Former owners of downtown Springfield restaurant back with weekly carryout

The former owners of a downtown Springfield restaurant are offering catering and a weekly carryout meal from their new location in the basement of the Bushnell Building.

Margaret Mattox and Doug McGregor, former owners of Seasons Bistro and Grille, previously located at 28 S. Limestone St., have opened Seasons Kitchen.

“It’s kind of a work in progress to be honest,” Mattox said.

She explained that after she and her brother closed their restaurant in late May, they had plans to relocate to a smaller space and focus on catering. She said catering is a tough business during the coronavirus pandemic due to the cancelation of events.

“We decided, somewhat on a whim, to go ahead and start offering some ready-to-heat meals,” Mattox said.

On Fridays, they will post a menu that includes entrees and soups to their Facebook page and website. Salads and desserts may also be available depending on customers’ interests. Customers are encouraged to order entrees by Sunday, Mattox said. Limited quantities may still be available for order after Sunday.

Curbside pickup will be 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays on Fountain Ave. near the Greetings from Springfield mural.

In previous weeks, entrees included beef bourguignon, chicken lasagna and chicken marsala. Soups included autumn vegetable and broccoli, cheese and potato. Mattox said each week they are planning to have a gluten-free entree option. Entrees are $15 and soups are $7.50.

Mattox said they are trying to start small and see what they can do with her, McGregor and a former Seasons Bistro and Grille employee.

She told the News-Sun that closing their restaurant was a very hard decision to make.

“We miss the people for sure, but it also has been nice to have somewhat more of a simple day-to-day life,” Mattox said.

The brother-sister team decided to close the restaurant after they experienced a decline in catering and restaurant sales due to the pandemic.

“We wanted the best food and we paid more for that and we wanted to utilize local foods - sometimes those cost more,” Mattox said. “We just got to the point where those things weren’t capable with all of the costs involved and the lack of volume.”

Seasons Bistro and Grille was a regional dining destination for 12 years.

“Doug and I are both excited to be able to focus on more the simple day-to-day of cooking a good meal,” Mattox said.

In the future, she said they could have a second curbside pick-up day and are planning to have a “buy a soup, give a soup” campaign.

“We’re excited,” Mattox said. “It’s kind of a fresh start in a way - building something from the ground up again.”

Seasons Kitchen also offers catering including box lunches, private events, plated dinners or drop-off meals.

For more information, visit www.seasons-kitchen.com or call 937-521-1200.

NOTE: The phone number has been corrected from a previous version of the story.

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