Just south of St. Louis, High Ridge will soon see a new breakfast and brunch option. Wicked Chicken Café, a new restaurant from the Pupillo family chain (owners of Grand Slam Restaurant & Bar and Pupillo’s Banquet & Event Center), will open January 18.
“I thought there was a need for an upscale breakfast and brunch place in the High Ridge area,” says owner Ed Pupillo. “There are a lot of decent diners in the area, but we’re going to be doing a lot more creative things.”
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As the name implies, many of the dishes feature chicken. For breakfast, that form primarily arrives as eggs alongside an entrée option, 4-egg omelette, or signature puff and stuff Benedict—a twist on eggs Benedict as a puff pastry. Even the slinger forgoes the traditional beef chili in favor of a white chicken chili. For lunch, the poultry’s served on a variety of other vehicles, such as sandwiches, tacos, and salads.
But Pupillo’s menu and creative ideas run far beyond chicken, wicked or otherwise. “When I was putting together the menu, I was looking for things that you wouldn’t be able to get just anywhere,” says Pupillo. “We scoured menus from across the country for different ideas and approaches.”
The result is a five-page menu, ranging from traditional breakfasts to skillet scrambles, frittatas, and a “healthy” banana split. The Iron & Griddle section–a double stack of waffles, French toast, or a trio of pancakes stuffed eight different ways–could be a breakfast concept unto itself.
At lunch, choose from 14 different sandwiches and burgers, shrimp and grits, salads, and a pick three–from a list of soups, salads, mini-sandwiches, and breakfast items.
In a section all by itself is a riff on candied bacon called Nutty Bacon Tidbits, described as “a sweet and spicy mix of bacon and pecans on a housemade crescent crust.” Come on…
The wisest starting place might be to peruse the 15-item “Our Favorites” list, which includes carrot cake waffles and a skillet hashbrown quiche.
The Pupillo family took over the space four years ago. Originally constructed in the 1960s, it’s been renovated inside and out, with about 100 available seats.
The name was inspired by a novelty sign that Pupillo once saw: “‘Wicked chickens make deviled eggs,” he recalls with a laugh. “It just struck me as funny. My staff liked it, so we decided to use that for the name.”
Wicked Chicken Cafe will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Breakfast and lunch are served all day.
