A peek inside Union 30 in downtown St. Louis

Located in the new Hotel Saint Louis, the restaurant brings another elevated hotel dining option to the heart of the city.

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Hotel Saint Louis is the second hotel to open in the city in the same number of months. (The Angad Arts Hotel opened in Grand Center in November). It’s noteworthy that both opened in storied buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places—the Missouri Theatre and  Union Trust Company buildings, respectively. Just as noteworthy: Both of their restaurants serve great food.

Previously, SLM took a peek inside the whimsical Angad Arts Hotel and Grand Tavern, which boasts a proven menu, including an impressive lobster “steak” from celebrity chef David Burke.

At Union 30, which opened on December 20, executive chef Matt Birkenmeier (a.k.a. chef Birk) is doing some impressive things himself.

The Backstory: Restoration St. Louis, owned by local developers Amy and Amrit Gill, converted the former Union Trust Company building into a 140-room boutique hotel. Hotel Saint Louis is the region’s first Autograph Collection hotel, the 100-plus luxury hotel chain owned by Marriott International. Built in 1893, the 16-story building is notable for its unusual U-shape; the ornate cornice work; and its designer, famed architect Louis Sullivan, considered by many to be the creator of the modern skyscraper. “The facility is a union in all senses of the word, a place where people unite and share a union of St. Louis-themed comfort food made with local ingredients," says Birkenmeier, "all done with a Chef Birk twist, of course.”

When to Go: The hotel’s primary restaurant, Union 30 is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving continuously from 6:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

Where to Sit: Every patron tends to gravitate to a certain style or shape of table: standard squares, low-boys, high-backed booths, cozy round tops for four, a communal table for eight, a row of deuces cocked at an eye-grabbing angle... Union 30's covered all bases.

The Bar: Mirrored columns and an ornamental plaster ceiling frame a substantial marble-topped bar. Twenty-five barrel-shaped bar stools—outfitted in taupe leather and midnight-blue corded upholstery—encourage patrons to stay awhile and linger over classic cocktails, a dram of local spirits, a stem of American wine, or 20 taps worth of local beer, including the only non-alcoholic draft beer in town, from Well Being Brewing. The bar has two TVs, “mainly for Cardinals games, big games and special events” says chef Birk.

The Vibe: High ceilings, long expanses of windows adorned by equally long expanses of draperies, and extensive use of wood molding and wainscoting might imply fine dining. And it is fine dining—circa 2019. Absence of tablecloths and mismatched flatware and napery evoke a sense of fun and familiarity, themes reinforced by Birkenmeier’s menu. 

The Cuisine: Birkenmeier says his wheelhouse is “Midwest and Southern comfort food with a twist of barbecue—and ‘dare to be different’ needs to be in there, too.” (Birkenmeier was formerly the executive chef at Quincy Street Bistro, but he also brought St. Louis barbecue to Jamaica when he opened Biggs BBQ in Montego Bay.

Breakfast: Birkenmeier's goal at Union 30 is to revive the experience and comfort food that put Quincy Street on the map, including a re-creation of Kegs & Eggs, an event that paired unusual breakfast dishes with local draft beer.

Lunch: At lunchtime, Birkenmeier serves up hometown favorites, including Famous Barr French onion soup, a Hill-style salad (dressed with Pasta House’s sweet Italian dressing), and a grilled Caesar topped with Mayfair dressing.

The lunch menu is sandwich- and burger-heavy (with 11 options total). All can be served with the chef’s take on the legendary cottage fries from Busch’s Grove. The big seller is likely to be the Hotel Saint Louis Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger, a 60/40 blend of house-smoked bacon and ground beef, stuffed with ghost pepper cheese, wrapped in six pieces of bacon, and topped with caramelized onions and bacon jam. (Cue the Lipitor jokes.)

Dinner: On the dinner menu, there's also a burger option: a triple smash burger with hot Raclette cheese, different than any of the lunchtime offerings. Entrées run the gamut from comfort food (chicken fried chicken, five-cheese mac n’ cheese, classic Hill fettuccine alfredo) to spirited takes on such comfort food as maple seared duck and waffles. 

One of the best items on the menu is the winter-hearty blackened Missouri line-caught catfish. A likely signature item will be the dry-aged rib pork chop. (Birkenmeier says very few restaurants offer dry-aged pork. We’ll vouch for the near fork-tenderness.)

Another notable feature at dinner is the "Hot From the Smoker" specials, offered Monday through Friday for $19. On Tuesdays, it’s a no-sauce-required, 2-inch-thick, 20-ounce pork steak smoked at 180 degrees for seven hours. Thursdays feature a a cold smoked, BBQ-spice rubbed cut of prime rib. And yes, there’s a dessert menu (including a trio of mini cones from hometowner Serendipity) and a kids' menu, too.

Cuisine You Might've Missed: On New Year’s Eve, Union 30 offered an incredible four-course dinner with wine for $75. (The hotel also discounted rooms for the evening.)

Cuisine to Anticipate: On Valentine’s Day, expect the entire program to be revisited—hotel room specials and all. Monitor the hotel's Facebook page for details.

Other Amenities: There are six private event rooms on the mezzanine level, all named after (and containing original oil paintings of) famous St. Louisans, by local artist Fern Taylor. The Saint Louis Ballroom, located on the ground floor, seats 275.

Parking: Valet parking is $ 15 dollars; with a Union 30 receipt, the charge is $6 for dining/bar guests. The charge is waived if the guest spends $100 or more on food and beverage.

Best Selling Point: Most diners understand the adage, “Value can be perceived at any price point.” We’d add, “Even more so when the price is low.” Especially at dinner (when most entrées are priced in the teens), Union 30 offers that rare combination of quality, quantity, and everyday prices.

Future Plans: Coming this spring is the 16th-floor Form Sky Bar, featuring a building-wide south-facing retractable window, where you might hear the roar from nearby Busch Stadium.

Union 30

705 Olive Street, St Louis, Missouri 63101

314-241-4300

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Open daily 6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

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