Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Remember the Schnucks Station Restaurants, located within supermarkets years ago? At Schnucks’ flagship mega-market in Des Peres, the Fresco restaurant offers a fresh update to the concept. On a recent Monday night, diners packed the tables at dinnertime. They ordered fresh tilapia, trout, grilled shrimp, salads, pasta, fried portobello spears, and pizza in off-menu flavors, such as Asian ginger chicken. Many patrons shared bottles of wine just purchased from the liquor department. Corkage fee? Nada.
The experience is even more surreal on Friday and Saturday evenings, when musicians perform. Some shoppers stop and stare from the produce aisle, transfixed by the restaurantlike experience—right in the middle of a grocery store. Customers who are worried that they’ll overcook their just-purchased beef tenderloin or fresh grouper fillets can entrust them to Fresco’s chef, who refuses gratuities but dispenses free cooking tips.
Not to be outdone, the nearby Dierbergs’ mezzanine hosts live music on weekends. You can purchase barbecue, paninis, pizzettas, and more, then ascend the stairs for dinner and mood music. The Mezz also boasts a wine-and-beer bar and tables at which to sip and sup. Dining at the grocery store: It might be as avant-garde as it is convenient.
