bottom’s up
Craft brew fans will be happy to know they have a new watering hole at the award-winning Brew Hub, now open at 5656 Oakland Ave. Under the direction of chief brewer Jim Ottolini (a 22-plus-year veteran of Schlafly), the new taproom features 20 rotating beers from its brewhouse in Lakeland, Florida. The Dogtown locale has a four-barrel pilot brewing system for special releases and the capability for barrel-aging. Lunch and dinner are available.
on fire
Firecracker Pizza & Beer in The Grove is off to a roaring start with its signature thin-crust pies cooked in rectangular sheet pans. The giant mural of a black cat outside is an attention-grabber as well! The just-opened restaurant at 4130 Manchester Road is owned by Chip Schloss of Atomic Cowboy next door and features Pi Pizzeria alum Douglas Weerts in the kitchen as executive chef. In addition to unique pizzas that feature ingredients like turkey pastrami, homemade white barbecue sauce and roasted cherry pepper relish, around 60 beers will be on tap.
a win-win
William K. Busch Brewing Co. won a bronze award in the American Style Premium Lager category for its Kräftig brand during the International Beer Competition in New York. It also received the Missouri Lager Brewery of the Year award. The competition included 600 beers in 50 categories, with 14 countries participating.
open & shut
Upscale Brazilian eatery Texas de Brazil is now open at the Saint Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights. The chain, which specializes in steak and other meats, has 50 locations around the country. This is its first in St. Louis. Pi Pizzeria’s Kirkwood location is no more. The restaurant, which had been operating at 10935 Manchester Road since 2009, closed in late February after a nearby development choked off access to the parking lot. The company still has its other locations in The Loop, Central West End and Chesterfield, and is reportedly looking for a new location to replace the one in Kirkwood. Milagro Modern Mexican in Webster Groves has closed after owners Adam and Jason Tilford decided not to renew the lease at 20 Allen Ave. They plan to open a new location somewhere else in town.
