Our Story
The farm-to-table experience, presented in a modern atmosphere with casual prices — and a whole lot of love for Quincy.
Everything made here. Everything from here.
Thyme Square Café is a family-owned restaurant featuring fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced products. Our chefs butcher, cure and smoke the local meats themselves and constantly create new flavors with what local farmers bring through the door.
We opened at 500 Hampshire in 2010. In October 2016 we moved one block to the historic Schott Building and became Thyme Square Bakery & Café — adding hand-made desserts, pastries, ice cream & sorbet, craft beer & cocktails, and an authentic artisan bread bakery.
Our dedication to local food has sent over $1,000,000 to Quincy-area farms — money that keeps circulating through our community.
The Schott Building, 1893.
Designed in the Romanesque Revival style by prominent Quincy architect John Batschy, its four floors housed many businesses — including the legendary Busy Bee Mercantile from 1929 to 2004.
Extensively renovated in 2005 and again in 2016, the property has earned awards from local preservation groups and the State of Illinois.
Meet the Shupes
Chef Cory Shupe
Cory has worked in restaurants for over 25 years — starting right here in Quincy at Kelly's, then with nationally renowned chefs in Bloomington and St. Louis. At Five Bistro in St. Louis he discovered how local farmers can sustain a restaurant and keep prices low.
He butchers, cures and smokes every local meat he serves and bakes every bread from scratch each morning. Cory holds a B.A. in fine art from Illinois State University.
Erica Shupe
Erica runs the business side — bookkeeping, finance and the guest experience — and is the person to talk to about events and specialty orders.
She's been a driving force in downtown Quincy's revitalization, serves on several local boards and committees, and was named one of the Herald-Whig's "Top 20 Under 40" in 2018.
The people behind every plate.
Chef Shupe has personally visited every farm to ensure exceptional farming practices. Also thanks to Knuffman Farm, Pine Hollow Farm, Buckhorn Dairy, The Bushel Basket & Edgewood Orchard.
Crawford Farms
Our #1 local produce source — potatoes, watermelon, sweet corn and crops grown just for us.
Trent Farms Pork
Pasture-raised hogs, no unnecessary antibiotics or hormones. At least two whole hogs a month.
Grassy Hill Farms
Organic, pasture-raised chickens, eggs & Thanksgiving turkeys — 500+ dozen eggs monthly.
Blue Heron Orchard
Missouri's first certified organic apple orchard, farming organically since 1990.
Mill Creek Farm
Family-run since 1995 — produce picked the same day it's sold.
US Wellness Meats
Grass-fed beef from pasture-raised cattle — no added hormones or antibiotics.
Garden Gate Farm
Turkeys, produce, rolled oats and even the wood chips for our smoker.
Queen's Crop Honey
Raw local honey for our honey butter and the pantry shelf.
Valley View Harvest
Living greens, delivered fresh.
Momma Bee's Garden
Produce and fresh flowers.
Boones Knob Berry Farm
Seasonal berries for jams, tarts & panna cotta.
Little Man Syrup
Pure maple syrup for every stack of pancakes.
15 years of awards — thanks to you.
Quincy has named us Best Breakfast nearly every year since 2016. We're also proud to be part of the Illinois Office of Tourism's Illinois Made program.
Thyme Square Café opens at 500 Hampshire St. · "Best New Business," Historic Quincy Business District
"Best Business," Historic Quincy Business District
National nominee, "Innovation in Sustainability" — National Restaurant Association
Moves & expands into the Schott Building as Thyme Square Bakery & Café · first "Best Breakfast" win
BBB Torch Award for Outstanding Ethical Business Practices · Erica named "Top 20 Under 40"
Best Café — Restaurant Guru · TripAdvisor Top-Rated, Local & Regional
Recognized by the Illinois Made program
"Best Breakfast" and "Best Burger" — Herald-Whig Reader's Choice
"Best Local Restaurant, Quincy" — Restaurantji
"Best Breakfast" for the 10th time · TripAdvisor Top-Rated, Regional
Best Café — Restaurant Guru
Eat local. Earn rewards.
Earn points on almost every dollar you spend — in the café, online or in the Toast TakeOut app — and redeem them for money off your order. Watch for double & triple points days, plus a birthday reward.
Sign up anywhere
At the register with your phone or email, online, or in the Toast app.
Earn automatically
Link your card and points add up every visit.
Redeem easily
Rewards apply as a discount in-store or online.
Birthday treat
A birthday reward redeemable in the café.
Join the teamWe're always looking for good people.
Love food, hospitality and our community? We have very low turnover and a team that genuinely loves what they do.