{Pappy’s owner Mike Emerson}
People travel great distances to enjoy pulled pork and beef brisket at Pappy’s Smokehouse and Bogart’s Smokehouse, both of which serve big crowds within St. Louis city limits. Now Mike Emerson and Skip Steele, respective owners of those establishments, are throwing a (rib) bone to their fans out west with a new barbecue joint, Dalie’s Smokehouse, at 2951 Dougherty Ferry Road in Valley Park.
“There’s a ton of wonderful people out that way,” Emerson said. “I’ve been in the city for quite a while and had a lot of requests from people who sometimes can’t make it out to the city.”
Set to open in early June, Dalie’s will be located in a space that most recently housed Squeaker’s BBQ & Bar, as reported by St. Louis Magazine.
The menu is not quite set yet, Emerson said, but will feature highlights from both Pappy’s and Bogart’s, plus daily specials. Emerson hopes to take advantage of the kitchen’s flat grills, a feature he doesn’t have at Pappy’s. One dish he’s considering is barbecued meatloaf, which might also appear on the menu at Southern, his other soon-to-open venture with former Quincy Street Bistro chef Rick Lewis.
Unlike its sibling restaurants, Dalie’s will offer beer, most likely local. “It’s something new for us, and I think in this location it’s going to work out very, very well,” Emerson said. “I’ve got a lot of friends in the craft-brewing industry, so I’m anxious to see what they’ve got to offer.”
In addition to seating about 75 people inside and on its patio, the restaurant will offer curbside carryout, which Emerson hopes will appeal to parents with cars full of hungry kids.
Look for familiar faces among the staff when Dalie’s opens, too. “I never like to open a restaurant with a rookie crew,” Emerson said. “Skip Steele and myself will be out there, as well as partners from other restaurants.”
And he plans to spend some time with the owners of his new neighbors at the Valley Park shopping center, The Shack, The Tavern Kitchen & Bar and The Corner Pub & Grill.
“I knew those guys from The Shack when they were down by us,” Emerson said. “I couldn’t have better neighbors. We’re going to make that corner a hot spot to go to. Not only will you see me at Dalie’s; I’ll probably be sitting on their patios as well, so it will be fun.”
-photo by Greg Rannells
This article appears in May 2015.