Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Escalivada (fire roasted vegetables) at Esca, the dish that inspired the restaurant's name
The following list is accurate as of an early-April 2024 press date.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
April was a robust month, boasting 23 openings or relocations. Highlights included the spectacular Esca (the first of Ben Poremba's five restaurants slated to open in the Delmar Maker District this year); Bacaro, the area's first cicchetti bar, located on the lower level at Noto in St. Peters; and Neon Greens, the area's first restaurant to grow its entire supply of leafy greens onsite. The Central West End is the home of Pizza Via, a pizzeria with a pedigree, as well as the brick-and mortar location for Taquerita Morita, a taco joint with a pedigree. Cottleville's star continues to rise with the arrival of Pink Willow Café, a cheery breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch spot that seats 35 inside and 50 on a soon-to-open rooftop deck. In a month of few closures, the most surprising was The Kitchen, Florissant's critically acclaimed, two-and-a-half-year-old restaurant that served a variety of Asian cuisine.
Changes and additions are noted in full boldface.
Courtesy of BLK MKT Eats
Giant sushi rolls from BLK MKT Eats, which relocated this month to Maplewood from the CWE
CLOSINGS
- The Kitchen: 14065 New Halls Ferry, March 2
- CC’s 2 Seriously Good: 211 Village Square, March 13
- Amore Pizza: 450 Rue St. Francois, March 17
- BLK MKT Eats: 9 S. Vandeventer, March 23 (moved)
- B. McArthur’s Neighborhood Taco Shack (inside Bluewood Brewing): 1821 Cherokee, March 30
Courtesy of Bacaro
Burrata, speck, garbanzo, and mint, at Bacaro in St. Peters
OPENINGS:
- Bacaro: 5105 Westwood, St. Peters (lower level at Noto Italian Restaurant), March 1
- Brass Burger: 3229 Washington (inside Urban Chestnut Brewing Co Biergarten), March 1 (pop-up through June)
- Milque Toast (California Do-Nut): 2924 S. Jefferson, March 1 (moved)
- Salt + Smoke (Walnut Grill): 1386 Clarkson/Clayton Shop Center, March 1 (additional location)
- Rush Bowls: 1350 Clarkson Clayton Center, March 4 (additional location)
- Black Salt X (ghost kitchen): 2360 Hampton (The Hill Food Co.), March 6 (additional location)
- The Donut Palace: 3751 S. Lindbergh, March 6 (second location)
- AO&Co at CAM: 3750 Washington (inside Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis), March 9.
- Pryor’s Pizza: 1505 N. Bishop, Rolla, Mo., March 11 (moved)
- Steve's Meltdown: 3730 Foundry Way, March 11
- Pink Willow Café: 5523 Oak, Cottleville, March 13
- Intertwine Wine Bar: 4710 Virginia, March 14
- Soulard Gyro: 12205 Dorsett, March 15 (additional location)
- The Spilt Milk Café (mobile coffee bar): March 16
- Crushed Red (self-service pizza kiosk): Lambert St. Louis International Airport T-2, March 18
- La Finca Coffee: 104 S. Central, Eureka, March 18 (moved)
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Neon Greens' owner Josh Smith alongside a wall of lettuce greens
- Neon Greens (Rise Coffee House): 4176 Manchester, March 19
- Eat Today (Lulu’s Local Eatery: 3201 S. Grand, March 20
- BLK MKT Eats (Las Palmas): 7356 Manchester, March 26 (moved)
- Esca: 5095 Delmar, March 26
- August the Mansion (The Grille at the Mansion) 1680 Mansion Way, O’Fallon, Illinois, March 28
- The Sugar Shack Café (Petri Café): 1416 E. 20th, Granite City, Il., March 28
- Pizza Twist (Chick'nCone): 15 N. Euclid, March 29
- Kim’s Bop Shop (ghost kitchen): 2360 Hampton (The Hill Food Co.), April 1
- Mission Taco Joint: 1000 Woods Mill Plz., April 1 (additional location)
- Pizza Via (Café Ciao): 4501 Maryland, April 4
- Taqueria Morita (Wasabi Sushi Bar): 4239 Duncan, April 4 (moved)
- Bagel Union: 2232 Thurman, April 6 (weekends-only bagel and market)
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
The dining room and patio at Esca
COMING SOON
- Tiger Soup Dumplings (Cheeburger Cheeburger): 13311 Manchester, April 12 announced (second location)
- Florentin (Brew Tulum): 5090 Delmar, mid-April
- Oats & Honey Café: 624 N. New Ballas, mid-April
- Ramsay’s Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay (Cinder House): 999 N. Second, mid-April
- Revel Kitchen (Jack in the Box): 7520 Manchester, mid-April (new location)
- Local House Bistro (Big Bear Grill): 16524 Manchester, late April
- Burger 809: 801 Market (Terrace View at Citygarden), April
- Dirty 20 Bar (Hotshots):14051 Manchester, April
- Fielder’s Choice: 1 Cardinal Way, Unit A, April
- First Watch: 8001 Forsyth, April (additional location)
- The Fountain On Delmar: 5232 Delmar, April (additional location)
- Los Amigos Mexican-American Restaurant (El Gordito): 2630 Mascoutah, Belleville, Illinois, April (additional location)
- Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes (Potbelly): 2027 State Highway K, O’Fallon, Missouri, April (first Missouri location)
- Poke One (Tower Grove Creamery): 3101 S. Grand, April
- Wheelhouse Fish Co.: 3301 Meramec (inside Urban Eats), April
- Well Met Cafe: 4100 Shenandoah, April
- Costello’s Pizza and Subs: Tower Court Park, mid-May
- Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta: 17084 N. Outer 40, Suite 205, mid-May
- Porano (First Watch): 13323 Manchester, mid-May
- Black Salt: 11429 Olive, May (additional location)
- Casa Mia Mexican Kitchen (Los 3 Compadres Mexican Restaurant): 1052 Wolfrum, Weldon Spring, May (additional location)
- Constantino’s (Feasting Fox): 4200 S. Grand, May
- Damn Fine Hand Pies (Five Aces Bar-B-Que): 4000 Shaw, May
- Garden Variety Deli: 3131 Morganford, May
- Nexus Cuisine & Craft Cocktails: 2700 Locust, May
- Oak Street Inn & Lounge: 5521 Oak, Cottleville, May
- Alpha Brewing Company Distillery (ABCD): 5232 Delmar, spring
- Good Company (Layla): 4317 Manchester, spring
- Mexican Barrel House (Houlihan’s): 1085 N. Mason, spring
- Taziki’s Mediterranean Café (Crazy Bowls & Wraps): 12704 Olive, spring (first Missouri location)
- The Yale Bar: 7120 Oakland, spring
- Brasas (12oh7 Herban Eatery): 6138 Delmar, late spring
- Expat BBQ: 3730 Foundry Way, late spring
- Insomnia Cookies (Boardwalk Waffles): 1001 Russell, late spring (additional location)
- Nixta/Bar Limon: 5232 Delmar, late spring
- Rooster (Whitebox Eatery) 176 Carondelet Plaza, late spring (additional location)
- Sabroso Cocina Mexicana (Casa Maya): 2726 Sutton, late spring (second location)
- Sauci Pasta: 1990 1st Capitol, St. Charles, late spring
- Shake Shack (CPK and Burger King): Lambert St. Louis International Airport T-2, late spring (additional location)
- 4 Hands Brewing/Peacemaker Lobster & Crab (Schlafly and Pasta House Co.): Lambert St. Louis International Airport T-2, early summer
- Dirty Dough Cookies: 14844 Manchester, early summer (first metro area location)
- Mission Taco Joint: 398 N. Euclid, early summer (reopening)
- Narwhal’s Crafted: 17057 N. Outer 40, early summer (additional location)
- The Station (4 Hands Brewing Co. + The Peacemaker Lobster & Crab): 150 W. Argonne, early summer
- Vicia Wine Garden: 4260 Forest Park, early summer
- Bartolino’s: 1300 Big Bend, June (additional location)
- Steve’s Hot Dogs: 5232 Delmar, late June (additional location)
- Flower Child (Saint Louis Bread Co.): 10336 Clayton, summer (first Missouri location)
- NASCAR Drafthouse: Lambert St. Louis International Airport T-2, summer
- Pavilion: 5201 Shaw (in the courtyard at Sado), summer
- Uhuru Foods & Pies (Kay's Kitchen): 3719 W. Florissant, summer
- Elaia: 5162 Delmar, summer/fall
- Olio (Delmar Lee’s Chop Suey): 5162 Delmar, summer/fall
- Salt + Smoke (O’Charley’s): 4130 Rusty, early fall
MOVING
- P’sghetti’s Pasta and Sandwiches: From 5540 S. Lindbergh to 5447 S. Lindbergh (Burger King), late April
- Three Kings Pub: From 6307 Delmar to 6315 Delmar (HopCat), June
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