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Although the city-county debate often proves divisive among St. Louisans, one must admit that both locations offer a wide range of unique neighborhoods. And while traveling among those neighborhoods may require some form of wheeled transportation, getting around within many individual zip codes by foot is possible. The combination of the walkable neighborhood and our city’s ever-growing love for food has generated the culinary tour or crawl, illustrated in three distinct, upcoming events, each of which offers something for everyone.
With a background in public relations for Dallas’ Mansion at Turtle Creek, Beth Huch knows the industry well. Her resume also includes stints at L’Ecole Culinaire and Straub’s, and the position of “Shepherdess” at Overlook Farm (translation: director of business development). Along the way, she’s made a number of vital contacts in the local and national restaurant industry.
In May of 2012, Huch launched St. Louis Culinary Tours, a venture that just gained recognition from Wine Enthusiast Magazine and a yet-to-be-disclosed national magazine’s May issue that ranks it among the top 10 culinary tours in the country.
Huch offers both private and public tours, all of which capitalize on her insider’s perspective and connections. Along the way, “tourists” have the opportunity to meet the chefs and owners, enjoy food and drinks, and tour kitchens. The downtown tour held in January included visits to Cielo, the members-only Blood & Sand, and The Four Seasons, while the Maplewood tour stopped at Vom Fass, Acero, and Water Street.
The April 27th event centers on Clayton and follows a 2-mile route—“so you can walk off all those calories,” Huch joked—starting at Bar Les Freres and ending at I Fratellini. In between Zoe Robinson’s restaurants, guests will visit Extra Virgin, An Olive Ovation , Oceano Bistro, and Little Country Gentleman. Since the tour starts at 11:30 AM, participants will have the chefs and owners all to themselves. Mike Randolph, for example, will explain how Half & Half, the morning incarnation of Little Country Gentleman, changes over from a casual breakfast joint to an upscale fine-dining establishment.
At $150 a guest, the tour’s price might initially seem steep to some, but one could easily spend that amount at Randolph’s restaurant alone, and given that the groups are no larger than 12 people, one is paying for not only the food and drink provided, but also the personalized service and priceless behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of St. Louis’ most popular and exclusive restaurants.
In the works are future tours in Edwardsville, The Loop, DeMun, Webster, and a winery tour including Chaumette Winery, Charleville Brewery, and the nearby walking trails.
New to St. Louis but already established across the country and Canada, Dishcrawl is also designed around specific neighborhoods with an emphasis on walking from one restaurant to another. The inaugural crawl will take place on Wednesday, April 24, at 7 PM, along Washington Avenue.
Sara Graham, the St. Louis “ambassador” in charge of Dishcrawl, also has industry experience; as a professional belly dancer, Graham knows a number of people working in restaurants and event planning—“witnessed the passion of owners and people in the industry from behind the scenes”—so when she saw an ad in Craigslist for Dishcrawl, she applied.
Part of the fun of Dishcrawl is not knowing exactly where one is going until just before the event. What is certain is that participants will visit four restaurants in the Washington Avenue area, with no more than 10 minutes of walking between them. The crawl will take place at night, with establishments in full swing, but the Wednesday night was chosen expressly because many restaurants aren’t as busy then compared to the weekend. Clues will be released on Facebook and Twitter the week of the event. Food specials—both off the menu and restaurant favorites, depending on the chef’s choice—will be available as well as the opportunity to meet chefs and owners to learn about the food.
The lower price point ($45), the diction (“crawl” reminds one, of course, of a pub crawl), the larger group size (30-40), and the reliance on social media not just for marketing but communication suggest that the average participant will be young, but Graham stressed that the events held so far in other cities draw a range of people with only one common denominator: a love for food.
Keen interest in Dishcrawl has led Graham to release more tickets, and she has her eye on Lafayette Square as the next crawl’s destination.
The Missouri History Museum’s Historical Pub Tour
Although it bears the term “pub tour” in its title, the History Museum’s upcoming event, part of the “History on the Side Series,” is not your typical bar-hopping experience. “History on Tap: Soulard” will begin at the museum’s library and research center, where local historian, Michael Allen, will use the museum’s artifacts and his oratory skills to regale a group of 25 with stories about one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods (Soulard in 1910, below) and its connection to the brewing industry.
Participants will then board a bus that takes them to Soulard, specifically McGurk’s, Joanie’s Pizzeria, and The Shanti. At each stop, Allen will continue to provide a historical perspective while guests drink, eat, and meet the owners who will also share their knowledge of their historic buildings. At The Shanti, for example, pictures of the building from the 1940’s will be on display.
We spoke with the museum’s Leigh Albright Walters, Assistant Director of Communications, and Nellie LaVigne, Development Coordinator, who emphasized that “there’s a lot of stories we want to tell.” In July, the museum will host a Dogtown tour with Bob Corbett, from the Dogtown Historical Society, and October will bring a tour of the Bevo neighborhood by way of its pubs.
The Historical Pub Tour costs $45 ($35 for museum members), which includes transportation, two drinks, additional drink specials, and pizza from Joanie’s. Reservations can be made through email or by phone.
With so many exciting options for exploring St. Louis’ neighborhoods through the lens of food and drink, the question is less about which one is the best and more about which one is right for you. Our recommendation? Choose your own adventure.
Soulard photo courtesy of the Missouri History Museum.
