Inside Sardella, the New Concept From Gerard Craft

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Harissa-spiced, pan-roasted chicken brined in Moroccan spices

In St. Louis, it’s generally believed that Gerard Craft’s envelope-pushing flagship, Niche, was the entity responsible for sending him to the 2015 James Beard Award Gala, where he picked up the medal for Best Chef: Midwest. So when the chef-owner decided to close the restaurant after 11 years and announced its replacement—Sardella (Italian for sardine)—there was disbelief and then hungry anticipation. The challenge was accommodating all three meal periods in an atmosphere that flattered each one, and (surprise!) Sardella pulled it off. Cheery blue-and-white Italian tile lends an Old World sophistication at night; brass chandeliers that cast abundant light become glowing reflections in antiqued mirrors as the day wanes. Start mornings sipping a cortado at the white marble–capped bar, spend the noon hour discussing the wonders of $12 grain bowls, and enjoy the charred green beans with roasted-garlic custard for dinner. Niche’s successor has us looking at fine dining in a whole new light, all day long.