After a one-year run, smokehouse and bar WildSmoke is closing doors Jan. 10 and will reopen this spring as EdgeWild Bar & Grill. Owner Andy Kohn announced plans for the space at 12316 Olive Blvd., in Creve Coeur today, Jan. 7.
“We’ve been talking over the last couple months,” said Todd Wyatt, director of operations of EdgeWild and WildSmoke. “We added more of a bar area (to WildSmoke) because we didn’t feel we were getting the traction with the spirits and beer. It moved the needle slightly, but not to where we wanted it to be.” Wyatt said while WildSmoke succeeded with the lunch crowds, barbecue is a competitive environment and the restaurant group wanted to grow the EdgeWild brand. Edgewild Winery & Restaurant, located at 550 Chesterfield Center in Chesterfield, opened in 2011.
The new bar and grill concept will focus on traditional bar food, appetizers, sandwiches and iconic dishes from across the U.S., such as a Philly cheesesteaks and po’boys. Other potential menu items include meatloaf, pan-fried chicken and onion rings, with some menu crossover from its sister restaurant. Current EdgeWild executive chef Aaron Baggett will oversee the kitchens at both locations.
The space will also undergo a renovation that includes the addition of a large central bar, which will offer some proprietary EdgeWild wines. Wyatt said he and the restaurant team hope to unveil EdgeWild Bar & Grill by April 1.
This article appears in January 2015.