After finding a gap in St. Louis’ options for the Latino dishes they grew up eating, Julieta Feliz and Rodolfo Martinez teamed up to bring something new to the city. On Nov. 15, they launched Fresh & Chill in the Tower Grove South neighborhood of South City. Located at 4621 Beck Ave., Fresh & Chill brings together American comfort food with classic Latino specialties.
“Our vision was to open a place where people can experience the warmth and relief we feel at home. There are so many things going on right now, so much tension, so much stress. So, we wanted to provide a space for people to go and literally chill and unwind. We wanted to pair that with good food and unique flavors that can transport you to various Latin American countries,” Feliz said.
Though not related, Feliz and Martinez find commonality in the way their lives have been surrounded by family and food. Martinez is from Michoacan, Mexico, and brings years of restaurant experience, while Feliz draws inspiration from her California childhood, where her mother’s cooking was a constant source of community. In crafting their menu, the pair wanted to include items that were personal to how they were raised and a reflection of their multicultural team.
“My husband is from the Dominican Republic and there’s a traditional plate from there called los tres golpes “the three hits” you can’t really find that anywhere in St. Louis, so we have it at our restaurant,” Feliz said. We have classics from Central and South America and the Caribbean. We’re just trying to try to bring a little bit of home to St. Louis.”
Fresh & Chill is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and until 6 p.m. on Friday through Sunday. Holding a capacity of 284 guests, there are two levels in their space, with a private room in the upper level that can be rented out for parties of any celebration. The restaurant is open and bright allowing guests to relax and enjoy comfort food at any meal of the day.
“It has a really good feng shui about it, coming from the kitchen, then you pass the lower level, and then go up into the upper level. Then we also have a patio stage in the back, and then our bar is right in the center and easily accessible between both places,” Feliz said
Feliz credits success to their chef Jacobo Berman, who is not afraid to change up traditional American meals. An example of this is their twist on chicken and waffles, replacing chicken with lamb chops for added flavor.
“I think a lot of that comes from our chef. He is very bold and fearless in trying new things when we discussed the concept of the menu. One of our customers described it as eclectic. He was not afraid to combine flavors and ingredients in a nontraditional way,” Feliz said
It was important for owners Feliz and Martinez to keep the foundation of classic American meals with the twist of Latino flair added in. With their inviting atmosphere and fresh meals that make guests feel right at home, Fresh and Chill is changing the game in St. Louis.
“Our restaurant came to life out of a love for sharing a meal with someone, with a group of people. We share our love through food, conversation and memories,” Feliz said.