Photo by George Mahe
A stanchion at Patio One includes a menu and information about The St. Louis Club
What do you know about Patio One at Pierre Laclede Center in Clayton? —Tony P., St. Louis
Pandemic notwithstanding, restaurants have been opening in St. Louis at a dizzying clip. Trying to keep track of them is a full-time job and then some, so when one popped up on a busy corner in the heart of Clayton, practically overnight, we shouldn’t have been surprised.
On Tuesday night, Patio One opened on the ground-floor terrace at the flagship Pierre Laclede building (7701 Forsyth). An adjacent building is located at 7733 Forsyth; the two-building complex is called Pierre Laclede Center I & II.
The St. Louis Club occupies the 14th, 15th, and 16th floors of the PLC I building. Guests at Patio One are required to be members of the St. Louis Club.
The 50-seat, patio-only restaurant is shielded from street view by a hedge wall festooned with mini lights. White patio umbrellas call attention to the space, while several planter boxes add charm. The hours are from 5–10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, weather permitting.
Since the club's kitchen and bar is on the 14th floor, the Patio One menu consists of only cold appetizers (shrimp cocktail, halibut carpaccio, smoked salmon, jumbo lump crab, cheese, charcuterie, and more) and desserts (crème brulee, pistachio opera cake, tarte bavarois, and several daily chef’s selections).
The bar menu includes four bottled cocktails (Moscow Mule, Pina Colada, Old Fashioned, Barrel Manhattan) and 15 bottled craft beers (from Rockwell Beer’s Passing clouds, a Belgian-style witbier, to Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde, a golden Tripel). The wine list includes 15 selections (mostly from the U.S. and France), all available by the glass or bottle.
Founded in 1964, The St. Louis Club hosts 2,100 events per year in 10 private rooms, which can accommodate from two to 600 guests. The club boasts 21 affinity groups: travel, wine, Scotch, beer, golf, gardening, cooking, reading, writing, investing, and more. In addition, members have reciprocal use of more than 100 other clubs around the country and 16 abroad.
"There are St. Louisans who don't know where The St. Louis Club is or what it is," says a club representative. "Patio One helps answer those questions."
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