A Missouri restaurant on a college campus is a hidden gem, says national traveling site

A Missouri restaurant was named a hidden gem in the United States by a national traveling site.

Its location? On a college campus.

The dining hall inside the Keeter Center , located on the campus of the College of the Ozarks near Branson , received Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best award in the hidden gem category . The award is given to the top 1% of listings in a specific category, like hidden gem restaurants, on Tripadvisor’s website.

Tripadvisor is a worldwide traveling website that sources tips and recommendations from users on places to stay, restaurants to eat, and things to do while visiting a new location.

The Keeter Center’s dining hall, around three hours south of Kansas City , received a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period, the website said.

The dining hall is staffed by students attending the College of the Ozarks and received praise for its farm-to-table meals and locally grown ingredients. When it’s open for lunch, people can walk in and seat themselves, but you may need to book a reservation for dinner, which starts at 4 p.m. every Monday through Saturday.

“The fresh, locally sourced ingredients really shine; don’t miss the smoked prime rib, pecan-crusted trout, and homemade ice cream for dessert,” Tripadvisor said. “With live music and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s a fantastic spot for families or large groups.”

The dining hall currently has a “5/5 rating” on Tripadvisor based on over 5,000 reviews.

Visitors who went to Branson just for the Keeter Center had this to say about the dining hall on Tripadvisor :

“Everyone was friendly, and the dinner was delicious,” one patron said. “This is a must stop for us when visiting Branson. Atmosphere is beautiful and their applesauce is delicious.”

Other restaurants named the Best of the Best by Tripadvisor include:

• That’s Amore, an Italian restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida
• Piccola Cucina Estiatorio, an Italian restaurant in New York City
• Buckhorn Inn, a bed and breakfast in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Nunzio Restaurant + Bar, a fine dining restaurant in Hilton Head, South Carolina
• Petite Boucherie, a French restaurant in New York City