first impression | When Press launched in August of 2022, the focus was its unique take on pizza. From the team behind Shift and The Lucky Accomplice, the restaurant featured unique stuffed pies created by filling pizza dough, pressing it and then adding more toppings. The result is something like a cross between traditional pizza, a calzone and a quesadilla. While the stuffed pizza still takes center stage, it’s now sharing the spotlight. In recent months, Press has expanded its regular menu to include pasta dishes.
wash it down
The highlight of the beverage menu is Press’ wide selection of draft cocktails—10 alcoholic and two non alcoholic. Beer, wine and soda are also on offer. The Apple Spice Margarita ($10) was the perfect choice for a winter evening—refreshing but also cozy thanks to the spice profile.
must try
Baby Lettuce, $15: This salad features a lemon and ginger vinaigrette, sesame seeds, pickled red onion, yeast and thinly sliced radish. Bright and refreshing, this was the perfect start to the meal. It was a great shareable dish. Someone could also potentially make a meal out of it, but this writer definitely doesn’t recommend skipping out on the pizza or pasta.
Ozark Forest Mushroom Stuffed Pizza, $19: For a mushroom lover, this pizza is definitely a must try. It also features kale, ricotta and sottocenere, a semi-soft cheese made with truffles and various herbs and spices. The result was a great creamy, savory and fresh bite. Press’ unique style of pizza definitely makes it feel more topping (and filling) forward, but the crust also is very good.
Ravioletti, $19: This stuffed dish features goat cheese, apple and black trumpet mushrooms. The result is rich and sweet with a little unami bite. Just a note, the dish did feature pecans that were not listed in the description on the menu, so if you have an allergy or just an aversion, you may want to let your server know.
Squash Stuffed Pizza, $18: Our second stuffed pizza featured squash, ricotta, manchego, pepita and ricotta salata. The real standout of the dish was the squash that topped each slice. It had more of a pickled flavor than what was in the filling, which was a more roasted sweet squash. It offered a refreshing pop of acid that paired super well with the cheese, creating a very unique dish.
Panna Cotta, $6: Featuring apples, cinnamon and a pie crust topping, this felt like a spin on apple pie à la mode. The flavors paired well, and the pie crust topping added some much appreciated texture to a dessert that can often lack it. Overall, it was the perfect sweet bite to end a meal.
final thoughts
Press is certainly worth a visit to the Fox Park neighborhood. The signature stuffed pizzas are unique and inventive, but most importantly, really tasty. While a newer addition, the pasta is definitely worth ordering as well. The restaurant’s atmosphere is very modern and relaxed, and the draft cocktail menu is excellent—what more
2509 S. Jefferson Ave. | 314.328.1094 | press-stl.com
Pictured at top: Italian Sausage Stuffed Pizza – provolone, fennel, tomato, black olive crumble and grana padano
Photo: Bill Barrett
