Photography by George Mahe
After much anticipation, the former I Fratellini space in Clayton will soon have a new chapter: Wright’s Tavern is slated to open this fall in the space at 7624 Wydown.
Acclaimed restaurateur Matt McGuire, who owns the popular Louie on DeMun, recently closed on the deal with I Fratellini's former owner, Zoe Robinson. (Sauce magazine first reported the news this afternoon.)
With equipment and fixture delays, McGuire says an early-fall opening is realistic. Here's what to expect.
The Concept
The forthcoming restaurant's name stems from architect and planner Henry Wright, a major proponent of the garden city movement who designed nearby residential neighborhoods Brentmoor Park, Brentmoor, Forest Ridge, The Hi-Pointe DeMun Neighborhood, and Wydown Boulevard.
And the 'Tavern' moniker? “I use the word ‘tavern,’ stylistically speaking,” says McGuire. “I want to recreate some of St. Louis’ restaurant history, from the décor to what’s on the plate.”
The Menu
The food will focus on the classics, serving “prime beef, fresh seafood, and strong drinks,” according to McGuire. “We will take out best crack at, say, a strip steak with peppercorn sauce and frites or a Caesar salad—it won’t be a version of the Caesar salad.”
The restaurant is slated to serve lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday. The lunch menu will include a proper hamburger and a French dip sandwich. There will also be some continuity between the lunch and dinner menus. At night, patrons can expect fresh seafood, including oysters and such dishes as Dover sole and lobster Thermador.
Given the size of the 1,100-square-foot space, McGuire acknowledges that the price range at Wright’s will likely be higher than at Louie. “People have to remember that 1. Louie is a neighborhood Italian restaurant, and 2. It’s over twice the size. I always want to be less expensive than anyone else in my category, but the smaller the place, the harder that is to pull off."
Photography by Suzy Gorman
I Fratellini in 2018, following an interior refresh
The Atmosphere
“The bones of the place are great," McGuire says of the 40-seat space. "Zoe’s taste is great, the coffered ceiling’s beautiful, the floors have been redone. The layout can’t be changed—with the small bar and banquette along one side—but the artwork and the kitchen equipment will change to reflect what I am trying to achieve.
"Zoe’s places are all beautifully designed," he adds. "The next guy’s job should be to not screw them up.”
Robinson was equally complementary of McGuire: "I am so pleased and excited for both Matt and the community," she wrote. "He does such a stellar job. I could not be leaving that location in better hands!"
Billie-Jean & Beyond
The question remains of what will happen to the former Billie-Jean space nearby. “I’m obsessed with that space, too," McGuire says, "but I needed the basement prep [area] that I Frat had, which is the only way I can open for lunch and dinner, which is crucial when you only have 40 seats." (For her part, Robinson reports that discussions are ongoing with prospective buyers, "but nothing yet.")
Before today's news, many St. Louisans had wondered whether I Fratellini might reopen. At one time, there was an operator in the wings, McGuire says, who didn’t work out. “I did discuss operating it as is, but soon realized I was too old to stand on the bow of someone else’s ship. But I’m apparently not too old to have another ship of my own.
"For a lot of us, there’s no joy in playing someone else’s fiddle,” he adds. “I want to do something that’s exciting for me. And if I’m excited, with any luck, others will be, too.”
