The Horseshoe Tradition

The horseshoe is a Springfield tradition! This local favorite sandwich is just one more claim to fame for Springfield (in addition to Lincoln, being the state capital and Route 66, of course) and, although it might not be world famous, the horseshoe sandwich is well known throughout our region and popular with locals and visitors alike.

The horseshoe was originally created in the late 1920s by chef Joe Schweska at the Leland Hotel. The original recipe of thinly sliced bone-in ham, cut like a horseshoe, and the freshly cut fries (or ‘nails’ in the shoe) gave the sandwich its name.

These days, a typical horseshoe consists of thick-sliced toasted bread (sometimes Texas toast), meat, fries, and cheese sauce. Sounds delicious, right? Well, our horseshoes are made with your choice of 100% Angus burger, smoked pulled pork, grilled or breaded chicken, or grilled or breaded buffalo chicken, plus our hand-cut fries and house made cheese sauce and scallions. For those guests wanting a little extra, we can finish off your Engrained horseshoe with bacon and a fried egg.

We’re proud to serve our guests a Springfield tradition that's not just delicious, but with ingredients sourced from local family farms using sustainable practices. 100% of our beef, pork, and eggs come from farms within an 85-mile radius. We also source some of our cheese, milk, chicken, and produce locally. Our cattle and pigs live in open pastures and our local chickens are cage free year round and free range when weather permits. Our philosophy is all natural, which means fresh, unprocessed, free-range, seasonal, nutritious, chemical and preservative free, and free of hormones, antibiotics, and steroids. With an owner that grew up on a family farm, now raising his own family right here in Springfield, we want to offer only the best for our guests, while also taking care of our neighbors.