It’s been a long time coming.
After a series of stops and starts, City Foundry STL will open its doors on Wednesday, August 11. The anchor is the Food Hall, a 30,000-square-foot space that can accommodate 20 restaurant kitchens. Eleven food stalls will be part of the first phase, including Good Day, Kalbi Taco Shack, Turmeric Street Style, Patty’s Cheesecakes, Buenos Aires Cafe, Press Waffle Co., Hello Poke, and Poptimism STL.
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Two previously unannounced concepts—Sub Division Sandwich Co. and Chez Ali, featuring Senegalese cuisine—were announced today, as was the operator for the project’s central bar. Gerard Craft of Niche Food Group will develop what’s being called The Kitchen Bar (Craft had been named culinary director for the project in May of last year). Today’s release noted that The Kitchen Bar is located at the center of the space and will “serve as a neighborhood bar for the surrounding community.” The beverage menu will be spearheaded by Melinda Cooper, bar manager at Craft’s Brasserie in the CWE. A large tank recovered from the historic foundry will serve as a central tap system for over eight local beers at the 28-seat bar, the release said.
The Food Hall has 400 indoor communal seats as well as outdoor dining along Foundry Way. Food Hall estaurants will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, depending on the concept.
Located in the former Federal-Mogul foundry, the City Foundry STL project was originally announced in 2016 and slated to open in 2018. A year later, the Lawrence Group‘s Steve Smith, the project’s developer, told SLM: “The overarching idea is to build a community of local chefs doing out-of-the-box concepts within their areas of expertise.” Several large-scale entertainment tenants—Punch Bowl Social, Fassler Hall, and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema—were also part of the mix, and still are. 18 Rails, operated by Butler’s Pantry and named after the nearby 18 rail lines that connected St. Louis to the rest of the country—will accommodate large parties and events.
The next round of Food Hall openings are scheduled to open throughout September and October, the release said. Four eateries will be added, including Chicken Scratch, a concept from fine dining chef (and Niche Food Group alum) Nate Hereford.
Susie Bonwich, daughter of respected former food writer, restaurant critic, and SLM contributor, Joe Bonwich, will serve as director of operations of the Food Hall. “I’m excited to bring the Bonwich name back into the St. Louis food scene and be involved with such an innovative, passionate community of chefs,” she said in the release. “Each kitchen will continue to evolve after the initial opening, so guests can expect new discoveries upon every visit.”
