Listen Now: ‘Arch Eats’: Ben Poremba’s big plans for 2024
Last August, when Ben Poremba announced that he would be relocating three of his iconic restaurants—Elaia, Olio, and Nixta—from Botanical Heights to the emerging Delmar Maker District (the section of Delmar Boulevard between Union and Kingshighway), the news shook the St. Louis dining community to its core. What’s more, the restaurants would all close simultaneously in a rollicking triple sendoff at year’s end.
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On Christmas Eve afternoon, in an email packed with information, Poremba clarified some details on the closings, elaborated on a fourth restaurant that he plans to open in the district, and tied a bow on the package by announcing yet another new concept. Yes, Poremba’s Bengelina Hospitality Group now plans to open five restaurants along Delmar in 2024.
Below is a rundown of the updates from his email.
Poremba shared even more details on Episode 5 of SLM’s dining podcast, Arch Eats. Listen below or wherever podcasts are available.
Bye to Botanical Heights
The last regular service at Elaia, Olio, and Nixta in Botanical Heights will be December 30.
On New Year’s Eve, the Bengelina family will host a farewell party at Olio beginning at 8 p.m. No tickets or reservations are required, light food will be served, and bubbles will be poured. Poremba’s email noted that “on this bittersweet occasion, we celebrate our continued growth but also the courage to let go.”
New Additions
The two new restaurants are slated to open early in 2024:
Florentin
Named after his favorite neighborhood in Tel Aviv, the restaurant will open for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner, and offer both full and counter service. The mostly vegetarian menu is inspired by the casual street foods of Tel Aviv, including falafel, bourekas, and shakshuka. Beverages will include fresh squeezed juices and smoothies.
Esca
Poremba describes the forthcoming restaurant as a coastal Mediterranean grill and bar, with an emphasis on charcoal and wood cooking. The name comes from a Catalan fire-roasted vegetable dish called escalivada, but Poremba noted that the secondary meanings (“kindling” and “bait”) are apropos as well.
Inspired by the cozy vibe of the Italian and French Rivieras, the food at Esca will be what’s commonly referred to as “the cuisine of the sun,” which Poremba describes as “rustic, fresh, olive-oil drenched, simply prepared, and deeply flavored.”
Esca will feature classic cocktails; “a library-sized” collection of aperitifs, Amari, aromatized wines, and anisettes; and an “ambitious” wine list, all curated by Luciano Racca, Bengelina’s beverage director.
Reinvented Favorites
Nixta
As previously announced, Nixta is slated to open in the spring within Maker’s Locale, a new multi-use facility at 5232 Delmar that boasts multiple dining and drink options, as well as a shared 8,000-square-foot patio and beer garden. In his email, Poremba noted a taco truck is part of the mix and that Bar Limon (located inside of Nixta) will include a raw bar/seafood counter.
AO&Co.
Also in the spring, AO&Co., Poremba’s little-bit-of-everything gourmet food market, will begin providing the food at Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ café.
Elaia + Olio
The final two components of Poremba’s massive project, the acclaimed Elaia and Olio, are slated to open in the summer and fall. In the email, Poremba noted, “I’ve done many ambitious projects, the new Elaia and Olio ‘campus’ might top them all. Can’t wait to share more.”
