The owners of The Stellar Hog are bringing home the bacon—and the barbecue sandwiches—to Chesterfield.
Next month, chef Alex Cupp and his father, Alan, plan to open a second location at 40 Clarkson-Wilson Center, a space formerly occupied by Subway. The Cupps see it as a way to expand their business in an area without many barbecue options.
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“There isn’t any barbecue out this way,” Alan Cupp says. “We’re in a strip center with Sarah’s Cake shop, a Chinese restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, and a sushi place. It’s one-stop shopping for all kinds of food, but we’re the only barbecue spot.”
With the restaurant initially offering only carryout, minimal buildout is required for the space. “We’re doing a little bit of painting, some signage, and that’s about it,” says Alan. “We’re planning to open in mid-November.”
The space won’t be a carbon copy of the flagship restaurant in South City. “It’s a whole different concept,” says Alan. “We’ll be serving a limited menu with all of our sandwiches. We won’t be serving ribs every day but probably on the weekends.”
Look for a meltingly tender brisket sandwich and an equally fine smoked corned beef. Patrons can order burgers two ways: cooked fat and juicy or smashed to crusty perfection. Among other sandwich options, the White Wall (pictured below) features smoked brisket with smoked Gouda, horseradish cream, and pickled red onions on a toasted hoagie bun.
Two new sandwiches will be on the menu as well. The Frankie V features smoked salami, pepper jack cheese, and chow-chow on a toasted hoagie roll. Alex pulled out the stops with a tasty BLT made with Daily’s Bacon, homegrown tomato, balsamic pressed arugula, basil mayo, and cotija (the salty, crumbly Mexican cow cheese) served on toasted focaccia. Consider adding smoked salami for a modest upcharge.
Among the sides, there will be such house-made options as smoked pit beans, creamy mac and cheese, and a tasty citrus coleslaw with the juices of oranges, lemons, and limes and more. Cupp will also offer seasonal sides and sandwich specials at the new location, as he has done at the flagship restaurant.
The Stellar Hog’s original location, at 5623 Leona, is currently open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m.–8 p.m. for carryout, as well as offering covered patio seating.
When the South City restaurant fully reopens, expect big changes for the interior. “We’ve removed the dropped ceiling to reveal a great slanted ceiling,” Alan says. “We’ve removed the old wood paneling and uncovered a bunch of windows, which we are replacing to bring in more natural light.”
One thing that won’t change: “We’re keeping the Art Deco bar,” he adds, “which was originally in Schumacher’s bar at 7th and Park.”
