Last meal served: October 30, 2015. Why (we think) it closed: Increased competition and rising operational costs—two common reasons for a restaurant’s demise. Why we’ll miss it: St. Louis has a rich sportscasting history. It was only fitting to take out-of-towners to one of the restaurants before catching a Cardinals game. Where to go now: Weber Grill, located five minutes from the former J. Buck’s in Clayton, serves up burgers, beer, and more in the Saint Louis Galleria. While downtown, head to Wheelhouse, a block south of the one-time Joe Buck’s location.
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.
Last meal served: January 3, 2016. Why (we think) it closed: A crowded restaurant game often forces the established ones off the playing board. Flat sales, a rent increase, and its large size didn’t help. Why we’ll miss it: We could have spent days perusing the caricatures of local and national celebs. Plus, owner Jimmy Kristo was an on-premise owner, one of the last of the city’s old-school restaurateurs. Where to go now: Kristo is now the dining room manager at Twisted Tree Steakhouse in Sunset Hills and still spends most of his hours tableside.
Mike Shannon’s Steaks & Seafood
Last meal served: January 30, 2016. Why (we think) it closed: Shannon’s was one of the most expensive restaurants in town and, at 17,000 square feet, likely the biggest. Why we’ll miss it: The memorabilia. The legendary steakhouse was also a bona fide baseball shrine. Where to go now: Mike Shannon’s Grill in Edwardsville and at Lambert–St. Louis International Airport are scaled-down, more affordable versions of the flagship. We wouldn’t be surprised to see more locations pop up in the metro area.
Last meal served: February 20, 2016. Why (we think) it closed: Franco was off-street and largely off-radar. After the success of sister restaurant Salt+Smoke, its demise was imminent. Why we’ll miss it: Even after a decade, the old brick–meets–wavy blond wood design still looked fresh. And Franco had consistently great food. Where to go now: Although St. Louis has an inexplicably small number of French restaurants, it’s hard to top Gerard Craft’s Brasserie by Niche. For romance and champagne, consider canoodling at Bar les Frères.
Last meal served: June 11, 2016. Why (we think) it closed: Niche had always been labor-intensive, and after its move to Clayton rent increased significantly. No one was surprised that after 11 years, Gerard Craft’s more casual restaurants were faring better than the special-occasion flagship. Why we’ll miss it: As far as garnering a deserved position in the national culinary spotlight, Niche was the Tony’s of the current generation. Craft would not have won his (and the city’s) first James Beard Award without it. Where to go now: Josh Charles is dazzling diners at Element, and we predict the same for Michael and Tara Gallina at Vicia. The James Beard nomination committee is likely paying close attention.
