When in Missouri, give Lambert’s a try

If you’re passing through Ozark or Sikeston, Missouri, you’ll probably hear of an enormous building with a dark emerald sign that reads “Lambert’s Cafe” in gold letters. On the incoming signs, you’ll see more advertisements for it, where it’s deemed the “Home of the Throwed Rolls”. Though it may seem odd at first, be sure not to pass it up. It’s a Missouri treasure, especially if you’re hungry.

Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by a comfortable, southern diner-like atmosphere where vintage posters and memorabilia cover the walls. Waiters in blue shirts, red suspenders, branded baseball caps, and red bow ties will both seat and serve you.

Your drink, no matter what you order, will come in a huge 32-ounce cup. The menu features southern classics such as chicken gizzards and country-fried round steak. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might even treat yourself to some famous Lambert’s hog jowl.

Portion sizes are generous, to say the least, and every meal includes access to pass-arounds: macaroni and tomatoes, fried potatoes and onions, black-eyed peas, fried okra, and, of course, their famous rolls with a side of apple butter or sorghum molasses. Waiters will come around and offer you these sides throughout your meal, and you can eat as many as you’d like. When it comes to the rolls, waiters will wander the restaurant with steaming trays of plush bread, loudly asking who wants one. You raise your hand, and the waiter will throw a roll to you, no matter how far across the restaurant you may be.

Yet again, the rolls are unlimited. One thing is for sure about Lambert’s: they make sure you don’t leave hungry.

Lambert’s Cafe’s roots go all the way back to March 1942, when Earl Lambert and his wife Agnes, with 14 cents, borrowed $1,500 from Tish Jones and opened their business. The building had a 9-stool counter and only 8 tables, making a seat capacity of a mere 41. Times were tough, and with World War II rationing making restaurant operations incredibly difficult, the future didn’t seem bright for Lambert’s and its five employees. Nonetheless, it managed to hang on and developed a policy of serving vegetables, meat, and dessert to every person who walked through the door. Though the future was uncertain at the time, we can now see that Lambert’s managed not only to survive, but to thrive. The business boomed and is now considered a Missouri landmark. In 1976, the owners’ son, Norman Lambert, took over.

This was when the famous ‘throwed rolls’ scheme was devised.

Norman tells a story of a busy day that same year when the lunch rush made it difficult to pass out rolls in the traditional manner. The crowd was becoming irritable, and one man told him, “Just throw it!” So, he did. Soon, it became the cafe’s most recognizable aspect. The atmosphere immediately shifted. Where passing food had once been work, it was now fun for both employee and customer alike. Norman was a huge fan of this shift, stating that, “We have never been, nor ever will be, a suit and tie joint. We prefer that you come hungry, leave full, and hopefully have a laugh or two”.

As of 2026, to say Lambert’s Cafe is thriving would be an understatement. They always seem to be busy, and they get extra revenue from the RV park they have behind their establishment.

After Norman’s passing, Scotty Lambert, his son, took over management of the Missouri locations, and, if things keep going the way they are now, it seems as if his children will likely take it over in the future. So, if you’re passing through Missouri, make sure to keep an eye out for the “Home of the Throwed Rolls”, especially if you’re starving for both some food and some fun.

When in Missouri, give Lambert’s a try

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