Cottleville continues to solidify its reputation as one of the hottest dining areas in the metro area.
This September, Three Kings Public House (5045 State Highway N) plans to open its fourth location in a freestanding building that previously housed Salty’s Bistro, Cottleville Sports Pub, and The Back 9 Sports Pub & Pizza.
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The new restaurant will join a wave of recent Cottleville openings, including Pink Willow Café and the adjacent Oak Street Inn and Lounge, which unveiled a speakeasy earlier this year. Also on the horizon is Cottle Village Farmstead + Distillery, slated to open on a scenic 4.5-acre site next month.
Unlike the previous Three Kings locations, the Cottleville restaurant will be solely owned by Derek Deaver, who also owns the two Casa de Tres Reyes restaurants in Des Peres and St. Louis Lambert International Airport’s Terminal 2. The new 4,000-square-foot location will mirror the Des Peres footprint, Deaver tells SLM, with seating for 140 indoors and an additional 60 on a covered, all-seasons patio.
Patrick Knoblach of Mademan Design is leading the interior renovation. He explains that the new space “builds on the familiar Three Kings brand while introducing a more sophisticated design—both in materials and layout. We put a lot of thought into creating diverse dining areas, so each guest can find an experience that suits them.”
The menu will stay true to the concept’s roots, serving what Deaver once described as “high-end pub, low-end gastropub food.” Popular dishes include award-winning breaded or smoked wings, Captain Crunch shrimp, The Hill chopped salad, grilled veggie flatbread, smashburgers made from grass-fed and grain-finished Angus beef, garlic French dip, salmon BLT, fish and chips, and Cajun pasta.
The Backstory
When he was younger, Deaver contemplated becoming a commercial pilot and got his pilot’s license when he was a sophomore in college. “Then I crashed a plane,” he recalled in this Q&A, “and kind of lost interest.”
Instead, he chose a different flight path and went on to build a successful restaurant group, including Three Kings (with locations in Des Peres, South County, and the airport) and Casa de Tres Reyes (with locations in Des Peres and the airport).
The Three Kings name was inspired by a now-defunct British pub that the original trio of owners stumbled upon during a trip to England. “It was called Three Kings Public House and referenced Elvis, King Kong, and Henry VIII,” Deaver says. “We contacted the owner, got his blessing, and made sure the name was legally cleared.” When asked why they didn’t swap in St. Louis’ own King Louis IX, Deaver laughs, “We were so caught up in everything, we honestly didn’t think of it.”
When Three Kings launched, in 2011, it rode the craft beer wave, once boasting over 30 taps at its peak. While that number has since scaled back to match shifting trends, the Cottleville location will feature 20 taps, with 10 mainstays and 10 rotating.
In April 2023, just after celebrating its best week ever, the original location on the Delmar Loop was gutted by a fire. At the time, Deaver said, “Three Kings Public House will be back. We will be even better.” In December, Deaver announced that the pub would be rebuilt two doors down, in the former HopCat space. The plan was to host a Phoenix-type party, celebrating the rebirth on the Loop, to be held April 26, one year to the day after the fire, but it was not meant to be: The deal fell through due to lease issues, ultimately redirecting Deaver to Cottleville.
The restaurateur reports that the brand continues to thrive. Two locations have recently seen double-digit growth, due in part to the expansion of a gluten-free menu that now boasts more than 60 items. “We found a great gluten-free breading,” Deaver says, “which means wings, tenders, and fish can be offered without gluten. We also offer gluten-free buns and flatbread crusts.” While Three Kings uses dedicated gluten-free fryers, Deaver is quick to note that the kitchens are not 100 percent gluten-free—a detail stated on the menu.
“I had been looking for a new Three Kings location in the St. Charles area for over two years due to the tremendous growth taking place out there,” Deaver says. “In the process, I fell in love with Cottleville and the community. I am so excited I finally found a location, and Three Kings can now call Cottleville home.”
