Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Cinder House
Signaling Gerard Craft’s return to top-tier dining, Cinder House is the most anticipated St. Louis restaurant in years. No expense has been spared in the dining room build-out at the Four Seasons, and the kitchen’s filled with custom wood-fired equipment to support the South American-focused menu—a nod to Craft’s Brazilian nanny. 999 N. Second.
After a year of underground dinners with Square 1 Project, chef Logan Ely is making his mark on the restaurant scene with his own grassroots restaurant in Fox Park. Expect a rapidly changing menu of hyper-local small plates, with plenty of surprises along the way. 2655 Ann.
After the success of Retreat Gastropub, partners Travis Howard and mixologist Tim Wiggins are teaming up with Top Chef: All-Stars winner Richard Blais for a second location, this time with a seafood-centric menu and what’s bound to be one of the city’s best beverage programs (see p. 62). 4643 Lindell.
The name explains the concept at chef Anthony Devoti’s former Five Bistro: The same farm-focused, made-in-house fare but offered at a price point that families and weeknight diners can afford. 5100 Daggett.
Guests must reserve a table and order in advance. (The menu’s on Facebook.) The reward is some of the most authentic Shanghai-style Chinese food in town. Theowners also operate Soup Dumplings STL next door. 8106 Olive.
With nearly a dozen variations on the menu, owner David Dresner pays serious attention to assembling each style of ’sticker, from dough to filling to sauce to pan-frying that perfect (you guessed it) crispy edge. 4168 Juniata.
This New Town newcomer rivals any in our region in terms of creativity, quality, and taste, as evidenced by such dishes as the Duck Grilled Cheese. No Menu Mondays and Kids Eat Free Wednesdays keep ’em coming back. 3245 Rue Royale, St. Charles.
Real estate was John Barr’s thing. Then he got involved in wife Kelley Hall-Barr’s candle business—so opening a restaurant was the obvious next step. (Or, more accurately, opening a barroom: John Barr. Barroom. Get it?) The idea was to have a little dive with some snacks. Things got out of hand. The Frisco Barroom is a 250-seat eatery with a separate bar, a dining room, an incredible patio, and a private upstairs dining space and comfy lounge. It’s all low-key and relaxed but with an upscale ambience. The menu’s all over the place: sandwiches, many stuffed with house-cured meats; burgers; wings; potato pierogis; smoked whitefish dip. The bar is like a well-stocked, well–run factory, turning out excellent cocktails. The rooftop seating offers views that will make you happy to live here. But John and Kelley, one question: Where are the candles? 8110 Big Bend.
Inside a stylish Botanical Heights space, chef Ryan McDonald puts an inventive spin on Chinese favorites. Crab Rangoon are rolled instead of pinched, and they’re filled with salt cod. Consider ordering from the takeout menu, too. 1641D Tower Grove.
And on the new horizon...
At Elmwood (2704 Sutton), two Niche alums—one making his triumphant return to fine dining, the other among the city’s finest restaurant managers—are teaming up for a noteworthy addition to Maplewood. And inside Midtown’s new Angad Arts Hotel, Grand Tavern (634 N. Grand) promises to deliver small plates and “contemporary takes on classic American dishes” by celeb chef David Burke, who’s opened myriad restaurants across the U.S., including the acclaimed Park Avenue Café in New York.
