D&J Cafe

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-Horseshoes for breakfast in Springfield, IL

The 2010 Illinois State Fair is starting later this week down in Springfield and today were going to go to a place you might want to check out for breakfast one morning if your heading downstate for the fair. The D&J Cafe is a Springfield favorite for breakfast and their specialty is the local Springfield favorite, the Horseshoe. On a recent trip to the state capitol I got to stop in at D&J's and try one of their famous breakfast Horseshoes and enjoy a nice spring morning the way the locals do with a newspaper and a home cooked like breakfast from this locals favorite diner that's been around since 1974 and always has a packed parking lot and on most Sundays, a line out the door.

a locals favorite in Springfield, IL

D&J is open until 8p on most days and breakfast is served all day. Its what the people love and one of the best Horseshoes in the area is found here and is most certainly the best one I have had to date. While I have heard that the standard style horseshoe is a very good one and also one of the best around I was here for their breakfast version which comes with two eggs any style, your choice of ham, bacon or sausage served on toast and covered in cheese sauce or sausage gravy and topped with shredded hasbrowns. Sound like alot? it is. These things are no joke and they do have smaller pony sizes available if you don't wanna do it like the locals do. What you don't get alot of here is payment due, this horseshoe is under $8 and can easily feed two.

View from my seat

I opted for my horseshoe with fried eggs, sausage and a half and half combination of cheese and sausage gravy. Here is the BBB (big beautiful breakfast) as it was dropped off by the friendly waitress upon it's being ready for my belly. I liked the sausage gravy side very much and it was a nice homemade version but the cheese was too much for me in the am. I was able to put down most of it and liked everything about the place and it will be in my regular rotation when I'm down in Springfield. If you need a spot for breakfast that is not a corporate below average breakfast spot this is your place. A real mom and pop type stop that every town would love to have. I think Ill get a ham with all sausage gravy next time and would recommend you make a stop here if heading down for the state fair or are ever in town on work, travel or business. For more information about Springfield's famous Horseshoe and other spots of note worth eating the area check out this past report HERE.


Breakfast Horseshoe

D&J Café
915 W Laurel St
Springfield, IL 62704
217-753-1708