Lousies on the Loop

Anew casual Delmar Loop eatery specializes in loose meat sandwiches, a classic style of sandwich that was popularized in the Midwest nearly a century ago but never quite hit the St. Louis area. Lousies on the Loop debuted in University City in late October with its take on the loose meat sandwich – including vegan and breakfast options – alongside a menu of Southern-inspired sides, salads and desserts.

The concept comes from married duo Daniel and Kelle Boyer. The couple previously owned and operated their own pickle business, The French Pickler, in New Orleans before moving to St. Louis. For Daniel, who grew up in Bowling Green, Missouri, returning to the Midwest to open his first restaurant brought his culinary career full circle.

Daniel started working in restaurants at age 13 before moving to Austin, Texas, to attend culinary school. He went on to work for the RitzCarlton in Colorado for a season before jumping on an opportunity for the company to transfer to New Orleans. He and Kelle met a few years later while working at a restaurant together. With Lousies on the Loop, the Boyers bring their experiences in hospitality to a small St. Louis storefront that serves casual fare six days a week.

“Loose meat sandwiches or hamburgers are something I grew up with in northern Missouri,” Daniel Boyer says. “They’re prolific in Iowa, Illinois and the Tri-State region. “I love them and hadn’t seen them in St. Louis, so I thought there’d be a niche to fill. That’s kind of where it all got started.”

Boyer grew up with the Maid-Rite franchise’s version of the sandwich, which he says features hamburger cooked on a steam table. His version features plenty of unique touches, beginning with beef ground in-house daily, seasoned and cooked on a flat top with grilled onions. When it’s time to assemble a sandwich, the savory concoction is browned over high heat on the flat top – in similar fashion to a smashburger – to achieve crisp edges, is topped with cheese (American, Swiss or blue) and served on toasted buns with yellow mustard and house pickles.

A vegan Lousie features chopped button and cremini mushrooms prepared in a similar manner to the ground meat version. All sandwiches can be topped with mayonnaise, lettuce, sliced onions and seasoned tomato. Sandwiches can be purchased à la carte or as part of a combo or family meal.

Side options include Cajun-seasoned potato salad with corn, celery, pickles and peppers; blue cheese coleslaw with a seasonal pickle garnish; mushroom and wild rice risotto; and Backer’s potato chips from Fulton, Missouri. For dessert, Lousies offers options including a traditional New Orleans-style pecan bread pudding, as well as Jell-O creations in flavors such as caramel apple.

Breakfast options, available all day, include a Lousie omelet sandwich, oatmeal, grits and a platter with two eggs cooked your way and hash browns, toast and preserves.

“It’s been great to have a lot of support from the neighborhood and the community; we really just want to build something new here for people to enjoy,” Boyer says.

Lousies On the Loop is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ln

Lousies On the Loop, 567A Melville Ave., University City, 314-696-2002, instagram.com/lousiesontheloop