Less than a year after opening UKRAFT in downtown’s Peabody Plaza, brothers Matt and Mike Ratz plan to open a second brick-and-mortar location in Chesterfield.
Situated in the former Russell’s Café & Bakery space at 14888 Clayton in Chesterfield, the restaurant will span 4,000 square feet, twice the size of the downtown restaurant. The extra elbow room is not the only benefit for UKRAFT. “The size of the location allows us to add in some new, exciting twists,” says Matt.
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In addition to the restaurant’s health-focused wraps, soups, salads, sandwiches, and smoothies—as well as customizable breakfast sandwiches, bowls, and avocado toasts—it will include boozy smoothies, mimosas, and bloody marys during weekend brunch. The restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner seven days a week.
“We will offer pick up and delivery, which has been a huge part of our success,” says Matt. Online ordering has been so popular for the downtown location, UKRAFT developed its own ordering app for iPhone and Android. The restaurant also takes online orders via its website. The location will also offer catering services, as well as a space for private events, such as corporate meetings and birthday gatherings.
The spacious addition marks a significant expansion, especially during the pandemic. When the Ratz brothers opened the location near Citygarden last January, it was a risky time to open their first brick-and-mortar operation, which began with a food truck. Yet the two fast-casual dining veterans were confident that their chef-driven, health-focused concept would catch fire once workers returned downtown. They were right—the restaurant soon became a huge success, including for breakfast catering. (UKRAFT also operates inside the Regions Center Building at 8182 Maryland in Clayton.)
“We are looking at early March for our opening date,” Ratz says of the forthcoming Chesterfield location. “Everything has been signed, sealed and delivered.”
Follow news of the opening by following @ukrafteats on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
