Macklind Avenue in the Southampton neighborhood will soon see yet another restaurant joining its burgeoning ranks. Owner Nhat Nguyen plans to open Copper Pig in mid-summer alongside neighborhood establishments like The Mack Bar & Grill and Macklind Avenue Deli and more recent additions like Russell’s on Macklind and Grapeseed.
Nguyen, who used to own now-shuttered Urban on South Grand, is currently renovating the space at 4611 Macklind Ave., which once housed an eco-friendly home goods store. “I bought the building in July and have been (working) with it ever since then,” he said. The 2,200-square-foot space will seat 40 to 50 inside, and Nguyen plans to install large panel windows in front that will open to let in fresh air in lieu of a patio.
Nguyen envisions The Copper Pig as a gastropub serving elevated bar food like pork belly and maduro Cubans. Look for a few dishes with Asian influences, too, like fish sauce-marinated wings and bulgogi cheesesteaks. Once a liquor license is approved, the bar will serve a wide variety of draft and bottled brews from the St. Louis area, as well as European and Belgian styles.
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2015.