BELLE — A local favorite with deep community roots, Country Belle Cafe has officially been named Missouri Magazine’s 2026 winner for “Best Greek Food” in the state. The honor, part of the annual Missouri’s Best readers’ poll, recognizes standout businesses and individuals across Missouri for their excellence.

For owners Gene and Sherry Licklider, the award is more than just a title — it’s a culmination of decades of culinary passion, community building, and creative cooking that began with Gene’s first job as a dishwasher at a Greek restaurant. “The family took me in as one of their own,” Gene recalled. “I worked my way up to the food department and fell in love with it.”

When the couple moved to Belle nearly 20 years ago, they saw an opportunity to offer something new. “We wanted to be different,” Gene said. “There were already diners nearby, so we went with Greek cuisine. The rest is history.”

Their menu includes traditional favorites like gyros, Greek salads, and chicken flatbreads, as well as customer favorites like their Friday-night Shrimp Ethan—jumbo shrimp sautéed in butter, garlic, wine, and tomato sauce, served over seasoned rice and topped with feta and toasted pita. “Freshness is our main objective,” Gene said. “Everything is made on the stovetop. No fryer. We don’t use frozen ingredients. We make our sauce from scratch.”

Another standout is Gene’s signature caramel apple baklava, which was born from a surplus of caramel bits his sister ordered for holiday baking. “I had some time off after eye surgery and started experimenting,” he said. “I wanted something that tasted like fall. I ended up with a warm, flaky baklava filled with apple pie filling, drizzled in caramel, and topped with nuts and ice cream. People love it.”

While Gene handles the kitchen, Sherry focuses on the front of the house. “We live upstairs,” she said. “When you come in here, you’re basically coming into our home. We love to visit with everyone. Feeding people is my love language. If someone has a good meal, they’re never crabby.”

Country Belle Cafe has been in operation for 12 years and has employed multiple generations of their family, including their daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and close family friends. “Most everyone who has worked here is family to us,” said Sherry.

As for the recent listing of the building, Sherry explained it was a hard decision. “We’ve had some health problems, and since COVID, the restaurant hasn’t bounced back completely. We’re open part-time now. We’d like to move closer to the grandkids.”

Still, they aren’t ruling out a change of plans. “We’ll stay open until it sells,” Sherry said. “And if some miracle happens and we start making a whole lot of Greek food, then we won’t sell. We’ll stay.”

The couple expressed deep gratitude to the Belle community. “People told us if you’re not from a small town, you won’t be accepted,” said Sherry. “That wasn’t true. We were invited everywhere. They really made us feel welcome.”

“We’ve poured 20 years of blood, sweat, and tears into this place,” Gene added. “I came kicking and screaming—and fell in love right away.”

They also extended congratulations to Seth Klein and Bob’s Frozen Custard, which won Best Frozen Custard for the third year in a row. “We’re so proud of them,” said Sherry. “They’ve grown so much and give back to Belle. It’s great to see two small businesses from one small town recognized across the state.”

Their final message: “Come in and get your Greek on,” Gene said.

“If you haven’t visited us yet, you’re missing out on something special,” said Sherry.

Country Belle Cafe remains open in downtown Belle until further notice.