Restaurant news: Where to try the vegan challenge in Springfield; a barbecue spot closes

This week in Springfield-area restaurant news: A dozen places to try the Vegan Chef Challenge and one less barbecue place.

Where to try the Vegan Chef Challenge starting Monday

The Vegan Chef Challenge starts Monday, Jan. 1, and a baker's dozen Springfield restaurants are participating: Amici, Aviary Cafe, Brunch Box, Cafe Cusco, Craft Sushi (both locations), Greek Belly, Not'cho Ordinary Taco, Jamaican Patty Co., Skullys, The Order, The Sandwich Scene, The Wheelhouse and Van Gogh’s Eeterie.

From Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, people will be able to sample vegan dishes and then vote on their favorites. Winning dishes will be announced in February. Guests can vote for their favorites either at the restaurants or online. For details, check out veganchefchallenge.org/springfieldMO.

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Gettin' Basted closed

According to Gettin' Basted - Springfield's Facebook page, the company updated its hours "about a month ago" to reflect that the location at 3242 S. Stewart Ave. had closed.

The barbecue restaurant opened in Springfield in 2021.

Previous reporting from October indicated that the landlord of Gettin' Basted's building was looking for a new tenant. Gettin' Basted owner Brad Leighninger told the News-Leader in October that Gettin' Basted lease ends in 2025 but that they might vacate the building earlier. Leighninger said the restaurant would reopen in a different Springfield location, if this were the case.

As of press time, Leighniger had not confirmed whether there was a new location.

Susan Szuch reports on health and food for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 417 restaurant news: Vegan challenge starts; barbecue spot closes