Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (3765 Foundry Way, Suite 275, 314-669-2079) has opened at City Foundry STL. Beyond drinks and comfy seating, the new movie theater is a place to revel in film culture—an interactive space created to bring together cinephiles, curious moviegoers, friend groups, and families alike. Here’s what to expect when you go.
The Theme
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Over the past 25 years, Alamo Drafthouse has opened dozens of locations across the United States. The St. Louis location marks the second in Missouri, following a location opening in Springfield in 2017. Each Drafthouse location is designed to fit its location and is accompanied by its own theme. The St. Louis location’s theme is absurdist comedy.
The interior showcases the genre with multiple interactive elements placed throughout the space, including a scavenger hunt. The space is decked out with retro lighting and hilarious movie posters featuring Mexican and European releases of popular American comedies. A large sign over the dining area alludes to Monty Python’s Flying Circus: “And Now For Something Completely Different.” An entire wall is covered with a map from Guardians of the Galaxy, hung with iconic elements from movie history. Can you guess which item maps to which film? Examples include a “One in the Oven” T-shirt from Police Academy and a goldfish in a tiny bowl from A Fish Called Wanda. The venue plans a scavenger hunt for trivia-hungry guests.
Another large section of the wall is dedicated to the Alamo Drafthouse’s mission and vision: “Do the right thing,” “Boldly go,” “Give a Sh!t” As one bartender explained, “At most places, workers just don’t. Here the vibe is totally different. People take ownership. They want everything to be just right.”
The Menu
As the name implies, the bar is front and center, located near the entrance. Above it, an outsized retro marquee delivers another Monty Python reference: THE MEANING OF BAR. The wall under the bar is lined with obscure VHS covers. The drink menu offers specialty cocktails created around the absurdist comedy theme, as well as a selection of beer from local breweries, wine, and spirits. The Stay Classy San Diego (a nod to Anchorman) features Monkey Shoulder Scotch with ginger and honey syrup. A frozen margarita is made with Exotico Blanco tequila, Naranja orange liqueur, and pressed lime juice with a salted rim. The Rock Ridge Cooler, inspired by Blazing Saddles, features a refreshing and smokey mezcal, jalapeño simple syrup, and pineapple juice.
The food menu includes elevated options with generous portions. Besides the typical buttered popcorn (served with “real clarified butter”), there’s also Churro popcorn, a blend of popcorn with fried churro pieces tossed with a custom blend of cinnamon, sugar, maple, and vanilla. A 10-inch pepperoni pizza is made with Tillamook mozzarella, parmesan, and homemade marinara. The Monster Burger is composed of an 18.5 brisket, sirloin, and chuck blend patty, as well as green chile, bacon, queso, and cilantro aioli. The loaded fries feature Hatch green chile queso, Tillamook cheddar, cotija, bacon, and cilantro. The hand-breaded chicken tenders—made with a 24-hour dry brine seasoned with cumin, cayenne, garlic, and black pepper—are fried golden and served with scratch-made Hatch green chile gravy.
The Movies
The space—totaling 45,000 square feet—spans 10 screens, with more than 930 luxury recliner seats. All of the auditoriums have top-of-the-line digital 4K projection and dynamic surround sound. For audiences looking to enjoy the theater’s biggest screen, the location plans to include The Big Show, a premium large format curved screen measuring at least 66 feet wide equipped with Dolby Atmos sound, recliner chairs, and even more legroom.
The new theater will also continue the cinema chain’s commitment to preserving movies on film, thanks to an installed 35-mm projector, allowing original screenings of both classic and contemporary movies in original celluloid. “I’m a huge film buff,” says John Martin, managing partner of the Alamo Drafthouse St. Louis. “I was in the film business in production and development in Los Angeles for 12 years. And I moved to Austin in 1997, which was the same year that the Alamo [Drafthouse] opened, and I became a huge fan.”
As with the other Alamo Drafthouse locations, Martin says the St. Louis cinema is all about the experience: “I’m excited for people to go out again, experience movies, order food from their seats, and be with others again in this kind of atmosphere.”
