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Kevin A. Roberts
Food trucks go flat
Although the number of local food trucks roughly doubled in 2012 (from 16 to 33), further growth will be stalled by the lack of dedicated parking spaces (in municipalities where they’re welcomed) and general resistance (in municipalities where they’re not). The occurrence of “food truck meet-up” events helped keep existing trucks solvent, but such events don’t occur often enough to tempt other tire-kickers into the business.
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Kevin A. Roberts
More pop-up restaurants
Sandy Talley popped the city’s first temporary restaurant into the former John’s Town Hall in late 2011 (article here) and then again into Forest Park last year (at left) for a memorable two-week run (articles here and here). Chef Josh Galliano followed suit with a pair of one-day pop-ups. With the availability of vacant restaurants, look for eager landlords to welcome such endeavors, if for no other reason than to temporarily shine a light on the space.
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Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina
More large footprint restaurants
Just when we thought we saw a trend toward smaller restaurants, along comes J. Gilbert’s, BrickTops, BlackFinn American Grille, and Vida Mexican Kitchen Y Cantina—all young and successful chain restaurants that opened from late 2011 to late 2012. The trend will continue with Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and the locally owned Table (both 7,000 square feet), the 8500 square foot Prasino inside the new "Streets of St. Charles" complex, as well as the 10,000-square-foot Central Table Food Hall. The takeaway: St. Louis is a dining town, or such companies would invest elsewhere. And then there's EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery, local owners who gambled successfully in a granddaddy of a space in Chesterfield and recently announced plans to do it again at the former Busch's Grove in Ladue.
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Kevin A. Roberts
More Bob O’Loughlin restaurants
The president and CEO of Lodging Hospitality Management already owns and operates Porter’s Steakhouse, Three-Sixty, and Molly Darcy’s, as well as Fox & Hounds Tavern, Basso, and The Restaurant (all at The Cheshire). With LHM’s recent purchase of the entirety of Westport Plaza and Union Station, expect to see more restaurants at these properties in 2013.
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The rise of kale
For the last several years, this so-called “super food” appeared on the more trendy menus in town. But last year, when the kale salad became a top seller at Cleveland-Heath in Edwardsville, Ill., we knew the kale frenzy was full-on. This year, we predict you’ll see it everywhere, from Niche to Nico to Noodles & Co.
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Provel cheese continues its dominance—but not in the way you think
With the introduction of Provel Bites (deep-fried cheese nuggets) just this week (“.99 with your order,” exclusively at Imo’s Pizza locations), the Provel rage is sure to continue. Many non-believers have come over to the processed side after sampling a St. Louis-style pizza with a mix of Provel and mozzarella. And consider that Provel has recently been introduced in other markets, like Speedy Romeo (in Brooklyn, no less!), where we understand “The St. Louie” is selling quite well.
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Vegetables move to the center of the plate
Partly to offset projected cost increases in quality beef, pork, and chicken, and partly to address the collective desire to eat healthier, look for savvy restaurateurs and chefs to turn to less expensive vegetables as main courses. Expect more vegetarian dinners and tasting menus to drive this point home. Having recently attended the city’s first 100-percent vegan dinner, we have no beef with that.
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Brown booze rises in popularity
Whiskey in the Winter, December’s blockbuster event that featured more than 200 brands of whiskey, opened a lot of agnostic eyes. Similar events will become more commonplace in 2013. And this year, at least three restaurants will open (Gringo, Mission Taco Joint, and the still unnamed new steakhouse in the CWE) where the focus in the bar will be primarily dark spirits, as well as barrel-aged cocktails.
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Communal dining
Communal tables are multiplying, as are communal restaurants like the aforementioned Table (a restaurant conceived to promote communal dining) and the seven-themes-under-one-roof Central Table Food Hall (opening this spring in the CWE). Consider too that grocery-store customers are discovering dine-in counters and offerings available on mezzanine levels, effectively turning shoppers into diners.
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Kevin A. Roberts
More chef-driven burger joints
Have you noticed the crowds inside Steve Gontram’s Five Star Burgers in Clayton (Gontram at left) and heard the raves? We’d wager other local chefs have taken note as well.
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Cini Italian Chow
More locally owned, fast-casual restaurants
In the wake of Crushed Red and Sauce on the Side, as well as Cini Italian Chow (at left) (scheduled to open tomorrow), we’ll go out on a limb and predict more local restaurateurs will open lower-investment, high-upside/low-downside eateries. If we’ve learned one thing from the 1,220-unit Chipotle, it’s that quick and casual works.
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Kevin A. Roberts
St. Louis continues to be a beer town
Four new craft breweries— Alpha Brewing Co, and beer from Excel Bottling Co, Heavy Riff Brewing Company, and Shaw Garden Brewery—are on the horizon. Kräftig reportedly had a sound first year. Sage Capital, the new owners of Schlafly, has plans to grow that brand. The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, slated to open next month near Busch Stadium with 80 beers on tap, will surely raise the local beer I.Q. And don’t forget little, ol’ A-B Inbev, who’s relentless in building market share, through acquisitions and the incessant development of new craft beers. (A few of their recent commercial campaigns have been pretty good, too.)
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St. Louis Chefs Engage in Fun-but creative-Themed Dinners
Some good news for diners who have had their fill of wine- and beer-themed dinners: in the spirit of perennially-successful events like Dorm Room Dinners, the various underground dinners in town, or the nose-to-tail dinners (at Farmhaus and Five Bistro), the new year is starting off briskly: the Magnificent Missouri dinner series continues into 2013 (its second event will be held January 20); Chef Jon Dreja of Franco just announced the “Devil’s Picnic,” a dinner featuring “food, wine, and spirits that have been demonized or labeled contraband throughout history” (on January 23 and priced at $66.60 pp); Stone Soup Cottage’s Carl McConnell kicks off 2013 with two wild game dinners (January 21, February 18 is sold out); and entre’s Chef John Perkins of will put a different spin on Valentine’s Day with a three-night run of unorthodox, off-beat dinners (think Dark and Stormy’s, “Heart on a Stick” amuses, and black candlelight & roses). Expect more chefs to venture out of their kitchens this year to provide more entertaining--and truly memorable—dining experiences.
By George Mahe
When discussing upcoming food trends for the new year, national gastronauts have been waxing about items like spit-roasted pig’s tails, leek ash, and fish milt (that’s fish sperm to you and me). We thought the more sensible and relevant approach would be to discuss what we predict will happen here, in St. Louis. (And if fish milt never makes it as far as the Gateway City, we’re fine with that.)
