Learn even more about these restaurants on the Arch Eats podcast.
ELEVATION By. K. RENA
Projected Opening: Late July
This forthcoming Grand Center destination is led by Korri King and backed by luxury beverage partners including Armand de Brignac Champagne, Bacardi USA, and LVMH’s VSOP cognac. The concept pairs Mediterranean fare (falafel, shawarma, and kabobs) with premium cocktails, mocktails, and a deliberately high-end hookah program, featuring top-tier shisha, charcoal, and a dedicated “hookah tender,” a program that St. Louis lacks, according to King. Décor will emphasize art-forward design and a reimagined front room bar, while the former kitchen becomes a stage for food, drinks, and hookah service. The restaurant’s calling card is elevated hospitality, which King characterizes as a blend of “Ritz-Carlton polish and Chick-fil-A warmth,” designed to deliver a big-city experience without big-city pricing. “Vibe dining and all that it entails has become huge across the country,” she says, “particularly with the younger generation. That’s what will make ELEVATION By. K. RENA different.” 3307 Washington, Midtown.
Gamlin’s Maplewood
Projected Opening: Early August
Two familiar figures in the St. Louis dining scene are joining forces for a return. Derek Gamlin (formerly of Sub-Zero Vodka Bar, Gamlin Whiskey House, and 1764 Public House) and Henry Arciniega (of West End Grill and Pub) will open Gamlin’s, an elevated neighborhood restaurant in Maplewood in the former Elmwood and Burger Champ space. Gamlin’s will pair a destination-worthy menu—featuring fresh pastas, steaks, chops, oysters and seafood—with a lively, bar-driven atmosphere. Highlights include a robust whiskey program, occasional nods to Sub-Zero favorites, late-night hours, Sunday brunch, and a focus on being both a special-occasion spot and an everyday hangout. 2704 Sutton, Maplewood.
Lona’s Lil Eats
Projected Opening: Early August
One of St. Louis’ most popular, critically acclaimed Asian eateries, is opening a second location in Kirkwood. Owners Lona Luo Powers and Pierce Powers III bought an 8,000-square-foot building near St. Louis Community College–Meramec that was formerly home to 612 Kitchen & Cocktails and Graham’s Grill. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner six days a week, and the owners plan to lease remaining space to complementary businesses. The duo sees the expansion as a step toward future growth beyond St. Louis. 612 W. Woodbine, Kirkwood.
Baia
Projected Opening: Mid-August
The group behind Good Ice and Good Company in The Grove are opening a nearby Italian restaurant in the former Taha’a Twisted Tiki space. Baia (meaning bay or cove) will seat 40 inside, plus additional seats on a two-story covered patio, with the possibility for more seating on a fenced-in, grass lot in back. Chef Jon Priestly will oversee culinary operations for the hospitality group and will act as the chef de cuisine at Baia, leaning on his Italian cooking background from stints as sous chef at O+O Pizza and The Clover + The Bee. Co-owner Jordan Goodman says the updated interior, designed by studioDVLP, will feature the bright blues and oranges of the Italian Riviera, as well as an open-kitchen floor plan with a chef’s counter where patrons can watch pasta being made by hand. “Although the name is Baia, the plan is to pull dishes from all over Italy,” Goodman says, “including seafood, but it won’t be all seafood.” 4199 Manchester, The Grove.
The Clydesdale
Projected Opening: Mid-August
In late summer, James Beard Award-winning chef Kevin Nashan will introduce The Clydesdale in the former Crown Room on the ground floor of the Budweiser Brew House building at Ballpark Village. The modern tavern-themed restaurant will pair elevated comfort food with a seafood-forward appetizer menu featuring oysters, fresh shrimp cocktail, caviar, alongside burgers (classic and smashed), pastas, and reasonably priced entrées. The 100-seat space revolves around a round, 30-seat bar, and features warm woods, oversized drum lights, and a stadium-facing patio designed to appeal well beyond the Cardinals’ 82-date home season. Nashan says the concept embraces the building’s Anheuser-Busch heritage while offering an approachable neighborhood restaurant for Cardinals fans, concertgoers, and downtown diners alike. 601 Clark, Downtown.
Tower Grove Beer Garden
Projected Opening: Early September
Move over, Francis Park. Rockwell Beer Company is bringing its popular beer garden concept to another city park with the opening of Tower Grove Beer Garden slated to open by Labor Day. Located behind the Piper Palm House, the year-round, weather-permitting destination will feature Rockwell beer, cocktails, coffee, hydration drinks, and a new menu from chef Andrew Cisneros centered on Missouri white oak-smoked barbecue, tacos, empanadas, and Pollo a la Brasa, a Peruvian national dish that’s become his signature. Guests order at the counter and take it away or enjoy at the garden’s 80 outdoor seats. The project also serves as a trailhead for the Tower Grove Connector, reinforcing the park’s role as a community gathering place and regional destination. Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Tower Grove Park.
Ivy on Monroe
Projected Opening: Late September
In downtown Kirkwood, Julie Blackerby will expand her all-day café concept with Ivy on Monroe, slated to open early this fall on the ground floor of the new 42-unit Aria condominium building, directly across from the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. The light-filled space will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, a skylit dining room, greenery cascading from the windows, and seating for 75 indoors and 50 on the patio. Like the Clayton location, Ivy will serve housemade pastries and signature sourdough tartines for breakfast and lunch before transitioning into a wine bar with seasonal, value-priced small plates in the evening. (Many of the dishes are served on pottery that Blackerby throws herself.) Kirkwood will launch with the same menu, operate seven days a week, and add a Sunday dinner service. 132 E. Monroe, Ste. A, Kirkwood
The Marvel S. Fox
Projected Opening: September
The Marvel S. Fox will transform the former Coffee Cartel space into a playful sports tavern that stays open late. Named after two partners’ great-grandmother, the concept blends steel-tipped darts, ping-pong, bar dice, TVs, and a rec-room vibe with casual food and an open kitchen. An in-house merch shop, clever membership/investment options, and high-top tables reinforce social interaction. One clever promotion involves guests reliving their high school glory days by bringing in a trophy in exchange for a $5 credit for each trophy. Slated to open in June, it aims to draw a younger crowd with “standard and funky” sports coverage. 2 Maryland Plaza, Central West End.
Gigi
Projected Opening: October
Matt McGuire—the owner of Louie, Wright’s Tavern, and Box Hill Grocer in Clayton—has leased the long-vacant former Starbucks space at the highly visible corner of Hanley and Wydown. There, he’ll open Gigi (named for his mother), a casual all-day café that he describes as “something a little more penetrable, a no-reservations space where guests can drop in throughout the day, including those waiting for a table at Wright’s Tavern, which lacks a dedicated waiting area.” Box Hill Grocer helps “let some of the gas out of that balloon, too,” McGuire adds, but at 2,500 square feet, Gigi will be larger and better equipped to accommodate customers. The café will serve Coma Coffee and pastries from 7 a.m.–2 p.m., then reopen at 4 p.m. for drinks, St. Louis–style bar pizza, and to-go pizza. Michael Petres, a chef at Louie with an extensive pizza background, will lead pizza development alongside Louie executive chef Sean Turner, who will round out a streamlined, complementary menu. 7645 Wydown, Clayton.
The Underground Crown
Projected Opening: October
Early this fall, the subterranean wine bar beneath The Noble Crown in the CWE will add a new dimension to restaurateur Kevin Brennan’s latest venture. The intimate space will incorporate several components: an international wine program, Italian-inspired antipasto dishes, and a signature burrata bar where guests can create their own small-plate experience. Located below the newly opened modern American bistro with a kitchen led by John Perkins’ expert culinary team, the space will also host private events, chef dinners, and special culinary programming, continuing Brennan’s tradition of creative dining experiences, including the iconic “This Is Not a Restaurant” series. 300 N. Euclid, Central West End.
The Wash Ave Food Hall
Projected Opening: October
Local developer Alex Oliver is in the process of transforming the former Copia and Reign nightclub space into a 10,000-square-foot food hall, part of his plan to reinvigorate Washington Avenue dining and boost downtown foot traffic. The project will seat 230 guests and feature eight vendor stalls and two bars, including a patio bar with a retractable roof. 4 Hands Brewing Co. will launch PourMyBeer Wall, a 10-tap self-pour beverage experience at the complex, and HuSTL Hospitality’s Steve Ewing recently announced plans to debut burger and fries-themed Steve’s Smash there, as well. Oliver tells SLM that the project is on target for a mid-fall opening. 1122 Washington, downtown.
Jefferson Arms’ Dining Concepts
Projected Opening: Late Fall
Originally slated for completion in fall 2025, the $135 million renovation of the Jefferson Arms building is among the year’s most anticipated multi-use projects and includes five food-and-drink concepts. The Taco Turko Bar offers a casual fusion of Mexican and Turkish fare, as well as a food truck. Nico’s Bakery features Balkan breads and pastries. Salonika brings a fine-dining experience inspired by Greek, Jewish, and Turkish cuisines. Hidden behind Jefferson & Sons, a tailor shop, Clandestino’s Speakeasy channels a Prohibition vibe with cocktails, jazz, and bar bites. And the Corner Vinyl Café transitions from coffeehouse by day to a record-spinning bar by night. Rounding out the offerings is The Gentleman’s Cut, a stylish barbershop with a full bar. 415 N. Tucker, downtown.
Nara
Projected Opening: Early December
The Napoli family is branching out beyond its Italian roots with Nara, a modern Japanese-inspired restaurant planned for The District in Chesterfield. The concept will occupy the final storefront overlooking The Hub, the development’s central greenspace for concerts and community events, joining Napoli Brothers Pizza & Pasta, the soon-to-open Napoli Dolce, Narwhal’s Crafted, and Oaxaca Mexican Restaurant. While a departure from the family’s signature cuisine, the move builds naturally on the seafood expertise developed at Napoli Sea, says Kye Pietoso. Corporate chef Jon Berger is creating a menu centered on sushi, specialty rolls, grilled seafood and meats, and tataki presentations, offering a contemporary interpretation of Japanese cuisine. The space includes a large sushi bar, dining room, and private room that seats 16. The team is in the process of recruiting an experienced Asian chef to lead the kitchen ahead of a planned late-fall opening. “The District is going gangbusters and there are more entertainment concepts on the way,” says Pietoso. “Nara will add another dimension, giving guests a dining experience unlike anything else currently out there.” The District, Chesterfield.
Elaia, Olio, and Esca Vino
Projected Opening: early 2027
Keeping up with chef-restaurateur Ben Poremba’s restaurant empire has become a full-time job. In late 2023, his Bengelina Hospitality Group closed its three Botanical Heights flagships—Elaia, Olio, and Nixta—with plans to relocate them to the Delmar Maker District. Nixta reopened in late 2024, but the May 16, 2025, tornado delayed work on Elaia and Olio. Meanwhile, Poremba hasn’t slowed down. He debuted Esca in March 2024, and it quickly became one of the city’s hottest haunts. In May 2026, he relocated Florentin to the former Steve’s Hot Dogs space, then followed a month later with pizza-focused Del Bono in the former Alpha Brewing Company Distillery. Next up, in 2027, are the returns of Elaia and Olio, along with Esca Vino, a wine shop by day and wine bar by night, in Florentin’s former home. If all goes according to plan, Poremba will have seven concepts in the Delmar Maker District—though more are possible, so it’s probably wise to write that number in pencil. Delmar Maker District.
Khao Soi Cowboy
Projected Opening: Early 2027
Chef Nick Bognar, the James Beard Award–nominated talent behind Indo, Sado, and Pavilion, plans to open the playfully named Khao Soi Cowboy at 3224 Locust in the former Turn space in Grand Center. Described as a “purposeful inauthentic” Thai restaurant, the lunch-and-dinner concept will spotlight Northern Thai cuisine—including several takes on the signature khao soi noodle soup—alongside signature small plates and a dive bar-meets-Thai tiki atmosphere. Inspired by his grandmother’s recipes but presented with a fresh, irreverent approach, Bognar says the restaurant reflects the food he grew up eating while supporting the Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s vision of a vibrant, walkable dining and arts district. 3224 Locust, Midtown.
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
