What St. Louis restaurant serves a good porchetta sandwich? — Meghan B., St. Louis
Unfortunately, I know of no place in town currently serving a porchetta sandwich, like the popular one at Dressel’s, which is temporarily closed.
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The likely candidates would have been the better sandwich shops—Parker’s Table (since Salume Beddu used to serve one), Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, and Truffles Butchery—but no luck there.
In short, porchetta (pore-KETT-uh) is a rolled, fresh herb-stuffed, pork belly roast that’s slow-roasted and sliced into thick pieces. Porchetta is a somewhat complex dish, takes a chef’s touch to prepare properly, and is labor-intensive to boot, so it’s most often seen only at the better restaurants in town. I’ve seen it at Acero, Annie Gunn’s, Farmhaus, Peno, Sidney Street Café (click here for owner/chef Kevin Nashan’s recipe), and The Crossing. Even then, it’s most often served as a special, rather than an everyday item.
Dressel’s was the only place I know that ever served a porchetta sandwich on a consistent basis, though the beloved Central West End pub has been closed since June 2020. So when might Dressel’s reopen? Owner Ben Dressel was quick to comment: “Dressel’s has begun their long overdue bar and kitchen renovations in the hope to reopen this summer in a more normalized market. Fish and chips, pretzel, and porchetta lovers will not be disappointed. More info to follow as the project builds momentum. There are rumors of a house-made Double Dragon ale.”
In the meantime, if you know of a local restaurant or bar that serves a porchetta sandwich, let us know in the comments below.
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