Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
It’s a strange and wonderful place, Central Table Food Hall. Strange because no one could accurately describe it before it opened in early May. Wonderful because the 10,000-square-foot space—comprising myriad restaurant concepts in a warehouse-like food court of sorts—toppled all definitions. But food hall falls short; it’s a food shrine, maybe. Behold, five multiconcept stations: 1. coffee and chocolate, 2. a deli and salads, 3. a raw bar, wine, and sushi, 4. a wood-burning hearth, and 5. an open-fire grill. And there’s a market and a selection of wine that only a wine aficionado could conjure. Enter general manager Matt McGuire (one of St. Louis’ best), who’s trained a staff so technically proficient, so accommodating, that one laments that the occurrence isn’t more commonplace. At breakfast and lunch, it’s grab-and-go, with counter, table, high-backed booth, and communal seating. At night, it’s reservations and full service, kicked off with warm focaccia with tomato-basil relish, followed by offerings like smoked Missouri trout, house-made spaghetti alla chitarra, sous-vide octopus, and the Papasan roll, created by sushi chef Eliott Harris. Adjacent to the Washington University School of Medicine’s sprawling campus, Central Table does it hall.
23 S. Euclid
Central West End
314-932-5595
