June 2023

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 23, ISSUE 6

PUBLISHER

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FACT-CHECKER

Allyson Mace

Meera Nagarajan

Liz Wolfson

Lauren Healey

Iain Shaw

Meera Nagarajan

Michelle Volansky

Lauren Healey

Heather Hughes Huff

Lauren Healey, Danny Hommes, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Adam Rothbarth, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky

Meera Nagarajan, Alexander Olson, Iain Shaw, Liz Wolfson

Allyson Mace

Kelli Jones

Amy Hyde

Amy Hyde

Alexander Olson

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Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

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PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

PHOTO BY DANNY HOMMES

Food TOSSED is money LOS T

The average American consumer is throwing away $1,300 each year in wasted food.*

That’s 84 WITH LUMPIA from

POKE PLATES

The rum-battered fish sandwich at Yellowbelly takes us away to dining seaside at a tropical resort. The mild-tasting cod is battered with a rum-based allspice dram; the rum’s alcohol brings levity to the crisp crust. The fish is outfitted with a garlic-cayenne tartar sauce, housemade pickles and a carrotcabbage slaw dressed in a Japanese mayonnaise and a dash of apple cider vinegar. The final flourish comes with the squishysweet Hawaiian bun, crowned with togarashi and sesame seeds, which has pineapple and brown sugar baked in.

PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

IN THE KNOW GOOD TIME KITCHEN

Cat Willey and Wil Brawley’s Good Time Kitchen debuted last December with two nights of ticketed, multicourse dinners at Grand Spirits Bottle Co. The pop-up returns this month with a takeover of the 4 Hands Brewing Co. kitchen on June 25. “We’re taking a different angle on this one,” said Willey. “It’s going to be more like snacky style, a la carte, where people can order what they want.”

Brawley teased the menu as “EuroAmericana plates that all have Asian flavors.” There will be an open-faced, yuzu-egg salad sandwich served on a milk bun that highlights Brawley’s baking skills, while Willey’s expertise with pasta will get the spotlight with a doppio ravioli. “We’re definitely leaning toward a lot of bright, summery flavors,” Brawley said. “Cat’s ravioli will have big citrus pops; it’s going to have some crab in it, but it’ll also have some richness and decadence, chile oil and a seaweed bread crumb.”

Reservations not required; simply order what you like from the kitchen, grab a drink from 4 Hands’ bar, and enjoy a good time courtesy of Brawley and Willey.

Good Time Kitchen, Instagram: @good.time.kitchen

4 Hands Brewing Co., 1220 S. Eighth St., St. Louis, 4handsbrewery.com

DRINK THIS

Kaetsu Kanbara Bride of the Fox is a pleasantly nutty junmai ginjo sake with a crisp finish that makes it an excellent accompaniment to just about any meal. We first tried it at Sado and loved how it balanced deliciously fatty tuna and the richer ingredients in sushi rolls. There’s no need to be a sushi chef to enjoy it at home; it would be fabulous served with a ripe cheese, steak or even a frozen pizza.

By the glass: $15; 720-milliliter bottle: $86. Sado, 5201 Shaw Ave., St. Louis, 314.390.2883, sado-stl.com

720-milliliter bottle: $32. Wine and Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.447.9463, wineandcheeseplace.com

PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

hit list 4 new places to try this month

Classic kosher deli food returns to St. Louis city with the opening of Deli Divine, the newest offering from Bengelina Hospitality Group. The deli is divided into two parts: A counter in the front for sandwiches, salads, soups and other snacks, and a market in the back stocked with grab-and-go meals and delectable treats of all kinds, like beautiful rounds of fresh halva (we loved the cardamom) from which you can have a wedge cut like fresh cheese. Yes, there is housemade matzo ball soup, kugels, tender knishes and many other hits of central and eastern European Jewish fare; but there are also homegrown classics like gooey butter cake from Russell’s and pints of Clementine’s ice cream, and the best egg sandwich we’ve had in ages – a simple, steamed layer of egg between two flat discs of croissant dough. The corned beef, which we had on rye with yellow mustard, was juicy and filling even though we ordered the smaller “nosher” size. The smoked salmon pastrami on an open-faced bagel is a fun way to change up your lox routine.

5501 Delmar Blvd., Suite 5535D, St. Louis, 314.987.3354, bengelina.com/ deli-divine

AAHA! RESTAURANT

This new, woman-owned restaurant inside the former food court at the Chesterfield Mall is a hidden gem. Here, they specialize in South Indian food from the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and their dishes taste like authentic home-cooked meals. Find dishes like their aviyal, a coconut- and yogurt-based vegetable stew loaded with vegetables including carrots, squash and green beans. It’s got a little tropical flavor from the coconut and just enough heat to keep you on your toes. Don’t miss their masala dosa, a thin crepe made from a fermented rice batter that’s fried to a lacy crisp and served with a mildly spiced potato mixture and coconut and tomato chutneys for dipping.

150 Chesterfield Center (inside Chesterfield Mall), Chesterfield, 636.893.35866, aahastl.com

opposite page: deli divine; this page, clockwise, from top: the patio at deli divine; hand-sliced lox on a bagel and salmon pastrami on a bagel at deli divine; owner ben poremba at deli divine; the frieda with hot pastrami and yellow mustard at deli divine

DELI DIVINE

PHOTOS BY I ZAIAH JOHNSON

opposite page: quarrelsome coffee; this page, from top: a latte at quarrelsome coffee; an espresso at quarrelsome coffee

Served with a spicy green salsa and a particularly delicious red salsa, the complimentary chips that welcome your arrival at Doña Gloria are an early indicator that this will prove a rewarding trip to Carondelet. At present, the restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol – instead, order the horchata , full of spices, lightly creamy and as sure to lift your mood as the restaurant’s colorful interior. The menu is long and varied, but the a la carte section allows you to sample more dishes by ordering items like chile rellenos , tostadas and flautas in single pieces. We had a carnitas tostada , piled high with pork, shredded lettuce, onion, cheese, sour cream and tomato, as well as some very fine tacos : barbacoa and lengua were two favorites. The mole Mexicano is a standout: Use a couple of forks to pull apart strips of chicken, mix in some extra mole sauce, and serve it on a tortilla if you like. Next time, we’ll bring enough friends to share the molcajete : chicken, steak, shrimp, chorizo, cheese, cactus and onion served with green salsa in the eponymous stone bowl.

QUARRELSOME COFFEE

This cafe and roastery offers caffeinated convenience for Central West End residents and workers, but Quarrelsome is more than just a neighborhood coffee shop. Co-owners Mark Schwarz and Lance Shaner have learned a lot about fermentation with their other business, Omega Yeast, and now they’re applying that knowhow to coffee in groundbreaking fashion. Coffee program director Connor James works with farms in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, using anaerobic fermentation techniques to process coffee beans that balance notes of acidity, sweetness and fruit. An Americano made using La Fila beans is full-bodied with fruity notes, but Quarrelsome’s baristas will also make you a pour-over, espresso, or a cappuccino or latte with your choice of milk. This beautiful, relaxing space also has a separate room where Quarrelsome plans to hold coffee education sessions, and a patio with bleacher-style seating is taking shape on the side of the building.

33 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314.260.9008, quarrelsome.coffee

5200 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.448.1424

DONA GLORIA

Maryland House by Brennan’s is a welcome addition to the Central West End

BY KIANA FLEMING

With temperatures rising and the days getting longer, the newly opened Maryland House by Brennan’s in the Central West End is the perfect place to be.

Take advantage of the summer nights in one of their four distinct spaces: the Library Room (designed to represent the former Maryland House at 4659 Maryland Ave.), the Gallery Space (home to rotating digital art pieces representing the new Maryland House), the bar or groove under the stars on their Rooftop Garden Terrace. The swanky cocktail lounge will feature a top-notch selection of rotating local DJs that will keep the sounds going from 9 p.m. until midnight every Thursday night. “Thursday nights might be a little more interesting for music lovers and enthusiasts,” said owner Kevin Brennan. “I think we’ve designed a sound to feel like you could be anywhere in the world at any time of the day. It’s about creating a mood.”

While you’re there, grab a drink from bar manager Eric Weis’ curated cocktail menu, which is divided by What’s Old Is New

Again (classic cocktails with a slight twist) and What’s New Never Gets Old (modern, signature cocktails). Among the highlights is the hilariously named and deliciously tasting Stay At Bar Mom with Empress gin, lavender-honey syrup, concord-hibiscus shrub, lemon juice and egg white garnished with dehydrated hibiscus. “After drinking this one, you may never go back to your kids,” joked Brennan. A series of brands under their cocktail label BUZZ’D by Brennan’s is currently in the works that will feature offmenu drinks you can only get at the bar.

Both the cocktail and small plate menu offer seasonal options. The summer menu offers lighter, fruity and citrus-forward selections while fuller-bodied, savory offerings will be available in the coming fall and winter. Happy Hour is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Specials include ordering any two small plates and getting a third off-menu plate at no additional cost.

On June 25, Maryland House by Brennan’s will host its first bartender competition

in partnership with brand Pernod Ricard (Jameson Irish Whiskey) and several other sponsors from 3 to 10 p.m. Mixologists from the best bars in St. Louis will compete head-tohead in three different rounds for the crown.

“It will be like a big house party as we’ll have different types of food and drinks at stations throughout the space,” said Brennan. Guest judges include Netflix’s Drink Masters contestant Meredith Barry of Platypus and New Society, as well as Ginworld founder Natasha Bahrami of Salve Osteria and the Gin Room. Tickets will be available for purchase at themarylandhouse.com and include food. There is an after-party at Platypus after the competition.

Maryland House by Brennan’s operating hours are 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday with Sunday hours beginning this summer. Reservations are encouraged and available on Toast.

Maryland House by Brennan’s, 44 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, themarylandhouse.com

PHOTO BY RJ HARTBECK

There’s nothing better than barbecue on a sunny summer day, and these spots offer some of the very best in town.

Burgers’ Smokehouse

Burgers’ Smokehouse is the nation's largest producer of cured and smoked meats, as well as cheeses, sides and desserts, and has been in business for nearly 100 years. Some of their top-selling items include the baby back ribs, either sauced or dry rubbed in full or half slabs. Specially selected, hand-spiced and carefully slow-cooked under the close supervision of an experienced smokemaster, they are considered by many to be the finest cut of pork. Order directly from the website or find their products in stores like Dierbergs, Schnucks, Straub's and more.

32819 Hwy. 87, California, Missouri, 800.624.5426, smokehouse.com

Dukes BBQ Shack

Duke’s BBQ Shack is located at the crossroads of America in historic downtown Wentzville under the water tower. Duke’s BBQ Shack strives to smoke and serve up the best roadside barbecue possible. From fries to slabs and all in between, everything is made in-house to elevate the barbecue experience. Duke’s is here to serve the people, smoke up excellent barbecue, and proud to be in America.

100 Ash St., Wentzville, dukesbbqshack.com

Navin’s BBQ

Navin’s BBQ owner Chris Armstrong grew up both in central Texas and the Kansas City area, so Navin’s BBQ offers a perfect hybrid of those two styles. They use an all-wood, offset smoker to cook their meats and utilize oak and hickory woods for a delectably smoky flavor. The Jerk sandwich is the signature sandwich at Navin’s and is popular with the masses. There are also several smoked vegetarian and vegan options for those who don’t eat meat products or those just looking to up their veggie intake.

Located in the South Grand Business District, Navin’s is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. 3559 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314.449.1185, navinsbbq.com

Pappy’s Smokehouse Family

Celebrate all that is summer in St. Louis with the Pappy’s Smokehouse family! Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the barbecue crew at Pappy’s is here to serve you at two locations – Midtown St. Louis and St. Peters, just off I-70 near Mid Rivers Mall. Experience a different twist on barbecue when you visit Pappy’s sister stores: Bogart’s Smokehouse in Soulard and Dalie’s Smokehouse in Valley Park. Stop in at Southern (located next to Pappy’s in Midtown) for some delicious Nashville hot chicken. From catering to dine in to carry out, Pappy’s crews can guarantee great food and good times.

pappyssmokehouse.com/ pappy-s-family

Bagel

Boom

BY MEERA NAGARAJAN

LEFTY'S BAGELS PHOTO BY DANNY HOMMES

For nearly 50 years, the Bagel Factory, a tiny, cashonly spot in Creve Coeur selling bagels and bagels only, was a St. Louis bagel landmark. When it closed last year, a void opened in the retail bagel scene (though there are plans for the shop to reopen under new ownership).

Why does St. Louis have so few dedicated bagel shops? To start, you’re likely working graveyard shifts for the morning breakfast rush – plus, if they’re New York-style, operating a scalding vat of boiling water and incredibly hot oven simultaneously makes for a challenging work environment. Large-scale bakeries like Companion Baking have been making steamed bagels for years, while some small-scale, artisanal bakers, like Baked & Boiled Bagels, sell to shops or at farmers markets. Restaurants have contributed their own welcome additions to St. Louis’ bagel scene, like Songbird with their housemade sesame seed bialy, Olio’s Jerusalem bagel, and the new Deli Divine with bagels sourced from New York City. Yet the brick-andmortar bagel store remains elusive.

Happily, a few brave souls have recently answered the call. Here are three new spots offering their best bagel to St. Louis.

Lefty’s Bagels

This Chesterfield bagel shop was launched in April 2021, initially operating out of a commissary kitchen. Why bagels? “We were dumb!” quipped co-owner Doug Goldenberg. But really it was because there were no bagels nearby, so co-owner Scott Lefton started making bagels at home. That grew organically from baking bagels for his family to sharing them with friends to eventually heading to the commissary. When Goldenberg and Lefton opened their brick-and-mortar space in April 2023, they estimated needing to make 900 bagels per day; it turned out they needed to make double that number day during the week and 3,000 per day on weekends to keep up with the demand. Evidently, Lefton was not the only one feeling the bagel shortage out west.

Lefty’s offers a number of bagel flavors from plain, sesame seed, poppy seed, everything, tzitzel, onion, garlic and salt to rotating specials like triple chocolate chip. They also offer egg sandwiches at breakfast, with their bacon, egg and cheese being the most popular; their Lox o’Love with velvety Nova lox and plain cream cheese wins out in the smoked fish sandwich section. Lefty’s sources fish from Samaki Smoked Fish, a family-run smokehouse in the Hudson Valley. “I wanted to bring ingredients nobody else had. We did a blind taste test from different smokehouses, and Samaki was the best,” Goldenberg said. Their pastrami lox

sandwich was also a standout: Cold smoked salmon with a pastrami spice rub brings sweet-and-spicy notes to the fish.

13359 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, 314.275.0959, leftysbagels.com

C&B Boiled Bagels

When Amy and Matt Herren decided to open restaurants in Wood River (the first of which was 1929 Pizza & Wine), they knew bagels were going to be a focus.

“There’s such a hole in the market, and everyone felt it; that’s why you’re seeing bagel shops opening up,” coowner Amy Herren said. At C&B Boiled Bagels, Matt works on the dough and Amy works on the rest of the menu, which includes many flavored cream cheeses and sandwiches. The bagel dough is mixed, proofed overnight, boiled and baked. The bagel menu offers usual suspects like everything, sesame and salt (theirs uses Maldon sea salt) as well as less conventional varieties like cranberry-walnut or a cinnamon-raisin where the raisins are rehydrated in chai concentrate. The cream cheese varieties are fun too, like dill pickle and ranch seasoned with Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packets; each flavor has a vegan version. “The town is responding; it is shocking to see how many regulars we have. On Saturdays, the line is out the door,” Herren said.

62 E. Ferguson Ave., Wood River, Illinois, 618.216.2269, cbboiledbagels.com

LEFTY'S BAGELS PHOTO BY DANNY HOMMES

Bagel Union

Ted Wilson of Union Loafers Café and Bread Bakery announced that a bagel shop was coming years ago, before the pandemic. There was an epic night in January 2020 when they first tested out their bagels for a New Year’s pizza bagel party; and then we had to wait. Three years later, Bagel Union opened in Webster Groves. It was worth the wait. Inspired by New

York bagels, which are boiled then baked, they offer flavors like cornmeal, everything, poppy seed, salt, sesame, onion and tzitzelnickel; sweet options like the cinnamon-raisin and the cherry crunch, with crunchy sugar crystals on top, are available too. The schmear (cream cheese), Gina Marie by Sierra Nevada Cheese Co., is simply made from three ingredients: cultured milk, cream and salt. The everything with plain cream cheese is a classic combination for a reason; the everything mix has a hefty dose of salt. Don’t miss the egg bagel here, which has a golden tinge to the dough and is slightly softer than the familiar chew from their other bagels.

Where the menu at Bagel Union really shines is the sandwiches. The Delox, made with lox from Tracklements (a smokehouse run by a St. Louis native and based out of Michigan), cream cheese, dill, capers, lemon oil and red onion, is an elevated iteration of the classic. The salmon roe with cream cheese, pickled shallot, dill and lemon oil is finished with jewel-like salmon roe that add pops of salty, ocean flavor and is beautifully presented. The Goldie Lox has the same toppings but is finished with thinly shaved, smoked golden beets offering earthy, smoky sweetness to each bite.

8705 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, bagel-union.com PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER

COFFEE SHOPS OFFER MORE THAN BEVERAGES: THEY’RE A PLACE TO STUDY FOR THAT CRUCIAL FINAL, MEET FRIENDS (HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN), OR WORK ON YOUR NOVEL. OR YOU MIGHT JUST WANT A REALLY GREAT CUP OF COFFEE OR A SUPERLATIVE SNACK. WHATEVER YOU NEED, ST. LOUIS HAS A COFFEE SHOP FOR THAT.

BY MEERA NAGARAJAN, IAIN SHAW AND LIZ WOLFSON

Latin American coffee spots

COFFEESTAMP

Brothers Patrick and Spencer Clapp opened Coffeestamp with the aim of serving coffee of the quality they enjoyed growing up in Honduras. Coffeestamp’s mission begins with the coffee beans themselves, and the Clapp brothers pride themselves on using ethically sourced beans from around the world. It’s hard to resist a coffee and an empanada for under $10 (we love the Dirty Horchata, iced), and harder still to limit yourself to one empanada.

2511 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.797.8113, coffeestamp.com

LA FINCA COFFEE

La Finca’s original Eureka location was inspired by the look and feel of cafes in co-owner Alejandra Hagedorn’s native Colombia, and their new Grove location retains elements of that aesthetic in a more urban setting. Coffee highlights include the Tinto, a Colombian preparation combining black coffee with panela (a type of brown sugar), and the cafe de olla, which reflects co-owner John Hagedorn’s Mexican heritage. The Hagedorns plan to add more to eat, including tortas and arepas; for now, enjoy sweet empanadas and flaky pastries.

4440 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.925.8588; 137 S. Central Ave., Eureka, 636.549.3478, coffeelafinca.com

BREW TULUM

This delightful cafe’s decor and chilled-out background music could persuade you that you’re drinking cafe de olla, infused with cacao, cinnamon, cardamom and piloncillo, on the Yucatan Peninsula, a few steps from

the Caribbean. The menu of Mexican breakfasts and lunches – tamales, chilaquiles, sopes and more – allow you to prolong the reverie, and the drink selection includes espresso and latte flights, iced coffee drinks and cacao-based drinks like their xococoatl, first created by the Mayans.

5090 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 636.578.8321, brewtulum.com

TRE CUORI GELATERIA & ACAI

This Brazilian-owned cafe offers acai bowls and perfect Italian-style gelato with flavors including guava cheesecake, Belgian chocolate and mintstracciatella. Other desserts include the popular Nonna’s carrot cake (which comes with two scoops of gelato), and there’s a selection of classic espresso drinks. We can’t think of a better place for an affogato (espresso poured over a scoop of gelato).

15877 Fountain Plaza Drive, Ellisville, 636.675.0507, trecuorigelateria.com

Great places to work or study

HARTFORD COFFEE CO.

This Tower Grove South mainstay is a case study in the coffee shop-as-community hub. It’s a welcoming gathering place for a diverse clientele, and you won’t be the only one bringing your laptop or textbooks. The “quiet room” at the back end of the patio is perfect for those who have come to work, but if you prefer ambient noise there’s nothing stopping you from camping out in the main cafe or on either of the two patios. 3974 Hartford St., St. Louis, 314.771.5282, hartfordcoffee.com

MOKABE’S COFFEEHOUSE

The booths on the second floor of this Tower Grove South stalwart are prime spots for studying solo or in a group. It also offers one of the city’s most inventive coffee lineups with an entire chalkboard dedicated to latte specials like Mo’s Monkey (a chocolate and banana latte), and drinks to shake you into life like the Mudslide (double strength coffee with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg).

3606 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314.865.2009, mokabescoffeehouse.com

GOSHEN COFFEE ROASTERS

Most trips to Soulard don’t result in productive work or study, but Edwardsville-based coffee purveyor Goshen Coffee bucks that trend with its new-ish outpost in the former Soulard Coffee Garden. The second floor is particularly serene, but you might also set up on the balcony or out on the patio downstairs.

910 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.260.9100, goshencoffee.com

from left, co-owners and brothers patrick and spencer clapp at coffeestamp

PHOTO BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

FIDDLEHEAD FERN CAFE

If the hum of conversation aids your ability to focus, this cute, bustling neighborhood cafe is the place for you. Think seasonal lattes with floral and herbal notes, pour-over coffees and tea lattes colored by ingredients like turmeric, ube and matcha. Their toasts are some of the best around, loaded with avocados or fruits, spreads, seeds, fresh greens and chopped nuts. 4066 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.300.8111, fiddleheadferncafe.com

THE MUD HOUSE

One of the most attractive cafes in the city, this Cherokee Street mainstay provides a great meeting spot or a place to whip out your laptop and get some work done. If you’re looking for work-life balance, you can find it here: On weekdays, work with a maple spice latte and a bacon and cheddar scone or a grilled cheese; come back on Saturday or Sunday for waffles or French toast with mascarpone and housemade syrup –accompanied by a mimosa, of course. 2101 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.6599, themudhousestl.com

Multiple locations

PARK AVENUE COFFEE

Park Avenue’s five locations from downtown to Cortex, Lafayette Square and the Hill are dependable stops for your caffeine fix or a bag of whole beans. Visit the Columbia Avenue location on the Hill for the scent of freshly roasted beans from the on-site roastery. Multiple locations, parkavenuecoffee.com

KALDI’S COFFEE ROASTING CO.

With 10 locations in the St. Louis metro area, you’re never too far from a Kaldi’s. Each Kaldi’s has a distinct

look and feel to fit the surrounding neighborhood, with frozen coffee drinks, smoothies, teas from Kaldi’s offshoot Firepot, and seasonal coffee specials complementing the traditional lineup of espresso drinks, all presented with an urbane style. Multiple locations, kaldiscoffee.com

EXIT 11

Exit 11 has expanded from its Franklin County origins to bring two of its drive-thru coffee cabins to the St. Louis area. Pull up to the window and take your pick of hot or iced espresso drinks, with a range of milks to suit your dietary needs. They’re strong on breakfast items, with ham, egg and cheese croissant sandwiches, chorizo-filled breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls. Multiple locations, exit11coffee.com

Bikes & coffee

CURSED BIKES AND COFFEE

Cozy up with a coffee and house-baked pastry and watch an old bike race on the flatscreen TV behind a former bar that now serves as a bike retail and service area; spare parts are charmingly stored behind the bar where liquor bottles presumably once sat.

7401 Pershing Ave., University City, 314.601.3136, cursedbikesandcoffee.com

BIKE STOP CAFE

Offering extensive coffee and food menus, beer, wine and shuttle service for the nearby 237-mile, bikefriendly Katy Trail, Bike Stop Cafe is a great place to fuel up ahead of or after a long ride. Don’t have a bike? No problem – they offer rentals, in addition to mechanic and retail services.

701 S. Riverside Drive, St. Charles, 636.724.9900, bikestopcafes.com

ROAD CREW COFFEE AND CYCLES

Coffee here is brewed with Blueprint beans; there’s also a regularly rotating guest roaster and pastries by Whisk. Sleek, minimalist design and lots of natural light make this a great spot to get some work done or just refuel after shopping the retail selection of bikes and cycling accessories.

3172 Morgan Ford Road, St. Louis, 314.282.0705, roadcrew.cc

Art & coffee CATALYST COFFEE BAR

Catalyst, the cafe inside Art St. Louis’ downtown gallery space, serves up coffee made from Mississippi Mud beans, Big Heart Tea and pastries from Whisk. Seating areas in the back, designed as quiet zones, are a lovely place to work or just sit and contemplate the art on display; proceeds from the coffee bar help support the nonprofit’s mission.

1223 Pine St., St. Louis, 314.845.4542, Facebook: Catalyst Coffee Bar

BLUEPRINT COFFEE @ HIGH LOW

We love this Blueprint location, which is brightly lit and filled with all kinds of books which patrons are welcome to sit and read; the long, library-style tables contribute to the literary vibe. The kitchen here is used to bake all the goodies you’ll find at Blueprint cafes, like buttermilk biscuits, cookies and scones, so you know they’re extra fresh. The High Low Gallery, located just behind the cafe, is open during regular cafe hours.

3301 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.226.6808, kranzbergartsfoundation.org/high-low

BLACK COFFEE

Located inside art gallery The Luminary, Black Coffee offers a concise menu of quality coffee drinks made with beans sourced direct from a farm in Ghana’s Volta region as well as Black-owned coffee brands and roasters. Not in the mood for coffee? The black lemonade is a fun, gothic twist on the classic refreshing beverage.

2701 Cherokee St. (inside The Luminary), St. Louis, blackcoffee.works

Pets & coffee

ZOOMIES PET CAFE

Lots of coffee shops have dog-friendly patios, but at Zoomies your canine companion can chill with you inside as well – plus there’s a fenced-in area on the back patio for when the zoomies hit. In addition to sweet treats by Prioritized Pastries and traditional and seasonal espresso and coffee drinks, there are also more robust breakfast and lunch offerings like a black bean and sweet potato burrito and sandwiches made with Union Loafers sourdough bread – and of course pup cups just for Fido.

5838 Macklind Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2003, zoomiespetcafe.com

MAUHAUS CAT CAFE AND LOUNGE

We love that Mauhaus is as committed to a quality coffeeand-snack situation as they are to care for their kitties, all of which are adoptable thanks to the cafe’s partner, Stray Haven Rescue. Gorgeously decorated cookies and other treats are baked in-house, their coffee is from local roaster La Cosecha, and the tea is from Traveling Tea. Reservations are recommended and come with a complimentary coffee or tea drink.

3101 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.384.2287, mauhauscafe.com

THE CHESHIRE GRIN CAT CAFE

When you walk into two-story cat cafe The Cheshire Grin, be sure to look up – you might see a couple of kitties chasing each other across the clear Plexiglas ceiling. The menu here is tight but tasty; coffee drinks are made using the Yawning Cat blend nearby roasters Coffeestamp created just for the cat cafe.

1926 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.300.8119, thecheshiregrincatcafe.com

Superlative snacks

The seriousness of Comet Coffee ’s coffee program matches the expertise of their pastry program. Whether you want a cortado, a croissant, a quiche or just whole beans, they are thoughtful in every category of what they offer.

Living Room Coffee & Kitchen and Ivy Cafe offer a more robust menu of daytime offerings (and evenings too at Ivy Cafe). Ivy Cafe has their takes on overnight oats, French toast and pancakes, but their tartines take the cake: The Pershing with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and a truffle glaze, or The York, with local oyster mushrooms, hummus, microgreens and goat cheese. They offer coffee drinks including a French press and flavored lattes like smoked salted honey or hibiscus rose. Try it with one of their tiny banana-walnut breads for the perfect pairing. At Living Room the Workday sandwich with soft boiled eggs, cheddar and bacon continues to be a reliable stand-by.

For those on the hunt for pastries venturing further into dessert land, La Patisserie Chouquette is known for intricately made pastries, cakes and other desserts, their coffee drinks also fall within the “sweets” category from the whipped Dalgona coffee served over ice and milk to the Chef’s Survival Coffee with Vietnamese coffee, boba, crushed Oreos and whipped cream. Here you will reach a level of decadence difficult to find elsewhere.

Also not to be missed are the treats at SweetArt and Pipers Tea and Coffee ; both offer a range of desserts that accommodate vegan or gluten-free dietary restrictions and taste like desserts that you will want again and again. SweetArt’s Maine Event chocolate chip cookie, brownies and cupcakes are perennial favorites. At Pipers Tea and Coffee, pair house-roasted coffee with a selection from Sift’d’s lineup of glutenfree and vegan cookies. They have a variety of flavors from carrot cake to cookies and cream to funfetti – a fan favorite.

Comet Coffee 5708 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7770, cometcoffeestl.com

Gather Cafe 1854A Russell Blvd., St. Louis,

314.376.4235,

gathercafestl.com

Ivy Cafe 14 N. Meramec Ave., Suite A, Clayton, 314.776.9377, ivytartines.com

La Patisserie Chouquette 1626 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7935, simonefaure.com

Living Room Coffee & Kitchen 2810 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.899.0173, livingroomstl.com

SweetArt 2203 S. 39th St., St. Louis, 314.771.4278, sweetartstl.com

Pipers Tea and Coffee 3701 S Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.282.0060, cupofpipers.com

Sift’d siftdstl.square.site

Third-wave coffee programs

When Sump Coffee opened in 2011, it was not easy to find a pour-over coffee or a cold brew in town. Owner Scott Carey sourced quality beans, roasted them with care and used precise technique to make outstanding coffee drinks. Like any great chef, Carey really cared about the quality of the ingredient and how to treat it.

While third-wave coffee programs used to be novel, it’s now common to see restaurants and coffee shops investing in their coffee programs and supporting local roasters, which means better cups for us all. St. Louis is lucky to have coffee shops and brands like Blueprint Coffee, Upshot Coffee, Coma Coffee Roasters and newcomer Quarrelsome Coffee in the Central West End that devote significant time to sourcing and roasting beans to make coffee that’s extra special.

Sump Coffee 3700 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 917.412.5670, sumpcoffee.com

Blueprint Coffee multiple locations, blueprintcoffee.com

Upshot Coffee 5326 Hwy. N, Cottleville, 636.352.1139; 816 N. Kingshighway St., St. Charles, 636.209.4331, weareupshotcoffee.com

Coma Coffee Roasters 1034 S. Brentwood Blvd., Richmond Heights, 314.250.1042, comacoffee.com

Quarrelsome Coffee 33 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314.260.9008, quarrelsome.coffee

PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

projects from henley forge, clockwise from top left: wright's tavern bar, wright's tavern entry, sidney street sign, oversize grill for capital camp, custom table for post commons, metal floor at post commons, la tertulia sign in tulsa, the lodge sign

JONAS AND ANDREA JANEK

CO-OWNERS, HENLEY FORGE

Henley Forge is a custom metalwork shop specializing in restaurant furnishings and equipment located in Alton. It all started when owners Jonas and Andrea Janek met chef-restaurateur Mike Randolph at a Little Country Gentleman pop-up dinner at his restaurant Half and Half. Jonas overheard Randolph talking about a piece of equipment he couldn’t find anywhere. Jonas went home, made the piece (“I think it was a simple pan or little device”) and brought it to Randolph the next day. A few months later, Randolph tapped the Janeks for their first restaurant commission, helping him transform Randolfi’s into Privado. Five years later, the Janeks have contributed work to many of St. Louis’ top restaurants, like Vicia, Annie Gunn’s, Sidney Street Cafe, Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. and more. Here, the Janeks discuss making work that, as Jonas put it, is “seen but not noticed,” and why Andrea describes their job as “making people’s dreams come true.” – Liz Wolfson

JJ: “[Mike Randolph] called me up and said, ‘Hey, this might be crazy. But I’ve got two weeks to turn Randolfi’s into an entirely different restaurant. Just upside down. And by the way, it’s not a little job. Can you help us?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, you know what, that’d be fun. Let’s do it.’”

AJ: “We were part of the design all the way through to making everything in there.”

JJ: “We designed it. We built the lights. We built the pass. We built everything you could think of, and that was great.” ***

JJ: “The entryway at Wright’s Tavern – it’s a marble piece with solid brass lettering. I hand-did the logo. [Owner] Matt [McGuire] found an original logo that was a stamp that belonged to [the restaurant’s namesake] Henry Wright, and I hand-translated the original stamp into brass. And we created that inset piece. And funny, it’s not the most beautiful piece of art, but people seem to love it. It’s like the most photographed floor in St. Louis.”

AJ: “Like Jonas, some of my favorite pieces are Wright’s Tavern as well. On the back bar, there’s a bar grate. And the bar grate has the WT logo instead of the little circles where, if a drink spills over, it goes into the drain. It has the little WTs on it.”

JJ: “The zinc bar at Brasserie was [a favorite] – Gerard [Craft] came to me with a very specific fleur-de-lis he wanted. And we actually hand hammered every one of those little details into that zinc. It was a lot. But it was really cool to see just how happy he was to see the zinc bar he wanted.”

there and focus on one thing. Now I did ruin quite a few pants because they’re splattered with welding.”

***

JJ: “There’s this thing that [restaurateurs] just dream of, and they just can’t get it. That’s something I do every day, on a commercial side; we make things that don’t exist. This is the version of making – I think Andrea used to say, making people’s dreams come true or something.

AJ: “That’s exactly what I would say. When people would say, ‘Well, what do you do?’ I’m like, ‘We help people’s dreams come true.’ Like, you can dream up whatever in your head, and we can make that for you. And that’s amazing.”

JJ: “I would think the majority of our work is seen but not noticed. We did a whole bunch of stuff at Bar Moro, little custom pieces that Ben really wanted. And it’s fun, we see them in the back, we see them all the time and people just like them – it gives feel and ambiance.” ***

JJ: “We went today to [Niche Food Group’s] Expat [BBQ] at the [City] Foundry. [Culinary director] Evy Swoboda is looking for a very custom food conveyor, to convey food from the kitchen up to the upper level. … I had two different conveyor companies go there and tell me it’s not possible. So, we went there today and we figured it out. I’m drawing it out now, and we’ll have it figured out by Monday.” ***

JJ: “It’s really just me and [Andrea] on the fabrication – in fact, it’s not uncommon that I hand her the welder and say, ‘Hey, it’s your turn, start going.’ She welds and fabricates right along with me.”

AJ: “I actually found [welding] to be very relaxing. You have to focus and not do anything but just focus on the one thing. I really enjoyed it because I’m constantly being called from everywhere in business and in regular life. It was really therapeutic for me to just sit

JJ: “We really focus on things that are worth doing, that are really worth the time and the effort. And it’s something that [the] people that we do it for and with are really proud of it and really celebrate it. And it’s not just a filler. It’s really a feature.”

AJ: “An artistic piece.”

JJ: “So we sort of developed into that. And, you know, we try to stay very limited. Like we, unfortunately, probably turn away more than we take. And we try to be very specific. And we really try to just work with great people. I say, ‘Great people doing great things.’”

IMAGES COURTESY OF HENLEY FORGE

JUNE

BY ALEXANDER OLSON

Pizza, Pints and Pups

June 8 – 5 to 9 p.m., Angad Arts Hotel, 3550 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis, 314.561.0033, angadartshotel.com

Bring your four-legged friends to this Pizza Politano popup at the rooftop of the Angad Arts Hotel. Guests must purchase a 10-inch Neapolitan pizza before sampling craft beer from 4 Hands Brewing Co. and cocktails by 1220 Spirits. All attendees will have the chance to win a gift basket with surprises for both humans and their pups. Free admission, but guests are encouraged to RSVP online.

Sauce Food Truck Friday

June 9 & 23 – 4 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park, 4501 Southwest Drive, St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucefoodtruckfriday.com

Like tough choices? Tower Grove Park offers bites and sips from local food trucks on select Fridays this spring through early fall. More than 20 of our favorite trucks will be there and, luckily, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Free admission.

Bourbon and Brews Festival

June 10 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Frankie Martin’s Garden, 5372 St. Charles St., Cottleville, bourbonandbrewsstlouis.com

With a selection of over 300 bourbons, beers and whiskeys, the Bourbon and Brews Festival can satisfy even the choosiest connoisseur. Food trucks, including Crooked Boot, Zacchi, Super Smokers BBQ, Farmtruk and more, will line up at Frankie Martin’s Garden as live music energizes the venue. Tickets available online.

Central West End Cocktail Party

June 10 – 5 to 10 p.m., Central West End, St. Louis, 314.305.4012, cwescene.com The first cocktail party on record is said to have taken place in the Central West End a little over 100 years ago in 1917.

This year, the party is just as spirited as ever. Sample food and drink from local restaurants, bars and vendors as stilt walkers, fire dancers and aerial performers take to the streets. Don’t miss the CWE Cocktail Competition, where judges will determine the “best bartender” in the city. Free admission.

Tour de Belleville

June 10 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Eckert’s Farm, 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, 618.233.1416, tourdebelleville.com

Biking enthusiasts and casual cyclists alike will converge at Eckert’s for the annual Tour de Belleville – a familyfriendly and non-competitive ride around the city. Bikers can choose between a 6- or 16-mile trek before meeting back at Eckert’s for fresh-pressed apple cider and cider doughnuts. Food trucks and live music round out the festivities at the farm. Riders register online.

Four Seasons Mississippi Dinner Series

June 16 – 6 p.m., Cinder House, 999 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.881.5759, cinderhousestl.com

This multi-course collaboration between the executive chefs of the Four Seasons’ St. Louis and New Orleans locations is the first of two events in the Mississippi Dinner Series. Enjoy canapes on the Cinder House terrace before retreating to the dining room to savor the rest of the meal, served family-style. For wine lovers, a special pairing option is offered. Reservations can be made online.

Open Highway Music Festival

June 16 – 6 p.m. & June 17 – 2 p.m., Chesterfield Amphitheater, 631 Veterans Place Drive, Chesterfield, openhighwaymusic.com

Featuring the music of 11 artists and bands, this two-day rain-or-shine event has something special for any music lover. Bring your own chairs and snag a good spot on

the lawn before making your way to the Food Truck Row, sponsored by Sauce. Tickets available online.

4 Hands Brewing Co. Summer Fest

June 17 – noon to 4 p.m., 4 Hands Brewing Co., 1220 S. Eighth St., St. Louis, 4handsbrewery.com

Cocktails and seltzers and beers – oh my! Beer from breweries across Missouri will be featured at the venue alongside 4 Hands and 1220’s own portfolio of summer brews and canned cocktails. Grab your drink of choice, then have a bite from Sugarfire Smokehouse, Ices Plain & Fancy and more. Don’t forget to visit the seltzer bar and enjoy the live music from Moon Valley and Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players. Tickets available online.

Juneteenth Caribbean Heritage Festival

June 17 – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Cricket Field in Forest Park, St. Louis, art2063.org

In celebration of African American freedom and Caribbean American heritage in St. Louis, this educational festival has much to offer. Visit the open-air museum, which will highlight the accomplishments of African and Caribbean Americans throughout history, and sample food from vendors throughout the day. Live music, dancers, a Walk for Democracy and more await you. Tickets available online.

Washington Cajun Festival

June 23 – 6 to 10 p.m., 317 W. Main St., Washington, 636.239.2715, washmochamber.org

If you are craving a taste of the bayou, the Cajun Festival at the Washington Farmer’s Market will be just the thing you need. Enjoy Louisiana classics like gumbo and etouffee, and don’t skimp on the beans and rice. Bring a lawn chair, grab a drink, sit back and relax. Free admission.

denotes a sauce-sponsored event