How hard is it to visualize a ride ’em cowboy–themed restaurant in the midst of downtown Clayton? These days, no way, unless it’s ironic. But at one time, the Branding Iron, located at 61 S. Meramec, packed folks in. Opening in 1950, Harold B. Plengemeier’s cafeteria-style eatery on the ground floor just cried out for boots and spurs. The basement held the Corral Room, which offered table service and a bar. The restaurant was easy to find—a neon Budweiser sign sat on the roof.
Plengemeier served what we’d now call comfort food. Back then, customers just considered it home-style. Roast beef sandwiches (the beef rare if requested) were a favorite. People raved about the creamed spinach, long before spinach became fashionable. Daily specials showcased such items as fish Creole, sauerbraten, a legendary fillet of sole, and pie—can’t forget the pie.
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Because it was across the street from the courthouse, it was full of lawyers, secretaries, jurors, and eventually, as Clayton grew more corporate, business types. Evenings brought multigenerational families.
Plengemeier’s sons, Harold W. and David, took over from their father in the ’80s. They didn’t change much—if it ain’t broke, you know—but the Branding Iron quietly closed in the summer of 1992. The location is now a Commerce Bank parking lot.
