Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
The Wolf Public House feels like a casual lodge in an outdoorsy setting—but it’s actually in Ballwin. The decor celebrates sports like fishing, running, and cycling. Don’t be so distracted by the memorabilia and large taxidermied bear near the entrance, though, that you miss the sign directing customers to order at the counter. Business lunches, families, and even some dates make up the bulk of the guests.
Focusing on local suppliers and ingredients, The Wolf combines coffeehouse, bar, and casual restaurant. There’s live music some nights. And there’s breakfast, which includes a breakfast club sandwich served on multigrain toast with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and a fried egg. Boiled new potatoes are lightly smashed and crisped on a griddle.
The kitchen’s strengths are best seen in the vegetarian sandwiches and soups. The “BLT” in the BLT soup special stands for bacon, leeks, and tomato. The result is hot and flavorful, without being too rich. A New England–style salmon chowder special is even tastier, with milky broth, nuggets of potato, and carrots.
The Black Bear black-bean burger is a crowd favorite: Three customers in line ahead of me ordered it, so I followed their lead and didn’t regret the decision. The burger is delicious, moist but not falling into crumbs, smoky-spicy from chipotle mayonnaise, with tomato and avocado—a clear winner. The portobello Reuben is another excellent sandwich, with house-made sauerkraut and horseradish mayonnaise on sliced mushroom, Swiss cheese, and marble rye—a fine balance of flavors and textures.
Then there are the side options: a bowl of fresh fruit, soups like the mild three-bean chipotle chili, and salads that seem to vary by the day. There’s also a “night menu,” available after 4 p.m. (lunchtime options are still served then, too). The 12-inch pizzas have a premade crust, but the sauce is fresh, and the pineapple on the Hawaiian pizza isn’t out of a can.
Besides the cakes, most of the desserts are breakfast-compatible. The granola bar looks like a short piece of coffee cake with streusel on top—crunchy, rather dry, and calling for more coffee. Speaking of beverages, not only is there a fair selection of craft beers on tap, the fountain sodas come from Excel Bottling in Breese, Ill., and include a remarkably tasty diet cola called Lucky Club.
There’s a second dining room off to one side, so don’t let crowding put you off. And there’s outdoor seating, under the former portico, so it’s shady as well.
Service can be rusty—not ill-tempered, just a bit clumsy and sometimes distracted. Be patient, think about soup, and wait for your reward.
The Bottom Line: Faux-rustic casual with locavore sourcing.
15480 Clayton
Ballwin
636-527-7027
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Mon through Sat, breakfast and lunch Sun
