Vegetarian cuisine paired with whiskey. That’s the concept restaurateur Dave Bailey is bringing to Midtown Alley with his soon-to-open Small Batch at 3001 Locust St., in Midtown Alley.
Bailey has transformed a former Model T sales floor into a sleek space that features a 25-seat bar and mezzanine. While design elements like ironwork, high ceilings and large glass windows may seem cold, they work together to achieve an inviting, stay-awhile vibe.
Small Batch offers a selection of more than 40 bourbons and nearly 60 whiskeys in total. Sample a few by ordering a flight, or check out the 11-drink cocktail menu, which features whiskey-centric drinks such as Bourbon No. 2.
The all-vegetarian menu at Small Batch is divided into small ($4 to $10) and large plates ($9 to $14), and is rounded out with a selection of salads and desserts. Small fare offerings feature familiar items such as hummus, tartine and pickled eggs that are prepared using a melting pot of global flavors.
Italian fare dominates the large plates offered at Small Batch. Menu items include: brown butter gnocchi, cannelloni, fettuccine pomodoro, ravioli, spaghetti carbonara, papperdelle, linguine and pizza. All pasta is made in-house.
The dessert selection includes house-made vegan ice cream, a warm lemon-ricotta tart with fig and ginger jam or a Baileys chocolate brownie.
Small Batch will open in the coming days. A tweet from @SmallBatchSTL will provide details regarding exactly what day doors unlock.
This article appears in December 2013.