If you haven’t been there yet, don’t wait any longer. This year-old cafe on the southern edge of The Grove, technically in the Botanical Heights neighborhood, occupies a corner spot that once housed a pharmacy. Tall ceilings, wood floors and large windows help create an electric urban vibe that only adds to the cool factor. By day, it’s the repository of lunch sandwiches made with breads from its eponymous bakery next door. But in January, Union Loafers started serving dinner, too; by dinner, I mean pizza.
That’s really not surprising, since bread is king here, and these pizza crusts are worth the trip. Owners Ted Wilson and Sean Netzer keep it simple: six varieties of pizza, period. There are salads, too, or rather a salad—odd, I first thought, but if you’ve perfected your Italian salad to go along with your perfect pizza, why look further? And that pretty much says it all about the Italian Salad ($6 or $10) with romaine, garbanzos, fennel, fresh mozzarella balls, green olives and delicious house-made vinaigrette.
A salumi platter offered prosciutto and soppressata, an Italian-style dried salami, both locally made. I found the prosciutto a little gamey, but the soppressata (from Salume Beddu) was superb. Served paper-thin, it was dotted with fat and had great flavor—not too spicy in any direction. I have to admit, it surprised me how many tables ordered the cured meat platter, especially since it didn’t come with crackers or any other nibbles. Diners just popped the slices into their mouths, accompanied by beer or wine.
The pizzas are 18-inch monsters, and the slices can only be tackled one way: fold them and start chewing. The crusts—bubbled and crisp at the edges, soft and chewy in the body of the pizza—are Neapolitan style, with light toppings that allow the crust to shine. Wilson had plenty of opportunity to perfect his crusts while working at Mike Randolph’s first venture, The Good Pie. Our Spinach pizza ($25) was an amazing field of fresh baby spinach leaves over mozzarella and parmesan cheese, both judiciously applied. Two-inch slabs of thick, meaty bacon (smoked at Burger’s Smokehouse in California, Missouri) appeared here and there on top—no tomato sauce, just olive oil.
The Marinara ($16) was all tomato sauce and crust—except for the memorable chunks of roasted garlic and the Calabrian chilis. These, and some herbs, dotted the sea of red, making it a great way to savor the magnificent crust. The Sausage ($21), too, was delicious, with subtle, housemade pork sausage and herbs dotting the tomato sauce and creamy melted cheese. Meat-lovers, this is your pie.
Surprisingly, there are no dinner desserts at this bakery, although you are welcome to purchase a loaf of bread if there are some left. Not that you need any additional food after gorging on the delicious pizzas! There is something refreshing about the simplicity of Union Loafers. It knows what it’s about and because it sticks to what it’s good at, there are simply no bad choices here.
amuse bouche
the scene | Cafe/bread bakery; bustling wine, beer and pizza bar
the chef | Ted Wilson
the prices | $6 salad, $7 salumi, $17-$25 pizzas
the favorites | Italian Salad, Spinach Pizza, Marinara Pizza, Sausage Pizza
chef chat » ted wilson
culinary background | I was a home baker turned professional when I started working for Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. I moved back to St. Louis to work at The Good Pie, now closed.
favorite ingredient | Wheat
favorite restaurants | Peacemaker and Brasserie
favorite cookbook | Bread by Jeffery Hammelman
most memorable dining experience | King Louie’s
guilty pleasure food | chicken tender sandwiches
1629 tower grove ave. | 314.833.6111
Photos: Bill Barrett
