AppleFest kicks off season at Eckert’s and other metro-east foodie news
The owner of a popular Smithton bar and restaurant opens a second location next week in Randolph County.
John Lanterman said that for the last six months, he’s been working to bring a bar and grill to Red Bud. After an interior renovation of the former Uptown Bar & Grill, his new restaurant and bar, No-Jacks South, opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2.
“Red Bud … feels like it needed a bar-and-grill place,” Lanterman said.
The area has options like the higher-end 1860 Public House (102 S. Main St.), The Burnt End (101 E. Market St.) for barbecue, and Dave & Joyce’s Country Kitchen (509 N. Main St.) for breakfast and lunch.
No-Jacks South will be a good place to grab any type of food, he said.
The Red Bud menu is almost identical to the Smithton menu, with some variations among the appetizers, including Red Bud Fries and Fireman Ravs. The Red Bud menu also includes the Buffalo Melt sandwich.
Lanterman said No-Jacks South will offer more of a bar scene than Smithton with the bar on one side of the space, separate from the dining area.
Specialty drinks like the South of Smooth (No-Jacks South’s version of an old fashioned), the Red Bud Rum Runner, The Red Bud Breeze and the Red Bud Rita will be available.
No-Jacks South is located at 123 S. Main St. in Red Bud. Hours of operations are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For updates and other info, call 618-282-8404 or visit the No-Jacks South Facebook page.
Old Bakery Beer welcomes Fuddle Duddle Coffee
Just when I thought Alton’s Old Bakery Beer couldn’t get any better, they up and prove me wrong. Now they have coffee.
Fuddle Duddle Coffee Co. moved into the Old Bakery Beer building, according to a release from the brewery.
The roastery celebrates its official launch this weekend with a “morning filled with delicious brunch specials, hand pulled espresso drinks, limited specialty roasts, and tours of their operation,” stated the announcement.
Fuddle Duddle Coffee was started by C. Fleck and Lauren Rogalsky, whose organically grown coffees are used to create specialty blends, including the Old Bakery Beer Breakfast Blend.
Rogalsky is known as “The Creative One” at Old Bakery Beer. She’s also the sister of James Rogalsky, who founded Old Bakery Beer with wife Lauren Pattan in 2015.
In addition to celebrating the coffee, Old Bakery Beer recently started offering brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The menu includes “Brunchy Beverages” that include Fuddle Duddle Coffee Co.’s offerings, tea, and refreshing adult beverages. The full brunch menu can be viewed online at oldbakerybeer.com.
On Sunday, Aug. 31, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Old Bakery Beer will host the Fuddle Duddle Huddle, which will include the coffee and coffee beer releases, the “Thanks, It’s Vintage” market, brunch specials, music and more.
In addition, Old Bakery Beer just launched its new seasonal menu. Fall eats include the Autumn Spiced Grilled Chicken, Sweet Fall Salad, Harvest Grain Salad, Eggplant Parm Sandwich (vegan), and multiple other items.
The Old Bakery Beer Co. is located at 400 Landmarks Blvd. in Alton. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (brunch) and 2-8 p.m. Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
For more info, call 618-463-1470 or visit oldbakerybeer.com.
Apples galore at Eckert’s Belleville Farm
Spend some time this Labor Day weekend picking apples and enjoying the outdoors at Eckert’s Country Store and Farm in Belleville.
AppleFest kicked off Saturday with live entertainment, wagon rides, activities for the kids, food and, of course, apple picking.
Hours for AppleFest are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through the end of September.
If you don’t fill up on apples, stay for dinner at Eckert’s Restaurant. According to their latest marketing email, all-you-can-eat fried chicken is back on the menu and offered daily.
Eckert’s Belleville Farm is located at 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville. For more information, visit eckerts.com or call 800-745-0513.
Area Scooter’s Coffee locations have new owners
Two area Scooter’s Coffee locations are under new ownership.
Lauryn and Marcus McGlasson, under the name Whoa N Go Metro East LLC, recently acquired the drive-thru coffee shops in Swansea and Fairview Heights.
The McGlassons, who reside in the Springfield area, own other Scooter’s locations including two shops in the state capital, one in Taylorville and another in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are close to opening locations in Linton, Indiana, and Chatham, Illinois.
Lauryn McGlasson said her children’s activities regularly bring them to St. Clair County. When she and Marcus heard that the Swansea and Fairview Heights Scooter’s locations were available, they saw it as an opportunity to become involved in the community.
The couple opened their first Scooter’s location in December 2021. McGlasson said she decided on Scooter’s over other coffee shop chains because of their Americano, which isn’t too bitter for an espresso drink. Her go-to beverage is an Americano with heavy cream.
The O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce, along with the City of Fairview Heights, the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce, and the Village of Swansea, celebrated the new ownership and welcomed the McGlassons with a ribbon-cutting event at the Fairview Heights location this week.
The Swansea and Fairview Heights locations first opened in December 2022 and celebrated grand opening events in January 2023. Both were originally owned by Amit Patel, Nitesh Patel, Zachariah Hamilton.
Scooter’s Coffee was founded by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, in 1998. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, the rapidly growing company now has more than 850 locations across 31 states.
Hours at the Swansea (2700 N. Illinois St.) and Fairview Heights (5709 N. Illinois St.) locations are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information and menu options, visit scooterscoffee.com.
Dewey’s Pizza brings back two seasonal favorites
Dewey’s Pizza announced this week the return of two seasonal faves: The Peach Street pizza and the Harvest salad.
The Peach Street pizza has olive oil, mozzarella, fontina, fresh basil, sweet onions, prosciutto and, of course, peaches, infused with white wine.
The Harvest salad consists of field greens, toasted pumpkin seeds, figs, Boursin cheese, Nueske’s Applewood smoked bacon and Dewey’s own housemade apple cider vinaigrette.
The Peach Street pizza is only available through Monday, Sept. 8.
Area Dewey’s Pizza locations include 425 Regency Park in O’Fallon and 112 E. Vandalia St. in Edwardsville.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 4-10 p.m. Sunday at both locations. For more info, visit deweyspizza.com.
This story was originally published August 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
