Three new spots caught our attention this month, from a colorful neighborhood hangout to an elegant pastry boutique and a polished Midtown newcomer.
JUJUBE INN
If you’ve been trying to snag a reservation at Mainlander since we featured it on our Hit List a few months ago, consider this your backup plan. Jujube Inn, the colorful walk-in-only sibling concept next door from owners Blake Askew and Gordon Chen, offers a more casual way to experience the same thoughtful cooking. No reservation alerts, no prix-fixe commitment, just a concise à la carte menu and a seat if you’re lucky.
Like Mainlander, Jujube Inn excels at balancing bright, fresh flavors with comforting textures. The tempura asparagus is a perfect example. Lightly battered and paired with toasted rice and chile crisp hollandaise, it’s giving french fry but make it veggie. The slippery wontons, filled with Ozark Forest mushrooms and fermented tofu, deliver a savory, spicy punch thanks to a generous slick of chile oil. For something lighter, the spring salad combines local greens and snow peas with Mainlander dressing and plenty of candied Missouri pecans, creating a refreshing counterpoint to the richer dishes.
The menu changes frequently, but when we visited, the monthly Blue Plate Special featured strawberry sweet-and-sour Missouri pork loin with spring peas, plus a shiitake and heirloom tomato salad. The meal ended with a miso-almond blondie that was moist, rich and just a little reminiscent of gooey butter cake.
The food is reason enough to visit, but the space deserves equal billing. Lamps hang from nearly every available surface, quirky treasures are tucked into every corner and vintage touches give the room a playful 1970s vibe. Between the Elvis bust behind the bar, whimsical drink garnishes and a soundtrack of old-school favorites, Jujube Inn is the kind of place where half the fun is simply looking around while you wait for your next plate to arrive.
392 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, mainlanderstl.com/#jujube
CASA PASTRY BOUTIQUE
The pastry case at Casa Don Alfonso’s newly opened Casa Boutique looks less like a grab-and-go counter and more like a jewelry display for people who dream in butter, chocolate and pistachio cream. Tucked inside the restaurant’s lounge space at The Ritz-Carlton, the boutique channels the polished elegance of the Amalfi Coast while offering a lineup of incredible pastries.
The standout might be the Il Limone, a glossy little dome of lemon white chocolate mousse with strawberry confit tucked inside. It’s bright and airy without tipping into overly sweet territory, the citrus carrying just enough sharpness to keep every bite refreshing. The Black Forest cake takes a more dramatic route, layering dark chocolate mousse with cherry for something rich, silky, and deeply balanced instead of heavy. Meanwhile, the pistachio eclair delivers exactly what you want from great choux pastry: delicate structure giving way to smooth pistachio pastry cream with a deeply nutty finish.
Then there’s the strawberry lemon poppyseed cake, topped with white chocolate glaze and strawberry crunch for a little texture against the soft citrus crumb. One dessert is manageable. Leaving with four suddenly feels extremely reasonable.
100 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton, casadonalfonsostlouis.com
AUBREY
Midtown has no shortage of ambitious restaurants, but Aubrey feels like it arrived with a clear sense of purpose. Opened this spring by first-time restaurateurs Spencer Strode and Marcus Johnson in the former Small Batch space, the restaurant aims to deliver polished hospitality without the stuffiness, and after one visit, it’s hard to argue with the results.
The room strikes the right balance between upscale and approachable. The former school building’s upper-level dining room, warm lighting and comfortable furnishings create a space that feels equally suited for date night, cocktails with friends or a full-on dinner. Just as impressive is the service, which manages to be attentive without ever feeling overbearing.
While the menu is concise, start with the whipped feta. Rich, creamy and topped with charred leeks, pepitas and olive oil, it’s surprisingly reminiscent of a really great French onion dip. The house salad is fresh and light, a pleasant way to begin the meal. For an entrée, the steak showcases an 8-ounce wagyu tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and red wine reduction. It’s a classic fine-dining plate executed with confidence and restraint.
The cocktails are where Aubrey really flexes. The Green Room combines cucumber and lime cordial with Prosecco and mint for a refreshing, floral-leaning sipper that practically begs to be ordered on a warm evening. The PM Shift arrives with a sparkling wine sidecar, a playful touch that makes an already delicious cocktail feel a little more special. If tropical flavors are more your speed, Delilah Behind the Bar delivers vacation vibes in a glass. Meanwhile, For the Good Times layers gin, butterfly pea, lavender sherbet and chamomile honey into an intensely spirit-forward cocktail. It’s a strong sipper with floral, Negroni-adjacent qualities that will likely appeal most to guests who prefer their drinks on the boozier side.
3001 Locust St., St. Louis, aubreystl.com
This article appears in July 2026.
