Restaurant veteran opens south-side food truck

A veteran in the restaurant industry has teamed up with a couple of her friends to launch a food truck in southwest Springfield.

Jan. 12 was opening day for The Gypsy High-End Eatables & Desserts LLC, which is set up in the parking lot of the Revival 98 dispensary at 2782 W. Republic Road. Stephanie Wigger said she co-owns the venture with longtime friends Jake Waters and Emily Wade.

Wigger said the trio, who are among the six-person staff for The Gypsy, also work together at downtown bar Best of Luck Beer Hall. Getting the food truck ready was a nine-month process, she said.

“We got it from a friend – hadn’t been used for a while – so we completely gutted it down to the frame and rebuilt it,” she said, adding the three did 90% of the renovation work.

Wigger declined to disclose startup costs or lease terms with Revival 98, noting she got permission from friend and dispensary co-owner Grant Wistrom to operate the food truck in its parking lot.

It’s a return to ownership of an eatery for Wigger, who formerly owned Farm Fresh Steakhouse & Bakery LLC. The Nixa restaurant, which originally opened in 2017 in Highlandville, also had a food truck but closed in 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Wigger said she then began private chef work and consulting for restaurants, in addition to her employment at Best of Luck. She said her industry experience extends back to the 1990s, which included time at Nakato Japanese Steakhouse and former downtown restaurant Bijan’s Sea & Grille.

Fans of Farm Fresh may recognize some of the selections on The Gypsy’s menu, she said.

“A lot of the things that are on the menu are things we did as specials,” Wigger said. “Everything we make ourselves, like every sauce, every dressing. We source locally, whenever we can find things. During season, most of our produce will be grown by local farmers.”

The Gypsy’s entrees, served over mashed potatoes, cavatappi noodles or rice, include beef stroganoff, chicken marsala and coconut curry. Vegetarian options are provided by substituting the protein for portabella mushrooms. The eatery also has sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads and baked goods, including cakes, cookies and brownies.

“Also, most of our food is gluten-free,” Wigger said. “Every single ingredient is cooked separately. So, each dish can be modified to anyone’s dietary needs.”