Courtesy of Liliana's Italian Kitchen
Liliana's lasagna, another customer favorite
Old-school pizza joint Liliana’s Italian Kitchen gave owner Tim Pieri the opportunity to get to know his customers over plates of pasta, pizza, and fresh Italian sandwiches. The casual restaurant that he opened with his wife, Kathy, in a South County strip mall in 2018 was about as far as he could get from his previous job running Harry’s, a nightlife hotspot on the western edge of downtown.
Fast-forward five years, and Pieri is making another monumental change, this time reuniting with former Harry’s teammates Curtis Henderson and Shawn Raphael and adding a much larger second location of Liliana’s across the metro area, at 3891 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville. Here’s what to anticipate.
Courtesy Liliana's Italian Kitchen
The Atmosphere
“It will be a beautiful place,” Pieri says of the Liliana’s Cottleville restaurant and bar, which is currently under construction. It will seat 125 people inside and 70 more on the patio, as well as 60 in one banquet room and 25 in another. The space retains the rich red-and-black color theme but with higher-end décor, unique lighting, and custom murals by local artists.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Liliana's calamari
Pieri is especially excited about the larger kitchen, which will allow him to prepare such dishes as steaks and fresh fish; expand daily specials; and offer private dining, catering, and banquets. But fans of Liliana’s current casual cuisine will be happy to hear that he plans to keep the menu favorites, especially “the homemade pizza that got us on the map,” he says.
“The new Liliana’s Cottleville will have the same old-school theme and charm as the current location,” he promises. “We’ll keep it simple with mix-and-match plates, music, and everything that makes people feel comfortable.”
One thing Pieri and his partners can’t transfer is the memorable view overlooking downtown from Harry’s. “We do have a view of Silkie’s, but that’s about it,” Pieri says with a laugh.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Liliana's Italiano Pizza - Volpi salami, pastrami, roasted red peppers, artichokes, fresh mozzarella, a blend of cheese, and flash fried spinach
The Team
Courtesy of Liliana's Italian Kitchen
Curtis Henderson and Shawn Raphael
Pieri, Henderson, and Raphael worked together at Harry’s for 25 years—no small feat in the restaurant industry. When the opportunity arose to expand Liliana’s from the current South County location, Pieri invited his trusted former colleagues to join him west of the Missouri River.
For the first few months, Pieri will be doing most of the cooking. He’s confident that the South County location will be in good hands while he focuses on hiring and onboarding the Liliana’s Cottleville kitchen team and getting them up to speed on his trademark St. Louis–style pizza. “Staffing is going better than I thought it would,” he says. “We’re already about 70 percent of the way there.”
The bar program will see some of the biggest changes. Henderson will draw on his 35-plus years of knowledge and expertise as he builds an extensive list of older reserved wines and creates a cocktail menu alongside the list of beers currently served at the South County location.
“Curtis will bring back some of the cocktails and lounge atmosphere from Harry’s,” Pieri says. “He was the bar manager there for decades, and he knows everybody.”
More details about the food and drink menus—and official opening date—will be available in the coming weeks.
