Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
The former Porano at 634 Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis.
Photo by Mark Schepker
Hi-Pointe Drive-In's double cheeseburger
Downtown's Washington Avenue just got a big endorsement. One of the city’s busiest, buzziest restaurants, Hi-Pointe Drive-In, just inked a lease for the former Porano by Pastaria space at 634 Washington Avenue. (In mid-October, an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch announced the deal as being 99.9 percent complete.)
Hi-Pointe joins a group of busy restaurants in the 600 block of Wash. Ave., including Crazy Bowls and Wraps, Snarf’s, Taze Mediterranean Street Food, Pi Pizzeria, the new Gringo, and Sugarfire Smoke House (Hi-Pointe’s sister concept). Kiin Essentially Thai and BLT’s are located nearby on adjacent numbered streets.
Hi-Pointe co-owner Charlie Downs admits that reconfiguring the 4,000-square-foot space (with 3,200 square feet downstairs and 800 square feet on the mezzanine) is a challenge and has commissioned Oculus Inc.’s award-winning Portland, Oregon-based interior design team, led by Jim Staicoff, to solve the bi-level issues.
“Besides all the columns, the upstairs area was underutilized,” says Downs, who hints at also installing a vestibule area and bolder signage, including window graphics.
Piggybacking on Sugarfire’s recent World Best Sandwich medal win (part of the 2018 World Food Championship) for chef David Molina's Cuban Reuben (with smoked ham, pulled pork, pastrami, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, and pickles tucked between a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough), Downs says to expect an enhanced sandwich selection at the downtown location, in addition to Hi-Pointe’s award-winning burgers, frites, and shakes.
The downtown digs should debut in 90 to 120 days, says Downs.
