cupids. Around Kim's, black-and-white-checkered floors and a stainless-steel bar recall mid-century diners, and a pinball machine provides a diversion from reading the menu.

Within the recently renovated historical Temtor Building, artisan sandwich makers craft their menu's masterpieces and build-your-own sandwiches from regional ingredients supplied by local farmers and merchants. Atop each hearty slice of bread, which can include bread varieties such as pretzel rolls and flatbread, the deli pros pile bacon, hot pastrami, or other meat selections before adding crowns of cheese. A house-made sauce such as rosemary olive oil assures each sandwich has a flavor distinctive of Davis Street Market Deli. More than a lunch spot, the deli also serves breakfast and dinner, and guests on the go can also pick up groceries, craft beers, fine wines, and household goods.