Take a Food-Fueled Road Trip in Missouri

For a century, Kansas City has perfected its version of "low and slow" barbecue, and Char Bar Smoked Meats and Amusements pays homage to the many great pitmasters who have gone before them. The southern-inspired smokehouse combines a love of great beer with legendary barbecue competitor Mitch Benjamin's expertise and his award-winning "Meat Mitch" sauces. The menu also features inspired meat-free options. A 10,000-square-foot beer garden offers backyard amusements, such as lawn croquet, bocce and ping-pong, to create a new kind of playground where carnivores, herbivores and locavores co-mingle and are affectionately known as "Charbarians."

Located in Hermann, the Vintage Restaurant is housed in Stone Hill Winery's circa 1847 carriage house and horse barn. The restaurant serves German specialties, including schweineschnitzel and spaetzle, as well as steaks, American dishes and Stone Hill wines. Reservations are highly recommended.

Ocean fish and steaks are coupled with a full bar and an extensive wine list at JB Hook’s in Osage Beach. Take in the impressive bluff-top view from the outdoor patio and the dining room that overlook the Lake of the Ozarks.

Find authentic Italian food and atmosphere at Bruno’s Italian Restaurant, located in a beautifully restored circa 1905 building in downtown Springfield. Sample the wines made from grapes grown at Bruno's vineyard.

Housed in a historic building that showcases fine craftsmanship from the early 1900s and features an art deco-style bar, Wilder’s Steakhouse takes you back to an earlier era. The Joplin restaurant specializes in hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood and more. Reservations are recommended but not required.