LOCAL EATS
Six Mile Bridge By Mabel Suen
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n the eve of its sixth anniversary, Maryland Heights’ Six Mile Bridge has a brand-new food menu from an acclaimed chef that was designed specifically with the brewery’s products in mind. Ben Welch joined Six Mile Bridge as its executive chef this past summer and will also lead its upcoming Italian concept, Botanica. His menu at the brewery’s tasting room debuted in August. “I love building teams and creating concepts, menus and recipes,” Welch says. “[Co-owner] Ryan [Sherring] is a great guy and lets me do my thing. The reception of the Six Mile menu has been mind-blowing, and I’m excited for the quick growth of the kitchen.” Welch worked with chef de cuisine Stephen Kovac to assemble the offerings, leaving only one item from the former bill of fare intact: warm pretzel bites with pepper jack queso and Irish
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red ale mustard. Familiar favorites on the menu from Welch’s repertoire include a double smash cheeseburger with fry sauce, tomato jam and American cheese on an egg bun, while newer offerings include a Greek quinoa bowl with black quinoa, hummus with preserved lemon, feta, red onion, cucumber, tomato, jam and tzatziki. Dishes were created to pair well with the brewery’s beverages, but Six Mile’s beer is also used in some of the items. The Reuben sandwich’s corned beef, for instance, is prepared with the brewery’s dry Irish stout, and the flourless chocolate torte features ganache infused with Six Mile Bridge Blood Orange Wit. Additional menu highlights include a Nashville chicken sandwich with green goddess-ranch dressing, dill pickles, butter lettuce and Nashville sauce on an egg bun, as well as flash-fried Brussels sprouts with lemon, aioli and Parmesan.
“When we first announced our collaboration, the biggest response was people wondering whether or not we had barbecue here,” says Welch, who has gained a following for his barbecue brand, Big Baby Q and Smokehouse. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a smoker, but that’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility for future endeavors. It feels good to be creating new food for St. Louis.”
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Six Mile Bridge, 11841 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, 314-942-2211, sixmilebridgebeer.com
