7 beer festivals to check out in the St. Louis area this spring
5th Anniversary HullabalooApril 30, White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery, Sparta, Illinois, whiteroosterfarmhousebrewery.comThe White Rooster anniversary party will feature 15 unique beers on draft along with a bottle release. Food from Spud Shack will be available for purchase, and there’s live music by the Banjo Joe Show and Tim Crosby. Free admission. St. Louis MicrofestMay 7, Upper…
What I Do: Phil Billingsley, cheesemonger at Parker’s Table?
Phil Billingsley’s education in cheese began in 2017, when he first joined the team at Parker’s Table to run the sandwich counter, which is located next to the cheese case. Billingsley would step in to help customers if then-cheesemonger Simon Lehrer wasn’t available. “I started tasting the cheeses to learn about them and got really…
The Mainlander Supper Club is hosting midcentury-inspired pop-up dinners in St. Louis
The Mainlander Supper Club is a pop-up dinner series inspired by the often inexplicable dishes of mid-20th century American fine dining cuisine. “If you look at old books from the time, there were a lot of Jell-O molds and kind of weird, made-up dishes,” explained chef Blake Askew (formerly of Bulrush), one of the series’…
Eat this dipped cone at Poptimism at City Foundry STL
We’ve been big fans of Poptimism’s craft ice pops (brought to you by the owners of Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop) since their debut at local farmers markets. While of course the pops are tops (the goat cheese-blackberry and avocado flavors have special places in our hearts), the true must-get at their City Foundry location is…
9 of the most beautiful restaurant spaces in St. Louis
Going out simply hits different post-pandemic. If you’re planning a night on the town, you may as well have the most decadent experience you can. These spaces will whisk you away to a different reality. Tony’sThe long-awaited move from legacy restaurant Tony’s is finally upon us – and it was worth the anticipation. Its updated…
Kingside Diner plans to open Kingside Express outpost in the Delmar Loop in June
Fans of popular local chain Kingside Diner will have more breakfast options on the menu when Kingside Express opens this June at 6170 Delmar Blvd., in the former Thai Cafe space. Owner Aaron Teitelbaum confirmed that he’s planning two further Express concepts after the one in the Loop: one in Midtown’s Cortex district next year,…
Eat this chicken sampler plate at Chez Ali at City Foundry STL
Chef Alioun “Ali” Thiam moved to the U.S. in 1999 and lived in New York City until 2013. After moving to St. Louis and cooking at Chez Mathy, Thiam has brought his superb Senegalese cuisine to Chez Ali at the City Foundry STL. Though his menu changes often, staples like curry chicken, jollof rice, steamed…
Maaji’s Street Kitchen in St. Ann is launching a food truck this summer
Maaji’s Street Kitchen is planning to launch a food truck this summer. The carryout storefront at 3324 N. Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Ann launched last fall and will serve as a commissary for the food truck, which will operate at various to-be-determined corporate locations. Hailing from Northern India, owner Heena Chopra grew up cooking under…
Dirty martinis are having a moment
Nothing feels quite as indulgent and rebellious in a post-pandemic world than sipping from an impractical glass in a cozy, poorly ventilated bar. Throw all health consciousness to the wind and party like it’s 1922. Hell, maybe we’ll take up smoking again. Perhaps this is why the old classic dirty martini is having such a…
Eat this skirt steak sandwich at Buenos Aires Café at City Foundry STL
Buenos Aires Café highlights classics of Argentinian cuisine like empanadas, plantains and meaty sandwiches filled with steak or sausage. The housemade chimichurri shines here, its fresh acidity providing refreshing balance to the rich meats and fried items. We especially love it on the skirt steak sandwich, where it’s used as both a marinade for the…
Chirco’s Pizza will open in Chesterfield later this spring
Chesterfield pizza lovers will have something to celebrate when Vito Chirco’s new pizza concept, Chirco’s Pizza, opens at 14870 Clayton Road later this spring, as reported St. Louis Magazine. “It felt right. It was right in front of the old restaurant [Chirco’s Italian Restaurant],” Chirco explained. “It was previously Mario’s Pizza at that location, and…
First Look: Menya Rui in Lindenwood Park
Menya Rui, the noodle shop from Steven Pursley, is set to open on Thursday, April 21, at 3453 Hampton Ave. in Lindenwood Park. The 24-seat restaurant that started out as a pop-up called Ramen x Rui, has bar seating that gives diners a look into the open kitchen as well as communal seating. On one…
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6 St. Louis dispensaries to visit this 4/20
Now that medical marijuana is readily available across Missouri, we couldn’t be more excited for the cannabis-themed holiday 4/20. Whether you’re into edibles, tinctures, vapes, flower, topicals or all of the above, the following dispensaries are sure to have some excellent options to help you celebrate in style. Most can even help you get your…
St. Louis Earth Day Festival returns to Forest Park this weekend
The annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival is returning this year on April 23 and 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free event will take place on the Muny grounds in Forest Park, organized by local nonprofit earthday365. The festival focuses on engaging the community in sustainable action. “For those of us in…
3 meals that changed James Beard Award semifinalist Elise Mensing’s life
Elise Mensing feels pretty lucky to be a pastry chef. She started out young, baking with her mom, moved on to throwing dinner parties in high school, and, from there, eventually decided to attend culinary school. Now she serves as pastry chef for Brasserie by Niche and has worked for the restaurant group for nearly…
Gioia’s Deli is opening a walk-up window in Maryland Heights later this month
County-dwelling fans of Gioia’s will have another place to snag their beloved hot salami sandwich when Gioia’s Deli opens its new walk-up window at 11855 Adie Road in Maryland Heights on April 25. Owner Alex Donley said they already owned the building. “We call it our hot salami headquarters – it’s already a facility that’s been…
Kohn’s Deli near Creve Coeur is for sale
Longtime kosher institution Kohn’s Deli at 10405 Old Olive Street Road is up for sale, according to a listing on Lawyer’s Realty Co. Owner Lenny Kohn confirmed the sale. “I’m trying to sell it as a continuation of Kohn’s. I would stay and train the new owners,” he explained, pointing out that while business is…
Eat this rotisserie chicken at Chicken Scratch at City Foundry STL
Chicken Scratch co-owner Nate Hereford (formerly the executive chef at now-closed Niche) is slinging some truly delectable chicken in several forms, including sandwiches, rotisserie and salads. The rotisserie chicken is a great place to start. Those traumatized by greasy grocery store grab-and-go birds need not fear; Chicken Scratch’s are delicately flavored and juicy but not…
Drink this juicy red blend this spring
The 2019 Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys brings an otherworldly experience, delivering the wine hug that this winery has provided for over five decades. Three Valleys is made mostly from Zinfandel grapes (73% – just under the 75% minimum required to label it as Zinfandel) from Sonoma County’s Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander Valleys. Soft…
Sugarwitch will open a brick-and-mortar location in the former home of Carondelet Bakery
Sugarwitch, the popular ice cream sandwich pop-up currently stationed in an Airstream trailer on the patio of Olio at 1634 Tower Grove Ave., is putting down some more permanent roots in St. Louis. Co-owners and partners Sophie Mendelson and Martha Bass are shifting ice cream sandwich production to what was formerly Carondelet Bakery, with sandwiches…
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Ericka Frank of The Cakery and The Cup is Ford Hotel Supply’s Chef of the Month
Chef of the Month is sponsored by Ford Hotel Supply. Position: Owner Married? Kids? To my husband of 15 years, Kevin. He came on with the businesses last April as our chief technology officer after working as a software engineer at Boeing for almost 20 years. Our kids are two 14 year old miniature schnauzers named Juli…
Owners of Frida’s and Diego’s will open Bonito Bar this summer in University City
Later this year, fans of Frida’s will get to enjoy a whole new experience when Bonito Bar opens inside the restaurant. “It’s really Frida’s bar,” explained co-owner Natasha Kwan. “We’ve been serving liquor for almost 10 years. Still, no one knows we have alcohol! Oh my god, we’ve had alcohol for so long, but we needed…
Eat this grilled vegetable kebab from Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant in the Grove
The grilled vegetable kebab is one of the standout dishes on the menu at Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant. Vegetables are marinated in a mild Aleppo pepper oil and then seasoned with a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, green onion and sumac. Each vegetable offers a unique texture: The eggplant and zucchini are…
Nadine’s Gin Joint will be reincarnated as Nadine’s Hash House in south St. Louis this spring
A former Soulard mainstay is returning to South City under a new roof with a new name. Nadine’s Hash House will soon open at 1802 S. Broadway St. in the former home of Billie’s Fine Foods, as reported by St. Louis Magazine. Owner Nadine Soaib, formerly of Nadine’s Gin Joint, which closed in August 2021,…
Rigazzi’s? is a St. Louis landmark
At 94 years old, Josephine Aiazzi still comes to Rigazzi’s most days for coffee and sometimes to eat. Josephine’s daughter-in-law is the restaurant’s owner, Joan Aiazzi. Joan describes Josephine’s role as “quality control” – and indeed, few have such an intimate link with this institution on the Hill. Josephine’s late husband Louis opened Rigazzi’s in…
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The St. Louis bar industry loves Una Vida Tequila
When locally owned Una Vida Tequila launched in the St. Louis market in 2018, it was a breath of fresh air for everyone from restaurant and bar owners to servers and bartenders. Una Vida is not your average tequila brand – rather than prioritizing only sales, its owners focus on forging relationships with the frontlines…
2 new St. Louis-area restaurants to try this month
SpoonfulSpoonful, the new cafe specializing in bingsu, a Korean shaved ice dessert, has opened in West County. While they offer a number of items, from bubble tea to coffee drinks made with Blueprint Coffee to taiyaki (a small cake filled with Nutella or red bean paste), the thing to get here is the bingsu. Shaved…
Popular St. Louis Filipino-American restaurant and food truck Guerrilla Street Food for sale
Over a decade after launching, co-owners Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo have decided to sell Guerrilla Street Food. According to Hardesty, the duo will stop operating the business on April 30, and are hoping to transition to a new owner who will keep the brand alive. “We’ve been running Guerrilla Street Food for over 11…
What to order from each spot at City Foundry STL
1. Dipped Cone at PoptimismWe’ve been big fans of Poptimism’s craft ice pops (brought to you by the owners of Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop) since their debut at local farmers markets. While of course the pops are tops (the goat cheese-blackberry and avocado flavors have special places in our hearts), the true must-get at their…
1929 Pizza and Wine to open this fall in Wood River, Illinois
Later this year, Wood River, Illinois, will have a new pizzeria when 1929 Pizza and Wine opens at 7 N. Wood River Ave. 1929 is the brainchild of owners Matt and Amy Herren and business partner Tom DeClue III. The Herrens previously ran concepts in Edwardsville: Matt Herren was an original owner of 222 Artisan Bakery…
6 food & drink events in St. Louis we’re looking forward to this spring
Sauce @ Sophie’s Food Truck WeekendsFriday and Saturday nights, 7 p.m., Sophie’s Artist Lounge, 3333 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.710.5647, Facebook: Sauce @ Sophie’s Food Truck WeekendsSophie’s Artist Lounge in Midtown St. Louis is hosting food trucks outside while DJs spin inside every Friday and Saturday evening. Grab a bite from food trucks like Doggie…
Gallery Pub on Thurman now open in former Thurman’s in Shaw location
Gallery Pub on Thurman has opened in the former home of Thurman’s in Shaw at 4069 Shenandoah Ave. Following a soft opening in early March, the newly revamped spot officially opened on Tuesday, March 8. Dave and Julie Gant now co-own the pub with daughter, Allie Gant, and her fiancé, Dakota Reece. Gallery Pub retains…
