Teriyaki Madness has opened its first location in downstate Illinois on Springfield’s north end.
But west-side fans of the Denver-based, fast-casual chain won’t have to drive across town for long to enjoy the brand’s Seattle-inspired teriyaki dishes.
Franchise owner Mukesh Amin said he plans to open a second location on the west side in 2025. A specific site has yet to be identified.
“A friend first told me about Teriyaki Madness,” said Amin, a Springfield resident who has never owned a restaurant before signing a franchise contract this fall with the national chain. “It’s a simple concept – chicken, steak on a grill with vegetables. And it’s good for you.”
Teriyaki Madness opened at 2321 N. Dirksen Parkway on Dec. 15 in the same strip mall that welcomed Chipotle Mexican Grill to the northend a year earlier. Both brands run fast casual operations, offering made-to-order dishes prepared with fresh ingredients.
Teriyaki Madness customers can build their Asian bowls by choosing from a menu of rice, noodles, vegetables, and proteins that range from salmon, chicken, or steak teriyaki to spicy tofu to yakisoba style – a classic Japanese-style, noodle stir fry.
The appetizer lineup features chicken pot stickers, eggrolls, crab rangoon, and edamame.
Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Phone: (618) 765-8232.
Amin signed a three-unit deal for the Springfield market, according to a company press release issued last fall. The North Dirksen Parkway address, however, is the only site that has been identified.
Teriyaki Madness was founded in 2003. Michael Haith – who helped build Maui Wowi Hawaiian Smoothie & Coffee and Doc Popcorn – was brought in to help build the brand when there were only seven locations. Haith – now Teriyaki Madness’s chief executive officer – acquired the company in 2016.
There are more than 130 Teriyaki Madness locations throughout North America.
The brand touted six locations in Illinois before the Springfield opening, but all were located in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Teriyaki Madness was named the fastest-growing big restaurant chain in the nation by Restaurant Business and it came in at 277th slot on Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” company list.
Ice cream parlor to feature scratch-made treats
The Vanilla Bean is poised to bring scratch-made, small-batch ice cream to the Route 66 Crossing Springfield strip mall.
Steve and Meghann Risen are behind the new ice cream parlor scheduled to open at 2339 S. Dirksen Parkway this winter.
The parlor will serve dairy products from the Wisconsin-based Cedar Crest Ice Cream. The family-run business is known for more than 70 flavors of churned ice cream, sorbets, and sherbets sold in both ice cream parlors and pre-packaged for retail sales.
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Of course, there are basics like chocolate and vanilla, although the latter comes in three iterations – churned, French, and deluxe. However, the ice cream brand is known for its creative spin on the frozen treat with selections ranging from Cotton Candy to Campfire S’mores, Jamoca Joe to Playdough, Coconut Explosion to Cookie Monster.
The Vanilla Bean will carry 24 flavors with rotating seasonal varieties, as well as lactose-free options. Scoops will be available in a bowl, cone, or, for a special treat, brownie or cake bowls that are baked on-site.
Papa Johns is back
Papa Johns returned to the Lincoln market this holiday season after more than a decade absence.
Bajco Illinois – the same Canfield, Ohio-based franchise that owns the three Papa Johns in Springfield – owns the new store at 415 Keokuk St.
The menu offers all the standard items found in the brand’s wheelhouse with pizzas, papadias, bowls, sides, and desserts. The Lincoln location, however, is one of the rare sites where bacon-jalapeno cheese sticks are on the menu.
Operating hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Take-out and delivery services are available, as well as a drive-through window. Phone: (217) 651-4090.
Bajco Illinois – a part of Bajco Group – operates more than 200 Papa Johns stores throughout Illinois and Missouri.
The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closings, renovations, and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at (217) 737-7254 or by email at [email protected].
