It’s always tough to lose a neighborhood spot, especially when it’s the local pizza joint. Such was the case earlier this week, when James Vaughn III, the owner of Sonny’s Pizza Den (12527 Bennington), announced on social media that the Maryland Heights pizzeria was closing, just seven months after its opening.
“It is with regret that I announce the permanent closure of Sonny’s Pizza Den,” the post read in part. “Circumstances beyond my control led to this outcome.”
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.
SLM has reached out to Vaughn for additional comment.
Located in what is informally called Bennington Heights Center, Sonny’s was the latest chapter in a space with deep local roots. Before its brief stint as Lalo’s Grill & Pizza, the address was home to Balducci’s, a Maryland Heights staple for more than 46 years.
Sonny’s looked much the same as its predecessors, a cozy rathskellar arrangement with low ceilings, comfy booths, dark wood paneling, and a row of green-checkered tables that could be cobbled together in a pinch for a softball team or a family get-together.
The menu was straightforward, consisting of pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and salads, with pedestal-served, thin crust pizza garnering most of the attention. The cheese of choice was not Provel but a blend of mozzarella, pecorino, and provolone.
In a review, SLM’s dining critic Dave Lowry described the pastas as “completely satisfying, heavy on sauces and beautifully seasoned,” much like those found in classic local mom-and-pop spots. While fans of Balducci’s may have missed the signature Mayfest salad, Lowry found the Caesar a “reasonable and worthy substitute.” And he raved about the meatball sandwich, its “beefy baubles…buried under a strata of gooey mozzarella and a bright marinara.”
Lowry concluded, “The shoes of the old Balducci were never enormous, but they were well-worn and so wonderfully comfortable that once they were gone, they were missed. How great it is that we have a reliable joint we can hope will last as long.”
Unfortunately, this one didn’t—but, for a short while, Sonny’s kept the spirit of the place alive.
