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Big changes are on deck at one of St. Louis’ most acclaimed restaurants.
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Vicia (4260 Forest Park Avenue), the flagship restaurant Take Root Hospitality Group, will be shifting its format in early May, transitioning from the three-course Farmers Feast set menu to an a la carte menu. Additionally, the restaurant will transform its Gardenside Pavilion, formerly home to Taqueria Morita, into casual wine-and-snack concept Vicia Wine Garden. Take Root Hospitality is owned by Michael and Tara Gallina, along with executive chef Aaron Martinez.
“It’s important to all of us to go back and be more approachable,” says Michael. “The Farmers Feast has been incredible; it’s sparked creativity, and seeing what the farmers have and writing menus fresh for every table was fun, but with food and labor costs spiking over years, it’s had to become more expensive. Our vision at the beginning was never to be something people couldn’t participate in. We wanted to be a restaurant for the community and not one that’s expensive to go to. This will allow us to shake it up and restructure things to get back to our roots of an a la carte menu that is still really fun and progressive and gets us all excited.”
THE BACKGROUND
Vicia began as an a la carte style restaurant when it opened in 2017, garnering immediate acclaim for its vegetable-forward, farmer-driven cuisine and outstanding hospitality, which the Gallinas honed while working for the iconic Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York, prior to moving to Michael’s hometown of St. Louis in 2015. Since opening, the restaurant has received national recognition and numerous accolades, including a Best New Restaurant selection by Eater, Esquire, and Bon Appetit, as well as a Food & Wine Best New Chef in America selection for Michael and multiple James Beard Foundation nominations, including Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Wine & Bar Program, two Best Chef Midwest nods for Michael, and two Outstanding Restaurateur nods for Take Root Hospitality.
Although Vicia has evolved over the past seven years to meet the needs of a changing dining public (for instance adding a happy hour and experimenting with different chef tastings), the pandemic marked a decisive shift in the way that the Gallinas and Martinez served their guests. The Farmers Feast was born out of that particular moment, giving the chefs the space to be creative while working within the parameters of supply issues and other pandemic-related constraints. Now, thanks to increased flexibility and based on what they have been hearing from guests, the Gallinas and Martinez felt it was time to close that chapter and begin anew.
“Thinking about being seven years old, we asked ourselves, ‘What does the dining public want now, and what do they want from us?’” says Tara. “We’ve been getting repetitive feedback from our guests who love what we do and have a great time, but they can’t come back a lot because it’s expensive. I am so proud that people celebrate milestones with us—it’s an incredible honor to be that place for people and make them feel good on their special day. That won’t go away, but we felt like we needed to refresh so that we can reach a different group of people, or maybe the same group more often—or all of the above.”
VICIA’S MENU
The menu for Vicia’s new chapter will still embody Vicia’s vegetable-forward, seasonal ethos. Guests can expect dishes that place vegetables at the center of the plate and vibrant salads, as well as handmade pastas and larger-format proteins from the wood-fired hearth.
“The food will continue to be delicious and the service exceptional, but we won’t be so precious,” says Tara. “We’re taking that element and toning it down and having fun with how people eat. It can still be a special place but can be something else, too.”
Through the end of April, guests will still have an opportunity to experience the Farmers Feast at the current price of $95 per person, as well as the Golden Hour a la carte menu (in the bar all night or in the dining room from 5–6 p.m). And for those who still wish to enjoy a set menu experience once Vicia changes its format, the restaurant will have a “let us cook for you” option, in addition to its a la carte offerings.
VICIA WINE GARDEN
As for the new concept, Vicia Wine Garden, the Gallinas and Martinez explain that it was also born out of a desire to be an approachable destination. It was something they achieved when Taqueria Morita occupied that outdoor space. Now that the taqueria is set to open in a permanent brick-and-mortar in the Central West End this spring, the team was adamant that they find a way to keep the space a casual community gathering spot.
“With Taqueria Morita, we saw families and people coming after work or before going to baseball games and then getting on Metrolink, people who were not coming to Vicia before,” says Tara. “Having something casual out there is really appealing. We want to be more accessible to that audience.”
Guests can expect a casual menu of cheese, charcuterie, and vegetable-forward bites, as well as wines, spritzes, and other approachable beverage offerings. Like Taqueria Morita, the format will be open-air with counter-style ordering. The space will be open, weather permitting, during spring and summer.
“What people spend their money on matters more than ever,” says Tara. “People being able to choose what they want for that money matters. We’re excited about these changes, and we want people to be excited to come experience what we are doing now while they still can and then see what we do come spring and summer. It’s going to be awesome—we’re really going to light up that corner of Duncan and Boyle.”
