One of St. Louis’ most beloved bars is being honored on the national stage: Liquor.com has named Platypus, the popular Grove neighborhood gathering place known for its outstanding cocktails and welcoming atmosphere, as the “Best Under-the-Radar Bar.”
“It’s just amazing for our community to be recognized on a national scale,” says Meredith Barry, who co-owns Platypus with business partner and fellow bartender Tony Saputo. “It really shows how great our community is here in St. Louis and what we have been able to build just by being ourselves.”
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As Barry explains, the award is meant to honor an establishment that hasn’t yet received much attention on a national scale. This is the second year that Liquor.com has conducted the awards, but it’s the first year for this particular category. To be honored as its inaugural selection, Barry notes, makes the honor even more special.
Platypus isn’t the only St. Louis bar to receive praise from Liquor.com: The Gin Room also was honored by the platform as a finalist for “Best Spirits Selection”—its second time being nominated in the category.
Saputo says the award wasn’t anything that he was ever expecting and was “honored to be on a list with so many recognizable names” of bars owned by friends and colleagues that he frequents when traveling. “It felt great to be mentioned on the same page with such an awesome group of peers,” he says, and “be one of two local establishments to be recognized.”
For Barry, both Platypus’ award and the Gin Room’s nomination speak to the rise of the St. Louis beverage scene, which she feels is beginning to receive the same national buzz as the city’s food scene. She credits the larger community for helping create that critical mass and is thrilled that Platypus is part of that growing community.
Barry and Saputo founded the bar in November 2021 as a comfortable, inclusive space where folks from the Grove and beyond could enjoy well-made cocktails, delicious food, and a sense of community. Both co-founders drew from their lengthy experience in the bar industry. They’ve since used the space to help build up and mentor the next generation of bartenders, giving the place the feel of both an institution and a fiercely modern take on the neighborhood bar.
“I think there is an energy about the space, and it all started when Tony and I got together and put our hearts and souls into the space,” Barry says. “Plus, we are fortunate to get to work with an amazing staff who are all creating a vibe that is inclusive and diverse. I’m so proud, I’m just beaming.”
