RENDERING COURTESY OF SPACE ARCHITECTURE+ DESIGN
The new Narwhal's/Loaded Elevated Nachos will be located on a wedge-shaped piece of property at the eastern end of The Grove.
As the year began and PPP money was flowing, the general consensus among local restaurateurs was “We just might make it,” and most of them did. Despite the lingering pandemic, a slew of new restaurants and food trucks opened or moved this year as well (151 this year vs. 135 in 2020, with 40 of them in October and November), a staggering number considering the often bleak forecasts. If early indications prove true, then 2022 should be a robust year for openings as well. Twelve of the most anticipated arrivals are noted below, in order of projected opening date.
Opening late December 2021
At press time, chef Andrew Enrique Cisneros (of St. Louis Club, Elaia, and Privado fame) was planning to open his flagship eatery in St. Charles just ahead of the new year. It will mark the first Peruvian restaurant in the metro area since Mango closed a year ago. Comfort food staples include the classic lomo saltado, yucca fries with pepper cheese sauce (his mom’s recipe), ceviches, stewed red snapper, paneton bread pudding, chica morada (purple corn lemonade), and the signature dish, jalea (pictured at right), a basket of assorted fried seafood that Cisneros calls “a festival of food.” 232 N. Main, St. Charles.
Artwork by Phil Jarvis
Possibly overheard at Westchester: "Yes ma’am. The bathroom is just beyond the blind skeleton with one gold tooth."
Projected opening date: early January
Chef Matthew Glickert (formerly of Sugarfire Smoke House, Cardwell’s, and BC’s Kitchen) is teaming up with Bryan Herr (former owner of Naked Vine) to open Chesterfield’s newest independently owned restaurant. Herr’s wine selection is a step above, as is the cocktail list created by Ted Kilgore of Planter’s House. The basics-and-then some lunch menu transforms into more sophisticated dishes at dinner (such as duck breast with fall veggie hash, parsnip purée, and port wine fig sauce). Kudos to the owners for paiying proper attention to lighting, music, and acoustical levels. 127 Chesterfield Towne Center, 636-778-0635.
Courtesy Saucy Porka
Puerto Rican Rice, sautéed with edamame, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions, and choice of protein (beef shown)
Projected opening date: mid-January
After years of maybe-we-wills, sibling hometowners Amy and Phil Le (a longtime So Hospitality Group staffer) finally join hands in this Central West End offshoot of Amy’s Chicago-based Asian/Latin American fusion restaurant, where menu items include chorizo egg rolls, Bao Tacos (they call “bacos”), Puerto Rican rice, and Asian Paella, a likely signature item. The restaurant is located at the busy corner of Laclede and S. Vandeventer (a former Kaldi's Coffee), which is also steps away from the SLU campus. 3900 Laclede, Central West End.
Courtesy Bar Les Freres
The terraced patio at Bar Les Freres
Bar Les Freres/I Fratellini (reopening)
Projected opening date: early February
Fans of Zöe Robinson’s three beloved Clayton restaurants—Bar Les Freres, I Fratellini, and Billie-Jean—breathed a collective sigh of relief when news broke this fall that all three would indeed reopen, albeit under a new owner, local art collector and gallerist Susan Barrett. Plans call for an as-yet-unnamed operator to reopen Bar Les Freres and I Fratellini almost simultaneously with only minor cosmetic changes, and Billie-Jean to be reconcepted and open at a later date.
Photo by George Mahe
801 Local
Projected opening date: mid-February
After a pandemic-induced pause, plans are back on track for the flagship 801 Local (originally called 801 Grill) to open in Frontenac in February. The 6,000-square-foot space boasts three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, a rich color palette, plenty of millwork, a three-season patio, a buffer of green space, abundant parking, and easy ingress and egress. This casual spinoff of 801 Chophouse is designed to be "a place that guests can frequent several times a week," as opposed to far less often, according to a company rep. 2021 S. Lindbergh, Frontenac.
Courtesy Nexus
A possible menu item at Nexus: Tikka Fish Curry, with chickpeas, basmati rice, mint chutney, roasted red pepper, golden raisins, and cashews
Nexus Cultural Cuisine & Craft Cocktails
Projected opening date: February
In a two-room space on an emerging block in Midtown, former Bait chef Ceaira Jackson and general manager Misha Sampson are orchestrating what Sampson calls “a romp around the world, tapas-style.” Expect such eclectic dishes as Tikka Fish Curry, Korean short ribs, and Creole gumbo. The restaurant will serve up “mom and pop–influenced flavors,” according to Jackson, “and higher-end presentation, because I just can’t do it any other way.” 2704 Locust.
Copurtesy Pace Properties
The view from the back deck at Cleaver & Cocktail
Cleaver & Cocktail
Projected opening date: early spring
Located at the Blacksmith Grove development in Town & Country, this forthcoming establishment from the owners of The Block and 58hundred will offer patrons a finer-dining steakhouse and butcher experience. The restaurant will feature a glass-walled dry-aging room and a step-down, recessed bar. The 120-seat space will seat an additional 70 on the sprawling outside deck that overlooks a lake and 8 acres of explorable walking paths. “The entire complex is beautiful and unique,” says co-owner Brian Doherty, “but it was that deck that sealed the deal.” 13360 Clayton, Ste. 104, Town & Country.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Scallion mini-waffles and soy-and-sriracha–marinated fried chicken thigh, with poached egg, ginger and maple hollandaise, kimchi and sprout garnish
Fleur STL
Projected opening date: early spring
When the iconic Eat-Rite Diner closed in 2019, St. Louisans mourned the loss. Chef Tim Eagan has been busy converting the space into Fleur STL, a 16-seat modern diner that will breathe new life into the storied institution. (Structural and construction issues have delayed the opening.) Eagan 86'ed the greasy-spoon image, replacing over-easy eggs with something approaching elevated comfort food. His slinger is layered like a napoleon, as if eggs Benedict married chicken and waffles, with an Asian-inspired twist. Fleur STL will be open for breakfast and lunch, plus dinner pop-ups. 622 Chouteau, La Salle.
Courtesy Greg Rannells
Pork shoyu ramen from Menya Rui
Projected opening date: spring
This 25-seat, brick-and-mortar spinoff of Steven Pursley’s popular, next-level Ramen X Rui pop-up series will feature several varieties of ramen, as well as mazemen and tsukemen, all featuring different varieties of made-in-house noodles using an imported, Japanese noodle maker. The menu will also include a seasonal salad and a handful of appetizers, such as karaage (Japanese fried chicken). Pursley compares the space (25 seats plus a counter) to the size of the ramen shops in Japan. (In regards to the restaurant's name, Menya translates to “noodle shop,” and Rui is Pursley’s given Japanese name.) 3453 S. Hampton, Lindenwood Park.
Photo by Spencer Pernikoff
Press' Corey Moszer, Brian Schuman, and Logan Ely
Press
Projected opening date: spring
Located a few doors down from sister restaurant The Lucky Accomplice, this novel restaurant concept is based on a signature item that acclaimed chef Logan Ely recently created. The “press pizza” (a play on the smash burger concept) is made with dough stretched across a hot cast-iron press; seasonal local ingredients are then added and smashed together, with more toppings added after the smash. “It’s not really a pizza,” Ely says, “but it is crispy, chewy, and delicious.” 2509 S. Jefferson. Fox Park.
Courtesy Station No. 3
A vegan "brisket" po'boy from Station No. 3
Projected opening date: spring
Natasha Kwan and Rick Roloff, owners of Frida’s and Diego’s—the sibling restaurants located next door to each other in University City—took over the former Utah Station space, a renovated service station in Benton Park. The new endeavor is the couple’s third restaurant, hence the name: Station No. 3. Look for a menu mix that includes vegan costra tacos, a killer turkey burger, and a jackfruit and chick pea “brisket,” served several ways. The opening date is fluid and will likely be preceded with one-off events and pop-ups. 1956 Utah, Benton Park.
Courtesy Narwhal's
Narwhal’s Crafted/Loaded Elevated Nachos
Projected opening date: late 2022
When St. Louisans first cast eyes upon renderings of the new location of this twin concept positioned on a wedge-shaped piece of property at the east end of The Grove, descriptions ranged from “very Jetsons" to “land-locked Titanic.” Narwhal’s applies elevated techniques to the frozen cocktail, and Loaded follows suit with another popular staple: nachos. Even though shovel has yet to meet dirt, the building is being dubbed “The Gateway to The Grove.” Regarding the delays, co-owner Brad Merten says, “Once we get underway, we know we’ll make a big splash.” 4014 Chouteau, Forest Park Southeast.
