[whole new ball game]
Forget popcorn and peanuts. Baseball fans have new eating options at BALLPARK VILLAGE, which opened earlier this month in time for the start of the season. The CARDINALS NATION restaurant is packed with sports memorabilia and has two stories, several patios and bars. BUDWEISER BREW HOUSE offers American food, an outdoor beer garden and rooftop deck. FOX SPORTS MIDWEST LIVE! entertainment area has a 200-seat pizza, burger and sandwich restaurant and lounge under a retractable glass roof. The space also features TENGO HAMBRE for fast-service Tex-Mex and margaritas. Billed as a cowboy bar,’ PBR ST. LOUIS serves Southwestern food, beer and bourbon—plus has a mechanical bull. The chain has locations in six other cities. A TED DREWES stand completes the development.
[barbecue boom]
Prepare yourself for some very meaty news—literally. Three new barbecue spots are coming: DAVE BAILEY is opening his as-yet-unnamed place at 1011 Olive St., in a building that once housed the country’s largest cash register manufacturer; the cuisine focuses on whole-hog barbecue, which means, yes, organ meats will be on the menu. TOM SCHMIDT is converting Nico (6525 Delmar Blvd.) in the Loop into Salt + Smoke in May. And the recently closed Majestic in the CWE is being converted into BBQ SALOON by TRACY CZARNEC, the owner of The Wild Flower.
[fresh catch]
Spiegelglass Construction Company is building St. Louis’ first BONEFISH GRILL, at 8780 Eager Road. Set to open in October, the space will seat 380 people inside and have an outdoor patio with a fireplace. The national chain, which has nearly 200 locations nationwide, specializes in fresh fish.
[metamorphosis]
Oceano Bistro in Chesterfield (16125 Chesterfield Parkway West) has changed concept and will launch in May as BISHOP’S POST under the ownership of Ben Bishop. DAVE ROOK heads the kitchen in an entirely new menu of classic comfort food. Amer Abouwardah retains ownership of Oceano Bistro in Clayton.
[tidbits]
St. Louis’ only MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE (7822 Bonhomme Ave.) celebrates its 20th anniversary.
[THE NEST, a kid-friendly restaurant in Frontenac, now offers dinner Thursday through Saturday nights until 8 p.m.]