First Look: Strange Donuts in Creve Coeur

Things in Creve Coeur are about to get strange at the newest location of Strange Donuts, slated to open at 11477 Olive Blvd., on Wednesday, Sept. 5. I’m so proud of this space,” said owner Jason Bockman. “Our other stores look like we built them because we did. We have the means now to match…

by Lauren Healey

Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods will close in The Grove

Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods at 4180 Manchester Ave., in The Grove will close at the end of September. The store opened almost two years ago, offering cooking supplies, equipment and artisanal kitchen goods. Owner Beth Styles announced the closing today, Aug. 28, on social media:  “It’s a decision that was not made lightly, and we’re…

by Matt Sorrell

Elk Cove Estate Pinot Noir Rosé is the perfect late summer wine

Rosé is the red wine of summer, perfect for those outdoor grilling sessions. Great pinks give the flavors of reds without the drying tannins – like the 2017 Elk Cove Estate Pinot Noir Rosé, which features hints of strawberries and cherries balanced by laser-focused, bright acidity. Rosés are highly visual, and this has amazing red…

by Glenn Bardgett

Farm to You Market will close in Washington, Missouri

Farm To You Market at 5025 Old Highway 100 in Washington, Mo., will turn out the lights for good on Sunday, Sept. 2., after two-and-a-half years in business. The cafe at the market closed on Monday, Aug. 27. President Katie Geisert said the reason for the closure is simple. “We just didn’t get enough customers…

by Matt Sorrell

Snax Gastrobar closes doors in Lindenwood Park

Snax Gastrobar has closed. The last night of service for the restaurant, located at 3500 Watson Road in Lindenwood Park, was Saturday, Aug. 25. Robust Wine Bar owners Stanley and Arlene Maminta Browne opened Snax in March 2017, taking the place of previous tenant J. McArthur’s American Kitchen. Sauce reviewed Snax in July 2017. The announcement was made…

by Matt Sorrell

Drink for a good cause at St. Louis establishments during Thirst for Life on Aug. 30

Round up your squad and grab some drinks during Thirst for Life on Aug. 30 in support of the PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) program. Participating establishments donate 30 percent of beverage sales to support the PAWS program managed by the Saint Louis Effort for AIDS. Participating establishments include Rehab Bar & Grill, Tropical Liqueurs,…

by Sam Balmer

Paranubes Oaxaca Rum is perfect for an Airmail cocktail

Clocking in at 108 proof, Paranubes Oaxaca Rum is a funky, unaged white spirit rich with banana, guava, lemongrass, lime, baking spice, fresh-cut grass and a touch of slate. It’s robust for sipping, but we like it in the Airmail cocktail. In an ice-filled shaker, combine 1½ ounces rum with ¾ ounce lemon juice and…

by Ted and Jamie Kilgore

Recipe: Mashed Potato Pizza

My husband has raved about mashed potatoes on pizza for a decade, ever since he had it somewhere in London. Everytime we made pizzas at home, he suggested this crazy combination, but we never tried it, either because we didn’t have potatoes or no one else was as excited about it as he was. We…

by Amrita Song

4 delicious deals for $10 or less in St. Louis

1. Fall is fast approaching, and Bike Stop Cafe on old Main Street in St. Charles is getting into the season early. Visit Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 p.m., grab a seat on the brick patio overlooking the Missouri River and make s’mores over the fire pit. Smore’s kits are $2.75 and come with…

by Kevin Korinek

Toast the trail with this Urban Chestnut Pilsner

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. has mastered lagers, and the latest in single-hop experiments for this Euro-centric beer house is gorgeous. The Trailnet 30 Pilsner is a collaborative brew with Trailnet, an active lifestyle organization, for its 30th anniversary. It features a clean, bready Pilsner malt backbone that bolsters the vibrant tropical fruit-driven hop character from…

by Katie Herrera

Rich LoRusso recalls a childhood on The Hill

The childhood home of Rich LoRusso, owner of LoRusso’s Cucina, was a half block from Ruggeri’s Restaurant. “Back in the day, it was the St. Louis hotspot,” he says. “It was the neighborhood of Mickey Garagiola, Joe Garagiola, Yogi Berra. All those guys worked there as waiters from time to time. There was just a super…

by Carmen Troesser

Red Oak Biscuits team will open Moonshine on Washington Avenue

The team behind Red Oak Biscuits, located at 1330 Washington Ave., will debut a new concept right across the street. Owner Derek Schulze said he plans to open Moonshine, a distillery, bar and restaurant at 1325 Washington Ave. in December. Schulze said demo recently wrapped up on the Moonshine space and construction will commence soon.…

by Matt Sorrell

First Look: 50/Fifty Kitchen in Northampton

After a sporadic few weeks, doors are open for regular service at 50/Fifty Kitchen at 3723 Kingshighway Blvd., in Northampton. Owner Bob Madden spent decades in the restaurant industry at area staples like Fleming’s, Busch’s Grove and Truffles before striking out on his own. He wanted to open a restaurant that catered equally to vegetarians…

by Catherine Klene

First Look: EdgeWild in Edwardsville

A new EdgeWild Restaurant Group eatery, simply billed EdgeWild, is now open at 1071 S. State Route 157 in Edwardsville. After the other two restaurants under the EdgeWild moniker – the Restaurant & Winery in Chesterfield and the Bistro & Tap in Creve Coeur – experienced great success, operating partner Todd Wyatt said the group decided to…

by Lauren Healey

Why Nina Barbaglia stays on The Hill

Twenty-six-year-old Nina Barbaglia sits in sawdust in her home on Sublette Avenue. She positions herself near a window that faces south, the direction of her father Joe Barbaglia’s house.  “He’s the most generous person I know,” she says. “It doesn’t get better than him.” So this is where she sits when she needs to think.…

by Carmen Troesser

First Look: Bakers & Hale in Godfrey, Illinois

Longtime friends and colleagues Rex Hale and Kelsi Baker Walden officially opened the doors to their seed-to-table restaurant Bakers & Hale at 7120 Montclaire Ave., in Godfrey, Illinois, on Monday, Aug. 6. As Sauce reported in late April, Hale left his longtime position at executive chef at Boundary to strike out on his own in…

by Matt Sorrell

Earthbound Beer launches tiki food program Friday

Earthbound Beer has swapped barbecue for musubi. The Cherokee Street brewery announced it will introduce a new in-house menu of “groovy 1970s tiki lounge food.” The new food program replaces Mothership, the barbecue concept inside Earthbound that closed up shop in June. Co-owner Stuart Keating said the new menu, with items ranging from $3 to…

by Matt Sorrell

4 more delicious events to dig into this weekend

1. Bacon lovers unite at the next round of the Show Me Series food competition, Battle Bacon. This month, five participating chefs like Gamlin Whiskey House chef Carl Hazel and Guerrilla Street Food chef-owner Brian Hardesty compete for top honors. Guests sample it all and cast their vote for the Bite of the Nite while…

by Natalie Archer

Help others while dining during Downtown Restaurant Week Aug. 20 to 26

There’s something for everyone at the 14th annual Downtown Restaurant Week, an event that promotes downtown eateries while raising funds for a good cause. Downtown Restaurant Week, which takes place from Aug. 20 to 26, features 15 establishments serving three-course dinners, either for $25 or $35, including Mango, Drunken Fish, Gio’s, Carmine’s Steakhouse, Hiro Asian…

by Sam Balmer

First Look: Cinder House at Four Seasons Hotel downtown

Cinder House, the new restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel downtown, will open to the public on Tuesday, Aug. 21. Cinder House takes the place of the Four Seasons’ former restaurant Cielo on the eighth floor of the hotel, located at 999 N. Second St. The hotel has partnered with Niche Food Group chef-owner Gerard Craft on a…

by Matt Sorrell

These 5 seafood recipes have us hooked, line and sinker

No one will ever mistake our town for the seafood capital of the nation, but there’s much more to seafood in St. Louis than Lenten Friday fish fries. Don’t be intimidated – try these quick, easy dishes at home. Ceviche This dish is “cooked” by the acid in citrus, so do not skimp on quality…

by Dee Ryan

Recipe: Chicken with Ginger-Scallion Pesto

Inexpensive scallions are mildly oniony, yet still bright green, which makes them a great base for an Asian-inspired pesto. If you’re feeling adventurous, throw in a few sprigs of cilantro and mint. Rubbing the pesto under the chicken skin may feel a bit, well, intimate, but it keeps the chicken juicy in a way that…

by Dee Ryan

Monsignor Vince Bommarito serves Sicilian hospitality on The Hill

Stepping into the St. Ambrose Catholic Church rectory, that center of The Hill universe, you could just as easily be stepping off an Italian piazza into a high-end antique shop, one with gold-framed landscape paintings, ornate sculptures, dark-stained furniture and a faint but welcoming smell of olives and cologne. With a quick gesture of his…

by Carmen Troesser

Meet the unofficial mayor of The Hill, Joe Barbaglia

Some people call him Mayor Joe Barbaglia. Considering everything he does for the neighborhood, it’s hard to imagine he actually owns his own business and has time to work there. His office at Southwest Auto Parts is papered with photos of his beloved daughter Nina Barbaglia, Monsignor Vince Bommarito, police officers and firefighters, parades and…

by Carmen Troesser

Clayton’s Brews and Blues Festival celebrates new craft breweries on Aug. 19

Celebrate about 20 of the newer kids on the local craft brew block during Clayton’s Brews and Blues Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 19 on Forsyth Boulevard between Meramec and Central avenues. “We wanted to create something unique to the area,” said Kristin Bryant, marketing and events specialist for the city of Clayton. “There…

by Sam Balmer

Enjoy food trucks, art and live music at free Rise Up Festival Aug. 18

Celebrate the revitalization of St. Louis at the sixth annual Rise Up Festival from 5 to 11 p.m. Aug. 18 on Washington Avenue between 16th and 17th streets. The free festival features a multitude of food and drink vendors, including Daddy O’s Cheesesteaks, 314 The City Bar, St. Louis Wall of Fame Food Truck, Nonie’s…

by Sam Balmer

Review: L’Acadiane in Lafayette Square

Dave Bailey’s mini empire of restaurants weaves through the city of St. Louis like a golden thread, tying together diverse culinary experiences ranging from pizza and burgers (Hugo’s Pizzeria, Baileys’ Range) to beer and whiskey (Bridge Tap House, Small Batch). If that weren’t exhausting enough, there are also two locations of his eclectic breakfast eatery,…

by Michael Renner

Balkan Treat Box owner will open brick-and-mortar in Webster Groves

Popular food truck Balkan Treat Box will soon set down roots in a permanent space. Chef-owner Loryn Nalic and her husband, Edo Nalic, will open a brick-and-mortar version at 8103 Big Bend Blvd., in Webster Groves, the former location of Stratton’s Café sometime this fall. “Webster Groves for me has always been a place of…

by Matt Sorrell

What I Do: Inigo Gondra of The Croquetterie

Inigo Gondra traveled the world during a decades-long career in human resources, but his true passion has always been the cuisine of his native Bilbao, Spain. After six years developing recipes, he finally made the leap to a full-time catering business, The Croquetterie.  Today, he captains a booth at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, selling…

by Catherine Klene

Celebrate community at St. Louis World’s Fare Aug. 17 to 19 in Forest Park

Bring your appetite, dancing shoes and appreciation for heritage to the fifth annual St. Louis World’s Fare Aug. 17 to 19 at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park where attendees celebrate the St. Louis community from the first World’s Fair in 1904 to now. Taste diverse offerings on Food Truck Row, which offers five…

by Natalie Archer

5 canned wines to crack open this summer

We are experiencing a meteoric rise in the popularity of serious canned wines. Early offerings were often sweet, but 2018 brings us quality usually found in traditional glass. Like screw tops, aluminum packaging is just the latest change for wine consumers, so don’t fear that missing cork. A wood cork does nothing for the majority…

by Glenn Bardgett

4 delicious St. Louis deals for $10 or less

1. You may be under the impression that you can’t get a quality burger at a dessert bar, but you’d be gravely mistaken. Wednesday is for burgers at Blondie’s Coffee, Wine and Dessert Bar on Washington Avenue, where you can get the signature Blondie Burger for only $10. Topped with golden cheddar cheese, tomato, mayo…

by Kevin Korinek

Recipe: Pickled Corn on the Cob

I recently had a hankering for chicken adobo from Guerrilla Street Food. Sadly, it was sold out, so Plan B was sour fried chicken served with little wheels of pickled corn on the cob. They were showstoppers: sweet, crisp and spicy, an absolute celebration of summer. Next time you make it to the farmers market,…

by Dee Ryan

Review: Firecracker Pizza & Beer in The Grove

Starting with the exterior mural of a fierce black cat, Firecracker Pizza & Beer isn’t afraid to show off its explosive personality. The famous photo of Johnny Cash flipping the bird, glassware that says “F*ck Yeah!” and punk-inspired merch add a fun dose of irreverence to the urban-modern interior. It’s slick, as if poised for…

by Stephanie Zeilenga

First Look: Hello Juice & Smoothie in Forest Park Southeast

Hello Juice & Smoothie is slated to open Monday, Aug. 6 at 1000 S. Newstead Ave. just north of The Grove. Co-owners Jordan and Kayla Bauer conceived the idea to open up shop while sitting in a juice bar on their honeymoon in Hawaii. Throughout 2017, the couple hosted pop-up events at Sardella, Climb So…

by Lauren Healey

St. Andrew’s senior living communities offer upscale, restaurant-style dining

Dining in retirement communities is markedly different from just a few years ago, a trend in senior dining made evident at Cape Albeon in Valley Park and at Brooking Park and The Willows in Chesterfield. These communities in the St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System offer high-quality, locally sourced food and restaurant-style fare from classically…

by Lauren Healey

First Look: 909 Public House in Wentzville

909 Public House, the latest project from the team behind Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits, opened for business Tuesday, July 31, at 909 Main Plaza Drive in Wentzville. The restaurant specializes in scratch-made Southern-inspired dishes, as well as pub favorites in a decidedly funky, eclectic space. The extensive menu from executive chef Candice…

by Matt Sorrell

5 new places in St. Louis to try this August

1. Lola Jean’s Giveback Coffee5400 Nottingham Ave., St. Louis, lolajeanscoffee.com You’ll never want to leave Lola Jean’s bright, sunny interior. Huge windows let natural light stream in, illuminating hanging plants, plush couches and a lemon-themed mural sure to please any Beyoncé fan.  Classic espresso drinks and cold brew on tap are made with Kaldi’s coffee beans, and you…

by Lauren Healey, Heather Hughes, Catherine Klene, Meera Nagarajan and Matt Sorrell

Eat This: Mary’s Special at Adriana’s On The Hill

If you start with soft and toasty Italian garlic cheese bread, you can’t go wrong. Mary’s Special at Adriana’s on The Hill takes that solid, sesame seed-studded foundation and adds juicy, tender, hot roast beef for a beautifully simple, indulgent sandwich with no need for jus. Be like the Sauce team and add house-made giardiniera…

by Heather Hughes

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