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BeST NeW ReSTAURAnTS Lox o n a Se sam e S e e d B i a ly f r o m songbird, one of the best new r e s ta u r a n t s o f the year, p. 1 6

December SAUCE S T. L2021 O U I S ’ I N D E P E N D E N T C U L I N A R Y A U T H O R I T Y // S A U C E M A G A Z I N E . C O M // saucemagazine.com F R E E , D E C EIM B E RMAGAZINE 2 0 21 I 1

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DECEMBER 2021 • VOLUME 21, ISSUE 10 Allyson Mace Meera Nagarajan Liz Wolfson Lauren Healey Adam Rothbarth Lauren Healey Meera Nagarajan Michelle Volansky Mary Andino Julia Calleo, Alexander Grman, Danny Hommes, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Christina Musgrave, Greg Rannells, Madison Sanders, Carmen Troesser CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Julie Cohen, Lauren Healey, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Michael Renner, Adam Rothbarth, Michelle Volansky, Liz Wolfson ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Allyson Mace ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Angie Rosenberg EVENTS COORDINATOR Amy Hyde LISTINGS EDITOR Amy Hyde INTERNS Hannah Freiberg, Nick Messina

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St. Louis, MO 63103 December 2021

contents D EC E M B E R 2 02 1

editors' picks

features

9 EAT THIS

16

Crab zeppoles at Botanica

by liz wolfson 10 DRINK THIS Brooklyn cocktail

by ted and jamie kilgore 14 ELIXIR Wine menus with something to talk about

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS

The 9 restaurants that won our hearts this year by lauren healey, michael renner, adam rothbarth, michelle volansky and liz wolfson COVER DETAILS BEST NEW RESTAURANTS Lox on a sesame seed bialy from Songbird, one of the best new restaurants of the year. Learn more on p. 16.

Cannoli from Vitale's Bakery, p. 46

PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

by julie cohen

last bite 38 WHAT I DO Sommelier Patricia Wamhoff

by liz wolfson 46 LANDMARK

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM this month when Sauce joins St. Louis on the Air.

Vitale's Bakery

PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

by adam rothbarth

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

Eat This The crab zeppoles at Botanica are round pockets of dough laced with chopped crabmeat and served atop pools of preserved lemon remoulade and cocktail sauce. Though he feels it’s a bit early to make a definitive call, executive chef Ben Welch suspects the zeppoles could become the new restaurant’s signature dish. “It seems like every table orders them,” he explained. It’s easy to see why: The savory pastries deliver the flavors of a seaside crab boil in each crisp, airy bite.

PHOTO BY JULIA CALLEO

Botanica 2490 Taylor Road, Wildwood, 636.821.1233, botanicastl.com

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

The Brooklyn cocktail has evolved since it first appeared in print in 1908. Most modern versions are on the drier side. Our version is 2 ounces Rittenhouse Bonded Rye, 1 ounce Dolin dry vermouth, ¼ ounce maraschino liqueur, ¼ ounce Bigallet China-China Amer and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir ingredients together with ice for 45 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Express a lemon twist over the drink’s surface.

The result is a softly bitter, nutty variation of the Manhattan.

Bartenders Ted and Jamie Kilgore are co-owners of Planter’s House.

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PHOTO BY CHRISTINA MUSGRAVE

DRINK THIS

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PA RTN ER CON TEN T

or can simply be sipped alone. This rum has aromas of red fruits, honey and toasted nuts with superb flavors of wood, vanilla and baked apples, and a smooth, well-balanced finish. $35.99

he panic of last-minute gift giving can elicit high blood pressure in nearly anyone this time of year, but luckily your neighborhood spirits store has everything you need to fill those 11th hour stockings.

Finally, whiskey may be the most overwhelming category, but fear not for there are several guaranteed wins out there. The newly launched Fistful of Bourbon (a blend of five straight bourbons) makes for a wonderful Old-Fashioned and can be enjoyed neat. $19.99. Looking for something a little more creative? Tullamore DEW XO Rum Cask adds a finish of sweet caramel by secondarily maturing the product in Demerara rum casks. $29.99. Need to hit a home run?

Glenfiddich Small Batch 18-Year fills the need for both connoisseurs and amateur whisky enthusiast alike by being matured in both ex-bourbon barrels and Olorsso sherry casks. $99.99

While gifting a beautiful bottle of booze may not be ground-breaking, people traditionally gravitate to the big displays of cardboard boxes filled with a bottle of spirit and two cheaply made glasses calling it a day.

But you can do better!!! If you want to watch your recipient’s eyes truly light up when opening your gift, a little consideration can go a long way.

If your recipient ordered a cocktail, whether you remember the specific cocktail is largely irrelevant as the base spirit most likely consisted of vodka, gin, rum, tequila or whiskey. While this doesn’t narrow your choices much, you can feel comfortable purchasing a bottle in any of these categories as cocktail enthusiasts are typically a transient bunch and enjoy a wide variety of tipples.

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If you’re going with tequila, elevate your selection to something a little more luxurious than the norm with Milagro Barrel Select Silver.

Unlike most silver tequilas, it is mellowed for an average of 45 days in both American and French oak barrels, resulting in a fine sipping tequila that is perfectly balanced and full-bodied. $39.99 PHOTO COURTESY OF W. GRANT

First, ask yourself a question: Have I ever drank socially with this person?

If so, can I remember what they ordered? Was it a cocktail or, better yet, a straight shot of whiskey?

Answering this simple question could be the key to unlock the perfect gift.

If vodka is more their speed, choose one from somewhere exotic like the wonderful island of Iceland! Reyka Vodka uses pure Icelandic spring water and is filtered twice through hand-picked lava rock before bottling. $19.99 Gin is another popular choice for cocktails these days, and the limited release of Hendrick’s Lunar is a delightfully smooth and alluring gin that offers a delicate balance of gentle spice, subtle floral notes with a soft citrus finish, best enjoyed during casual nights at home and is a

curious companion for sundowners and starry nights with friends.

Premium rum has also been making a huge comeback recently, and the Single Estate Flor De Cana 12-Year makes an unbelievable daiquiri

So before you embark on that spirits store shopping trip, remember to ask yourself one key question about your recipient, and then let your heart lead the way.

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

Wine Menus With Something to Talk About

BY JULIE COHEN BORED OF DRINKING YOUR SAME OLD WINE ON YOUR SAME OLD COUCH? VENTURE OUT TO PERUSE ONE OF THESE RESTAURANT WINE MENUS. WITH SOME, YOU CAN EVEN BRING THAT WINE BACK HOME.

Annie Gunn’s

Acero

For the past 19 years, Annie Gunn’s has won Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence – the longest run for any restaurant in Missouri. With a wine menu that’s roughly the size of the Torah, it’s hard not to think of Annie Gunn’s first when it comes to noteworthy wine lists. What you might not know is that in addition to its 35-page wine menu featuring nearly 1,000 entries, the gem of Chesterfield also carries around 45 wines by the glass at all times. The best part is every wine by the glass can be sampled.

With an all-Italian wine list, Acero’s lengthy menu covers all of Italy’s famous wine regions, including favorites such as Chianti, Barolo and Brunello. What really sets the menu apart, though, is that it also features wines that aren’t seen very often outside of Italy, such as some fantastic whites from Collio, the lesser-known northeastern Italian wine region that hugs the border of Slovenia. Another plus about the menu is its range in pricing: If you love a Barolo and want to spend $400, there’s one of those for you.

But if you love Barolo and want to spend something more along the lines of $60, there’s one of those too.

Fun fact: To wine director Glenn Bardgett’s knowledge, Annie Gunn’s wine list is currently the only one in the U.S. featuring all 10 Cru Beaujolais (single-village wines that are stylistically similar to the betterknown and higher-priced Burgundy).

“It was a challenge of mine that I started about 10 years ago,” Bardgett said. “I’ve always loved them, but I’d never seen all 10 on a list.”

16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, 636.532.7684, anniegunns.com

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A final thing we love about Acero’s menu: the quartino. If you’re one of those people who never thinks your wine glass is big enough (who doesn’t?!), you will love the quartino.

Instead of a standard 6-ounce pour, a quartino is one-third of a bottle, or a glass and a half.

Fun fact: Acero is currently running a special offering patrons

40% off wine bottles under $200 when they add a bottle to their takeout order.

7266 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.644.1790, acero-stl.com

Vicia Vicia’s bottle inventory reflects the restaurant’s commitment to sustainable farming, with most of its wines being made with minimal to no manipulation. But to take that ethos further, now the restaurant’s other mission – being zero waste – has also become a part of its wine program. Since reopening its dining room, Vicia has been serving a three-course tasting menu where patrons can add on sommelier-selected wine pairings. “The wine pairings have become so popular that not a lot of people were ordering other wines by the glass,” explained Kara Flaherty, beverage director for Vicia and Winslow’s Table. When a guest would order a glass of wine that wasn’t part of a wine pairing, often a few days would pass before someone else ordered that same wine, meaning the open bottle had become too old to serve. The restaurant felt this didn’t hold true to its no-waste ethos, so it expanded the selection of wines available through its Coravin system (a way of opening wine that enables you to pour without uncorking the bottle, keeping the wine fresh much longer) to its entire inventory, which offers between 55 and 60 bottle options.

The Side Project Cellar Good news for the oenophile whose friends prefer beer: Side Project Cellar has a legitimately good wine selection. The list is highly curated: There are only two reds, two whites and one rosé, which feels like a pro move; even if a lot of people aren’t ordering wine, at least you know that the uncorked bottle they’re pouring your glass from wasn’t last opened in 1998. Manager Laura Therina explained, “We keep our wine list pretty small because we are aware that most guests are coming in for Side Project beer, but we try to keep the wine list as exciting as it can be for guests that are coming in for the purpose of drinking something other than Side Project and Shared beer.”

Therina and co-manager Roilen Ivester put together wine lists that provide a lot of choice within a slim format. “We like to give people the choice between light-bodied wines, full-bodied wines and wines from different regions and countries,” Therina said. Within that format, the selection rotates often. Each option we tried was fabulous, and the Cellar makes clear that it knows exactly how to store and serve wine, listing the temperature at which each is served on its menu just as it does its beers.

“As popular as Side Project beer is, we like to be known as a beer, wine and whiskey bar,” Therina said.

Fun fact: Vicia has a featured winemaker and/or region every month that reflects the restaurant’s current seasonal menu.

Fun fact: The Cellar almost always has one blend on its menu; last month’s was a Stem Rosé cider, a blend of offdry cider and red wine. While the idea of blending anything with wine is a bit controversial, if you’re going to try it, you might as well do so at a place you can trust to pick an excellent one.

4260 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.553.9239, viciarestaurant.com

7373 Marietta Ave., Maplewood, sideprojectbrewing.com/pages/the-cellar December 2021

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

GLENN BARDGETT, WINE DIRECTOR AT ANNIE GUNN'S December 2021

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BeST THE 9 RESTAURANTS THAT WON OUR HEARTS THIS YEAR by lauren healey, michael renner, adam rothbarth, michelle volansky and liz wolfson

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root food + wine

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ROOT FOOD + WINE PHOTOS BY GREG RANNELLS

Over the river and through the woods, heading west past Chesterfield, taking Missouri 94 down another 16 miles of rural, winding, two-lane road ... to Root Food + Wine we go. Nestled among the backroads and small homes and businesses of Augusta, deep in wine country, Root offers a concise selection of starters, plates and sweets available a la carte or as a prix-fixe menu (special sandwiches, along with the full dinner menu, are served at lunch on Saturdays).

Unless you live in the neighborhood, it’s probably out of the way for you. That was not by design, according to chef-owner Philip Day, but it’s worked out so far. “It really wasn’t part of the plan – it just kind of happened that way. You can’t really control when you have the opportunity,” he said. “You’ve got the Katy Trail, you’ve got people that are traveling, you’ve got people who are willing to drive out here because they like the idea of a destination restaurant.” And, December 2021

of course, there are people who are visiting the local wineries who want to stop in for a nice meal.

Root is a rare farm-to-table restaurant that actually feels like it’s cooking and serving the environment that it’s in, and the food is distinctly Missourian. For Day, it’s just about letting local ingredients drive his menu, which changes weekly. “I think it’s easier to have that feeling when my mushrooms come from the area, and my produce and my beef and trout come from Missouri,” he said. “When you have that, it pushes you in that direction, and that’s something that we’ve wanted to try to convey through the food.” Depending on when you visit, you’ll find everything from jelly made from Augusta Winery port and Little Gem lettuce from Lucky Dog Farm to Buttonwood Farm chicken and Rockbridge trout. The ricotta is made in-house from local dairy, while the sourdough comes from a

6-year-old starter.

A meal at Root, especially if you’re doing one of the chef ’s tastings, is a rustic journey that mirrors the drive to Root – beautiful and surprising, with plenty of scene changes.

The sourdough with miso butter was funky and hearty, while the venison pastrami with whole-grain mustard and horseradish froth transported us to the forest deli of our dreams. The Little Gem salad with green goddess dressing was tangy and creamy, perfectly savory and balanced with gorgeous, microplaned, cured farm egg and white cheddar atop. The O’Fallon mushroom soup featured a rich-but-clean, dashi-style broth (made using smoked mushrooms) that worked spoton with the barley and radish it was poured over tableside. A unanimous highlight was the delicious, juicy smoked quail, which came with tasty apple compote, pumpkin puree and tender cabbage – it embodied the fall vibe we longed for.

Day, who has taken the Court of Master Sommeliers’ introductory course, put together the wine list, which features a good blend of local, New World and Old World bottles and offers plenty of options that pair well with his food. With this kind of cuisine, it’s especially fun to test out different wines to find what works for you. We enjoyed the 2019 Cave La Comtadine, a grenache from Cotes du Rhone, France, during the entree stretch of one meal, but during dessert, we loved trying the Noboleis Volume VI port-style wine, made just two miles from the restaurant.

The cocktail menu, developed by bartender Dylan O’Hara, is full of fun and weird drinks like the Cherry Sour, a bourbon cocktail mixed with three different forms of cherry (including a pinot noir foam infused

with cherry bitters). But it’s the Pepper PhD, which I’ve ordered on every visit, that’s absolutely transfixed me.

It’s like a spicy, earthy Dr. Pepper Old-Fashioned, but the Dr. Pepper flavor comes organically from the addition of a mysterious blend of components that replicate the soft drink’s famous 23 proprietary flavors. I didn’t even bother to ask what the cocktail’s secrets were because it was more fun to just think about it.

Root’s service is lighthearted and unpretentious; servers are friendly and even make jokes, but they can detail the nuances of dashi or which local wine you should pair with your food. Weathered, wood-handled knives and cute, themed salt-and-pepper shakers make you feel like you’re dining in an old, countryside bed and breakfast.

The pacing of the tasting menu is like the Fibonacci sequence: Plates came in quick succession at first, and then slower and slower, until we eased effortlessly into the bill and back out onto the road home. And there’s a delicious, complimentary bite that comes at the end, but I won’t spoil what it is.

Root Food + Wine is the most exciting kind of restaurant, one that’s always searching and changing, always trying to keep up with the environment around it. And that, of course, is the essence of farm-totable. It’s about symbiosis.

“Working with other small businesses … they help you, you help them, you build a community,” Day said. “That was something I wanted to have here. There’s never been a restaurant trying to do what we do out in this area, so it’s kind of a new concept, and we really didn’t know how it was going to be taken.” It’s being taken well. And just to be explicit: It’s worth the drive. – AR

previous spread: from left, mushroom barley soup at root food + wine; the staff at root food clockwise, from top left: bar director dylan o’hara, server rachel bohn, chef-owner philip day, zach wooten, captain and server heather hennig, and sous chef nick mizerny with daughters ava and gwen

opposite page: the trout at root food + wine

this page: the cherry sour with pinot noir foam

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cooler of beer (since they lacked a liquor license) and crushing a piping hot order of yan su ji (Taiwanese popcorn chicken) or the special threecup king mushroom dish.

When Tai Ke announced its closure and plan to open a new concept further west on Olive Boulevard in anticipation of the area’s notorious Costco development, we couldn’t help but worry about their fate.

With Tai Ke’s relaunch this year as Tai Ke Shabu Shabu, the beloved Taiwanese spot has fully realized the potential it’s been working toward for years. The original Tai Ke quickly built a cult following after opening, despite being relatively hidden away behind a strip mall in University City.

There was a certain charm to rolling in with your own

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All apprehension melted away once we first sat for a meal at the new incarnation. Warm, glowy lanterns punctuate the high ceilings and natural light streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows. A slick, white bar lined with induction cooktops is the star of the space. This is where the magic happens.

Tai Ke’s new specialty is a take on Japanese shabu shabu, which is itself a take on Chinese hot pot, where groups gather at tables

with large pots of flavorful, simmering broth for DIY cooking. Tai Ke’s version transfigures the experience from a group activity to a oneon-one experience – think of it as the personal pan pizza version of hot pot. Peruse the lengthy menu and choose your broth, from mushroom and lamb to seafood; broths are available in original or spicy. Each broth is served with its own unique set of ingredients with seemingly endless add-on options, including fried tofu, thin slices of beef, clams, noodles, special hot pot dumplings – the list goes on.

You can even order a beer now instead of pulling one out of your purse; we recommend Taiwan Beer, a light lager imported from Taiwan. Looking for a nonalcoholic specialty beverage?

Try Apple Sidra, a carbonated apple-flavored drink, another product of Taiwan. Even with

all these fun, new options, we can’t resist adding an order of Taiwanese sausage fried rice, which is the fluffiest, lightest fried rice you could ask for, full of chewy bites of sweet and sour pork sausage.

Tai Ke Shabu Shabu succeeds in fusing a masterful menu we fell in love with years ago together with an exciting new dining experience. No matter how fondly we recall the days of purse beers, we’re thrilled to see the restaurant executing its vision in a fresh, beautiful space. – MV December 2021

opposite page: from top, hot pot at tai ke shabu shabu, calvin koong, chef-owner at tai ke shabu shabu

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER GRMAN

this page: the dining room at tai ke shabu shabu

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opposite page: from left, prisca popp, riley laboyteaux, danielle leiran and chris meyer

this page: the sprouted grain english muffin

St. Louis has long needed more places like Songbird, a metropolitan but farm-totable-leaning spot where people can stop through for top-notch coffee (in this case, Sump) and a killer meal that satisfies on every level. Owners Chris Meyer and Mike Miller have traveled a long path to this moment, from carryout restaurant Kounter Kulture and pop-up Kitchen Kulture to a full year of operating Songbird as takeout only before finally opening its dining room in November.

Their journey has resulted in a magnificent, fullservice restaurant that feels like the perfect blend of everything they’ve put forth to date.

Songbird’s fermented hot sauce if you want to light up your palate in the best way. The sesame seed bialy (with lox and the works, if you’re in that kind of mood) is

chewy and satisfying; the spinach frittata, somehow fluffy and dense at the same time, puts delicious spinach, Ozark Forest shiitake mushrooms and caramelized onions in the spotlight. (In the spring, the frittata is replaced by a Spanish-style tortilla that includes potatoes.) One bite of the Sump coffee crème brûlée, topped with candied nuts and whipped cream, makes you feel like you’re surfing an ethereal cloud of espresso, cream and torched sugar.

Luscious farm toast (Songbird’s take on a French toast that features buttered coffee, seasonal fruit and whipped

mascarpone – a savory option with shaved ham is also available) and an always-excellent, seasonal salad bring a polished hominess. And between the tasty almond flour pound cake with whipped coconut cream, the aforementioned crème brûlée and the wonderful flavored lattes, you’re all but assured a sweet ending.

The seasonal Sumpkin latte demonstrates why pumpkin spice drinks can actually be amazing, while the espresso tonics bring levity and fresh, herbal notes to Sump’s rich, flavorful beans.

And then there’s the item that started it all:

the combo breakfast sandwich. Originally available only at the Saturday Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, where Meyer and Miller ran Kitchen Kulture, “the sandwich” (as those in the know referred to it) was like a secret handshake for foodies, industry members and Tower Grove locals. Featuring toasted sourdough, aged white cheddar, bacon and a fried farm egg, topped with sea salt and honey, it’s a master class in texture and flavor – salty, sweet, crunchy, silky and savory all at once. If the sandwich isn’t part of your order, you’ve made a critical error. – AR

The sprouted grain English muffin sandwich with turkey sausage, egg, microgreens and brown butter aioli plays like a seriously high-quality, artisanal Egg McMuffin – it’s rugged, hearty and decadent. Try it with

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THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS YEAR

Meera Nagarajan executive editor Roasted pumpkin with green curry - Indo Cauliflower tacos - Fresh Gatherings Vegetable kebab – Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant Aloo gobi - Copper Chimney

Liz Wolfson managing editor Spring vegetable soup Root Food + Wine Baklava with pistachios Afandi Sweets & Cafe Prosciutto di parma with peaches – Louie

Lauren Healey digital editor Charred cabbage salad Elmwood Burrata pizza - Noto Italian Restaurant Kale salad with chicken thigh and sauteed mushrooms - Planter’s House

Adam Rothbarth staff writer Squash blossom machete Fonda La Poblanita Onion rings - Perennial on Lockwood Sampler platter - Chez Ali

PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER

Michelle Volansky senior designer Kanafeh - Afandi Sweets & Cafe Roasted sawara - Indo

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opposite page: staff at pizzeria da gloria, from left: colin busby, zane spencer, joe kurowski and zoe godefroid

from top: the margherita pizza at pizzeria da gloria; owner and pizzaiolo joe kurowski

PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

It’s a sign of a great restaurant when everyone you know has a different favorite dish there. On a recent visit to Pizzeria Da Gloria, one person at my table sang the praises of the stracciatella pizza with house-made cheese, while another was obsessed with the Bonci, a cheeseless pie that features eggplant, garlic-chile oil and parsley; a third friend swears that the pepperoni with pickled jalapeños is the best. I’m always gripped by the margherita, which brings a wealth of magnificent flavor, from its velvety mozzarella to its slightly sour, perfectly crispy fermented dough. The thing is, in disagreements like this, everybody’s right.

To achieve such broad excellence in the notso-simple art of pizza, pizzaiolo Joe Kurowski studied first in New York December 2021

City, where he worked at popular pizzeria Fornino; then, he went to Italy, where he staged at Pizzeria dal Presidente in Naples.

Upon returning, he went to work with some of the people behind Roberta’s, which is considered the creme de la creme of New York ’za. To anybody who knows pizza – and certainly anybody who’s eaten at Pizzeria Da Gloria – it’s clear that Kurowski knows his stuff.

While it started as a small, focused pizza and wine carryout spot in December 2020, Pizzeria Da Gloria has blossomed into something of a kaleidoscopic Italian food destination spot right in the middle of the Hill, a neighborhood where pizza can be found on almost every block. Now, the restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dining, the latter of which includes a gorgeous patio

with hanging lights, an old fountain and charming picnic table seating. While Kurowski was once hesitant to add a salad to the menu, Pizzeria Da Gloria now has two, as well as a meatball appetizer and rotating starters like a seasonal heirloom caprese salad and an eggplant dip with pizza-bread fougasse.

Desserts like apple streusel with house whipped cream make you wish you’d eaten a slice or two less.

Throughout it all, Kurowski has offered a smart, concise list of trendy and delicious low-intervention wines that complement his pizza like a *chef’s kiss.*

famed for authentic Italian cuisine; to natural wine-loving hipsters, it’s a classy but also slightly grungy watering hole that happens to have solid ’za.

For families, it’s somewhere with great cheese pizza for the kids and craft beer for mom and dad, but for the couple enjoying a

night out, it’s a romantic place to gaze into your partner’s eyes over pét-nat and a pie (a foolproof datenight combo). In the end, regardless of who you are, Da Gloria is a lighthearted, cool place with its own spirit and plenty of great ideas. And that should please anybody. – AR

A big part of Pizzeria Da Gloria’s success lies in the restaurant’s wide appeal, that it can be different things to different people; and when you go there, you’ll see diners of all types.

To the pizza connoisseur, it’s a new, local Neapolitanish spot in a neighborhood saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 25

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Rockwell beer garden

In an ancient viral video, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen once sang, “Gimme pizza! P-I-Z-Z-A!” Here in reality, the good people of St. Louis Hills have been singing the same tune since last spring, when they learned that Rockwell Beer Co. would be adding a pizza-centric outpost in the middle of Francis Park. Now that it’s finally here, we’re happy to say that Rockwell Beer Garden – one of the most anticipated openings in recent memory – is a more-than-worthy sophomore spot.

Petres’ fermented dough crisps and puffs up beautifully, yielding the perfect amount of char and chew – not something you’d normally expect to find coming out of an old shed next to some tennis and pickleball courts in the middle of a park. The Broccwell pizza, which has red sauce, smoked mozzarella, charred broccoli, caramelized onion and red pepper flakes, is earthy and savory; the Emilia pizza, which features mozzarella, fior di latte, Parmesan,

Pecorino, black pepper and arugula, deeply impressed our resident cacio e pepe expert. All the pies are cut into squares – a serving style ultra-familiar to St. Louisans – and each bite offers a sublime opportunity for either crispy edge bliss or gooey interior goodness.

For people feeling snacky, the chickpea dip with pizza bread is airy and delicious, and the chopped salad (with fantastic, dillforward ranch dressing)

is a refreshing and bright option. The roasted veggies, which are topped with chile, lemon and Parmesan, are the Platonic ideal of a great but unfussy veg side. And the garlic cheese bread … I mean, what else do you need to know?

There’s no indoor seating at Rockwell Beer Garden, which means it’s picnic tables or carryout; if the weather isn’t perfect, it may require an intrepid spirit to eat there, though fans, a few heat lamps and two fire pits are there

to take the edge off any inclement conditions.

The restaurant plans to keep its current operating hours through the end of the year and then may close in January and February, though that could change depending on the weather (they recommend checking their Instagram page for the most up-to-date hours). But with tasty beer, a fresh ’za and some homies, what could there be, really, to complain about? The elements are no reason to avoid such a fun place. – AR

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PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

The beer, of course, comes from head brewer Jonathan Moxey, who has won many national accolades for his outstanding brews.

Cocktails, wine and boozy slushies are also available.

Running the food program is Michael Petres, a former Niche Food Group executive chef, who started perfecting his Neapolitan-ish pizza game last year during the pandemic, while he was posted up at home with his family and his trusty Roccbox backyard pizza oven. Now, after graduating to a Cuppone electric pizza oven, Petres is slinging a fabulous array of park-friendly dishes.

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opposite page: the outdoor dining area at rockwell beer garden

this page: clockwise from top, garlic cheese bread, the rockwell margherita pizza, chickpea dip with pizza bread and the emilia pizza

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CHEZ ALI

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BEST NEW RESTAURANTS OF 2021

1. Root Food + Wine 5525 Walnut St., Augusta, 636.544.1009, rootfoodwine.com

2. Tai Ke Shabu Shabu 9626 Olive

Blvd., Olivette, 314.801.8411, taikeshabushabu.com

3. Songbird

4476 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.4344, songbirdstl.com

4. Pizzeria da Gloria 2024 Marconi

Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3734, pizzeriadagloria.com

5. Rockwell Beer Garden 5300 Chez Ali’s brings a compact selection of AfroCaribbean favorites to the City Foundry STL’s food hall. Chef-owner Alioun “Ali” Thiam’s spicy, sweet and citrusy yassa chicken, braised with onion, lemon and mild spices in a Dijon mustard sauce, is totally addictive; it’s a testament to why the dish is a classic of West African cuisine.

PHOTOS BY DANNY HOMMES

It took us a couple of attempts to finally try the yassa; on one visit the restaurant was sold out, forcing them to close early; on another, the electronic payment system was down, and the food hall’s lack of ATMs meant I was out of luck again. But damn, was it ever worth the effort. Along with December 2021

the yassa, the chicken sampler plate includes jerk chicken (with hints of allspice, ginger and Scotch bonnet pepper) with house-made hot sauce on the side as well as curry chicken.

While all three dishes are powerhouses of warm spice, heat and soft-yet-toothsome chew, the sampler plate is the edible version of a greatest hits album packed with back-toback hits. It’s all served on a bed of white rice or red beans and rice with a side of steamed cabbage. While steamed cabbage may not sound exciting on paper, it’s anything but filler, its clean simplicity a great foil for the platter’s more aggressively flavored components.

Other stand-out menu items include the beef

opposite page: alioun "ali" thiam, chef-owner of chez ali in city foundry stl

this page: the sampler plate at chez ali

maffai, seared beef stew thickened with ground peanuts and simmered with onion, garlic, peppers, cabbage and carrots until tender.

And we definitely recommend adding a side of plantains: caramelized and sticky-sweet, they shine both on their own and as part of a bite with more savory dishes.

Fish is available at Chez Ali also in the form of thieboudienne, another classic Senegalese dish that Thiam makes to order.

Chez Ali’s menu changes daily, so while all items may not be available on every visit, whatever is in front of you will be delicious. Just take a word from the wise and go on the earlier side to avoid sell-outs – and be sure you’ve got a little cash on hand. – MR

Donovan Ave. (inside Francis Park), St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com/rbg

6. Chez Ali

3700 Forest Park Ave. (inside City Foundry STL), St. Louis, cityfoundrystl.com/ directory/chez-ali

7. Chicken Scratch 3700 Forest Park Ave. (inside City Foundry STL), St. Louis, chxscratchstl.com

8. Clara B’s Kitchen Table 724.252.7227, clarabs.com

9. Chuck’s Hot Chicken 11648

Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 2758 Highway K, O’Fallon, chuckshotchicken.com

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PHOTOS BY DANNY HOMMES

opposite page: nate hereford, chef-owner of chicken scratch in city foundry stl

this page: whole chicken at chicken scratch

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Of roast chicken, food writer Jeffrey Steingarten wrote, “Whenever I have nothing better to do, I roast a chicken. On average, I have nothing better to do about twice a week.”

But Mary Randolph, author of The Virginian Housewife cookbook, said it best back in 1824: “No meat can be well roasted except on a spit, and before a steady clear fire – other methods are no better than baking.” Chef Nate Hereford knows this. With his new fastcasual Chicken Scratch walk-up stall, located in the recently opened City Foundry STL food hall, the former executive chef of Gerard Craft’s erstwhile Niche focuses on one thing: spit-roasting chicken.

In place of the tweezers and liquid nitrogen from Hereford’s days in fine dining, there’s December 2021

a French-made Rotisol gas-fired rotisserie oven.

It showcases whole chickens being licked by naked flames as the skin becomes golden and crispy, the meat ridiculously juicy (yes, it is mesmerizing to watch slowly rotating roasting birds). Hereford uses high-quality birds, about

3 pounds each, that he dry brines in sugar and salt (no injected solution here). He then rubs every square millimeter of skin with his aromatic house seasoning mixture before skewering them for the spit roaster. The intensely savory result is firm meat that’s full of more chicken flavor than

any store-bought bird can provide.

With a concise and compelling menu, including a couple of chicken-based salads and sandwiches, you order at the counter for either takeout or eating in the communal dining space; the half

or whole chicken, with accompanying side, is easier to eat at home.

The three available sauces – horseradish-mustard, hot and the creamy house Scratch (herbed buttermilk) – are good but almost unnecessary.

Given Hereford’s culinary background, it’s no surprise that the sides are seasonal and, to use a food writer’s term, elevated.

Roasted carrots with herbs and locally made Hawthorne hot honey are accented with feta for a little saltiness and accented with a hint of lime. Marinated kale is dressed with a Parmesan vinaigrette, and crisp, golden jojo potato wedges are battered and deep-fried.

The simplicity of Chicken Scratch is its strength. It’s a place where Hereford has truly found his own niche. – MR saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 31

clara b's kitchen table

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from top: biscuit sandwich; jodie ferguson, chef and owner of clara b's kitchen table

There are few things as comforting or luxurious on the palate as a mound of well-prepared grits. Sadly, whether due to the dish’s misleading simplicity or the easy availability of instant varieties, it can be difficult to find decent grits in St. Louis (surprising, given the city’s Southern character). Thus, while there are many great things on the menu at Clara B’s Kitchen Table, it was chefowner Jodie Ferguson’s perfectly prepared grits that brought actual tears to our eyes the first time we tried them.

shrimp and grits, which are velvety, mildly spicy and balanced by green pepper and okra. They also make an excellent accompaniment as a side for the biscuit sandwich, another must-try item.

Served with egg, cheese, apricot-red onion jam and your choice of protein, Ferguson’s biscuits shine just as brightly as her grits.

Made with White Lily flour (the flour of choice for generations of Southern biscuit-bakers), they’re sturdy enough to hold the sandwich components while retaining their soft, flaky interiors.

Ferguson was introduced to cooking by her grandmother, Clara Bloodworth, the Clara B. for whom her business is named. Though Bloodworth passed away when Ferguson was just 6 years old, Ferguson still remembers the taste of her grits – as well as the first time she had grits that weren’t her grandmother’s.

“Disgusting,” Ferguson recalled, her dismay still palpable in her recollection of the experience. “I didn’t eat them again for, like, 12 years.”

Ferguson’s breakfast tacos, which use tortillas from beloved Texas grocery store chain H.E.B. (Ferguson grew up just outside of Austin), are another example of her dedication to top-shelf ingredients.

We enjoyed the vegetarian option with black beans, avocado, egg and cheese, which we enthusiastically doused with house-made salsa and hot sauce.

PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

When asked the secret behind her superlative grits, Ferguson identified two key components: quality ingredients (she only uses Weisenberger Mills grits) and time. “I think it’s the patience, maybe,” Ferguson mused, pointing out that she slowcooks her grits in a mixture of milk, cream and butter, which help lend the dish its unctuous mouthfeel.

At Clara B’s, you can try Ferguson’s grits in her

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Currently, Clara B’s operates as a food truck, putting in frequent appearances at Affton food truck hub 9 Mile Garden, Belleville and elsewhere in the Metro East. But Ferguson hopes to secure a brick-andmortar space in downtown Belleville soon and envisions offering brunch as well as occasional, upscale dinner pop-ups that reflect her background in fine dining at places like Cardwell’s, Table Three and the RitzCarlton, St. Louis. One thing’s certain: With some of St. Louis’ best grits and biscuits already firmly under her belt, we can’t wait to see what she does next. – LW

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CHUCK'S HOT CHICKEN feeling too saucy,” Taylor explained.

When the name of the food you’re eating is in the name of the restaurant, it better be phenomenal. And at Chuck’s Hot Chicken, it certainly is. From the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, which features a massive, juicy breast on a sturdy, well-buttered brioche bun, to tenders

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and bone-in wings and thigh/leg quarters, the protein is truly on point.

The chicken is handbreaded and cooked to order for an amazingly moist center with a lightly crispy exterior.

“The chicken is hand selected, all fresh, never frozen,” said co-owner Chuck Taylor. “We

created all of our own ingredients; everything is proprietary. We have our own breading that took a while to dial in, and our Nashville hot sauce is incredible.”

Choose your spice level, from 1 to 5, but beware: Even the level 2 has quite a kick, and levels 4 and 5 come with a

warning (suggested by the restaurant’s lawyer) to keep away from children and pets. The key to Taylor’s perfectly sauced chicken? Dipping the parts in a light, oilbased sauce after they’ve been fried and letting them dry before serving.

“Since it’s oil-based, [the sauce] kind of bakes into the breading without

The operation is pretty bare bones; the Maryland Heights location offers only takeout and delivery, while the O’Fallon spot has a handful of seats inside and a few more on a small patio. Taylor has begun franchising the restaurant, however, and said forthcoming Chuck’s locations will have more seating. “Going forward, we’re pretty committed to having a small, indoor dining area and an extended patio,” he said. As for where you might find the franchises in the near future, Taylor said to look for spots opening in the St. Charles and Chesterfield/ Ballwin areas. Eventually, they’ll head for the city of St. Louis. – LH December 2021

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

The menu is fairly limited, but that allows the restaurant to hone in on its specialty and let the chicken shine.

While the chicken is the star of the show, some of the Southern-style sides and appetizers are also exceptional. The deeply flavorful garlic cheese curds, served with house buttermilk ranch, are chewy yet crispy, and the slightly sweet, breaded corn fritters are heavenly, especially when dipped in the honey-sriracha aioli.

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PARTNER CONTENT

Gift a taste of home

PINT OF THE MONTH CLUB Available in Naughty and Nice! Get one pint of Clementine's ice cream per month for an entire year. It’s pretty much the coolest gift on the planet for those who live in St Louis. This card entitles one to come into the shop every month and pick a pint of their choice. Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery, multiple locations, clementinescreamery.com

NOBOLEIS RESERVE VIDAL BLANC Noboleis Vineyards Reserve Vidal Blanc is an oak aged, dry white wine made from 100% locally grown grapes. Buttery notes and a soft finish make this the perfect wine to accompany any holiday meal. Enjoy a bottle with your Thanksgiving Turkey and toast with family and friends! Noboleis Vineyards, 100 Hemsath Rd, Augusta, noboleisvineyards.com

FAZIO'S OVEN-READY TOASTED RAVIOLI Family-owned and operated since 1902, Fazio’s proudly produces quality Italian products using only the freshest of ingredients. Each batch of ravioli follows the same timehonored recipe we’ve used for five generations. Try it for yourself and taste a true St. Louis tradition. faziosbakery.com

INTOXICOLOGY COCKTAIL KIT Get creative and mix up the holidays with the gift of a cocktail kit from Intoxicology. Choose from a selection of 20 curated boxes ready for GRAB ‘N GO or order online for pick-up. Featured-North

by Northwest sparkling cocktail paired with locally made bonbons from Bijoux Chocolates.

Intoxicology, 4321 Manchester Ave, The Grove, intoxicologystl.com

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December 2021

PARTNER CONTENT

SWIRL BOTANICALS Noboleis Vineyards new line of canned products, Swirl, has released two new flavors. Introducing Swirl Botanicals, lightly spritzed and made from 100% real fruit. The Red Botanical, Cranberry Lemon Rosemary and the White Botanical, Apricot Thyme, will make for the perfect beverages at all of your holiday parties this season! Available at select local retailers or shop online and ship straight to your door. drinkswirl.com

PASTA HOUSE GIFT CERTIFICATES Get a free $20 bonus gift card with the purchase of $100 or more in Pasta House Co. gift certificates through December 25, 2021. Bonus gift cards are available for use January 23, 2022 through February 28, 2022. Pasta House Co., multiple locations, pastahouse.com

BEERSAUCE WHISKEY ADVENT CALENDAR BeerSauce’s 12 Days of Whiskey Advent Calendar is full of Barrel Picks and Distiller Hand Selected Whiskies. This flavor adventure provides a surprise a day for the whiskey lover and includes online tasting videos. Order online at beersauceshop.com. Multiple locations

STUDIO CARMELITA ILLUSTRATED CERAMIC MUGS

SUGAREE COOKIE BOX This holiday, give a gift they’ll be fighting over - the Sugaree Cookie Box! Eight different butter cookies in every box and with three choices of sizes to choose from you can feed any crowd. Don’t forget to save one for Santa! Sugaree Baking Co., 1242 Tamm Ave, Dogtown, sugareebaking.com

These beautiful ceramic mugs are handmade and hand-painted right here in St. Louis by local artist Carmelita Nunez. They retail from $38-$48 at Urban Matter, a local womenowned small business offering unique and quality made gifts for you, your home and those you love. Urban Matter, 3179 S Grand Blvd, urbanmatterstl.com

MIGHTY KIND CANNABIS SELTZER Mighty Kind is a holistic beverage maker dedicated to creating the world’s finest botanical seltzers and cannabis-infused drinks.

Their seltzers are infused with cannabis and organic botanical flavors. Available in multiple flavors including CBD and CBG varieties, great for sipping solo or used as a mixer! bemightykind.com

December 2021

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L A S T B I T E // W H AT I D O

Wines. They were smaller than some of the distributors who had been around longer, but they saw value in wine education. It took a number of years, but their support for helping restaurateurs learn more about wine was important for raising standards for wine locally.”

“A friend of mine and I were single at the

PAT RICI A WA MH O FF SOMMELIER, ELMWOOD

“And that really just kind of exploded. I was doing a lot of tutoring and mentoring.

Between the mid ’90s, up to 2000, the number of people that became certified was quite astonishing. In fact, the Court of Master Sommeliers were saying, ‘What’s going on in St. Louis?’”

Sommelier Patricia Wamhoff has been a guiding force in St. Louis’ wine scene for over 20 years. A native of Toronto, Wamhoff holds numerous professional certifications including advanced sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

She is also a certified wine educator through the Society of Wine Educators and has mentored many industry professionals undertaking the certification process. Recently, Wamhoff has turned her interest to sake and received the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level Three award in sake in August. Here, she discusses her path to certified sommelier status, how St. Louis’ beverage scene has evolved, and why she thinks St. Louis is ready for a sake moment. – Liz Wolfson

“I didn’t do any bread, but I did do a lot of gardening [at the beginning of the pandemic]. I thought, ‘You know what? I saw someone up in Chicago who had taken a sake [course].’ It reminded me, ‘Yeah, I always wanted to get back to that.’ So then I started reading and saw the different courses and then started talking to people.”

“Sake goes with all kinds of foods – [it’s like] Champagne; you can have Champagne anytime during the course of a meal. You can have it chilled, room temperature or warmed up, depending on the sake and what your preference is.”

“I’m going to do this next [course] called Sake Scholar, which I’m quite excited about. This course is about regionality.

[Japan’s main island] has a 20-degree latitude difference from north to south – that’s like going from New York to Florida.

There’s a huge amount of difference in temperature, topography.”

“So we took the first one, and our motive was to learn about wine, but also being single, we thought, ‘Hey, there’s single guys there!’ Wrong. It was all couples.”

“We had a great time anyway. We took the next one, and then we took the next one. Then talking to [the instructor], I said, ‘You know, I really like this.’ He said, ‘Well, the culinary school has a sommelier program.’ So I signed up, thinking, ‘Well, I love food. I love travel. I love languages. I love culture.’ So I thought, ‘I’m in.’” “[After moving to St. Louis,] I started in

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sales and I met [Annie Gunn’s sommelier] Glenn Bardgett. He has always been involved in the Missouri wine industry, and he said, ‘There’s the Governor’s Cup competition, and you should be a judge.’

Because Ontario has a lot of non-vinifera [hybrid] wines as well, so there’s a real tiein to understanding what those wines taste like. So I became a judge for that.”

“That was a very different time in the number of wines that were up to the caliber that they should be. It probably would have been 1994. Today, I have no qualms in putting

up any of the wines that are winning bronze, silver or gold in the Missouri competition up with any wine in the world.”

“I would come in [to restaurants as a wine sales representative] and say, ‘I’m a sommelier.’ People would say, ‘Well, what’s that?’ And I’d have to explain. And then there were a few that said, ‘How can I do that?’ And so I started mentoring and tutoring to get them at least into the intro level [for certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers].”

“I was a sales rep for A. Bommarito

“[Sakes] aren’t that expensive. You can get expensive ones. But if you don’t mind spending $30 on a bottle of wine, you can get a bottle of sake. And because they come in the small sizes – they come in 300-milliliter, 500-milliliter and 720-milliliter – you can spend $13 on a 300-milliliter.”

“It goes back to what I was saying about wine, what people were able to get as far as the quality wines in St. Louis, because it’s known as a beer town. And now, today, you can get anything you want here. The distributors, there’s so many of them. The selection is so wide now, and it should be the same in sake.”

December 2021

PHOTOS BY MADISON SANDERS

time, and we would get together and do these wine dinners. It was always, ‘What wine are we going to serve?’ So Susan and I said, ‘Let’s take a wine course.’”

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PA RTN ER CON TEN T

COOKING WITH CANNABIS

St. Louis restaurateur Ben Poremba shares recipes for marijuana-infused dishes

B Y L A U REN H EA L EY

When starting your cooking with cannabis journey, there are a few products that will allow you to easily infuse THC into your own culinary creations: THC-infused tinctures, butter or oil. Swade Dispensary, with five St. Louis-area locations, sells two tinctures: a 1:1 ratio with 100 milligrams of each THC and CBD, as well as a 1:10 ratio with 100 milligrams of THC and 1,000 milligrams of CBD. Swade does not currently sell cannabutter or oil; however, it is very easy to make at home using marijuana flower and your butter or oil of choice. The Swade website features a video explaining how infusion works, as well as printable recipe cards – visit swadecannabis.com/cookingwithcannabis for more information.

Swade also sells some of the latest kitchen tools that make creating cannabutter or oil easy as

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pie. “We sell a countertop machine called Levo that looks like a coffeemaker,” said Jack Haddox, director of dispensary operations. “You put your bud and your oil or butter in it and it does the whole process in less than an hour, including the decarboxylation [a crucial step that makes the THC bioavailable] and infusion.”

There’s another machine called Ardent, also available at Swade, which is similar to the Levo but goes a step further and can even bake your finished product. “That one is strictly for baked goods, so you might prefer the Levo if you want to infuse other foods,” he said. When making your own cannabutter at home, proper dosage can be tricky, so Swade recommends utilizing a THC percentage calculator, like the one at veriheal.com/edible-dosage-calculator/.

If you’re in need of some canna cooking inspiration, acclaimed St. Louis restaurateur Ben Poremba has partnered with Swade Dispensary to create a “cooking with cannabis” video, which features saffron risotto, coffee gelato and a peach-elderflower spritz mocktail with notes of almond.

“Cannabis lends some interesting flavors to dishes, but edibles are usually baked goods and things like that, so we wanted to do something healthier, trendy and more relevant – dishes that could easily be divided so the dosing is appropriate,” Poremba said. “The risotto uses infused butter, and the gelato and the mocktail both feature Swade’s amend. tincture, which is super easy to dose and use. The most important part is getting it from a reputable source.”

Each of the dishes featured in Poremba’s video make six servings with each serving having roughly 3 to 5 milligrams of THC. For more information and to view the videos, visit swadecannabis.com/cookingwithcannabis/.

This ad is intended only for Missouri medical marijuana patients. Medical decisions should not be made based on advertising. Consult a physician on the benefits and risks of particular medical marijuana products.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BELEAF

The variety of medical marijuana edibles has grown exponentially in the year they’ve been available in Missouri, but sometimes medicating in the privacy of your home with a nice meal offers an experience you can’t get at your local dispensary.

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L A S T B I T E // L A N D M A R K

VITALE’S BAKERY

BY A DA M R OTH BA R TH

According to Vitale’s president and co-owner Angie Vitale, the bakery’s legacy dates back to 1945 when her grandfather, Pete Bommarito, and his business partner Caesar Bommarito (no relation) opened Bommarito Bakery on 18th Street. Eventually Caesar left the business and Vitale’s father, also named Pete – Pete Vitale – became involved, as did her great-uncle, Nick Randazzo. Following her grandfather and great-uncle’s retirements, Vitale’s uncles, Sam Bommarito and Danny Calloway, became co-owners with her father; they renamed it Pete’s Italian Bakery. The downtown bakery closed in 1975; the next year, Vitale’s parents, Pete and Grace, opened Vitale’s Bakery on the Hill. The family has been

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holding it down in the neighborhood ever since; today, Vitale co-owns the bakery with her brothers Sam and Michael.

Now, Vitale’s son, Bobby Kaestner, has entered the business. “My mom and dad built this establishment on quality, and they took very much pride and joy in working,” Vitale said.

“We’re trying to keep on this legacy. My son, Bobby, makes the bread at night. You can see the pride in this young man because he’s really learning, and he’s got the skill. We’ve got a wonderful staff.”

As Vitale puts it, everyone who steps foot in Vitale’s Bakery is treated like a relative.

“When people come here, they’re like family,” she explained. “You show somebody that you have time. I open the door for everybody, and they feel the warmth when they come into the bakery.” Part of that warmth comes from Vitale’s continued commitment to doing things the right way. “I’ll be very honest – my dad’s

motto was about quality,” Vitale said. “Our bestsellers are our breads, our cookies and our Italian pastries, including our ricotta puffs and cannolis. Everything that we have is top quality, and that’s why people gravitate towards us.”

People definitely gravitate. Vitale’s makes Italian bread daily, as well as pizza shells (partially cooked pizza doughs) and over 40 different kinds of cookies. Some Schnucks locations carry their delicious seed bread, and the grocery store uses their 12-inch hoagie rolls for deli sandwiches. In fact, Vitale’s supplies so many places in St. Louis with bread and pizza shells that Vitale has nearly lost count. “Oh, there’s so many,” she laughed. “I’d say we have close to 100 restaurants, and that’s including pizzerias.”

So, chances are, even if you’ve never been to Vitale’s, you’re already a big fan of their work.

PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

Many businesses that have stood the test of time are also family businesses; that’s just how it works. But Vitale’s Bakery on the Hill, now in its fourth generation, takes it to the next level. Take a deep breath and try to keep up.

2130 Marconi Ave., St. Louis, 314.664.6665, vitalebakery.com December 2021

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