St. Louisans deeply mourn restaurants lost in the region. Maybe it’s because we have an exceptional restaurant scene here supported by a relatively low cost of living and ready access to locally farmed produce. Maybe we’re just a sentimental bunch.
Whatever the reason, here are a dozen spots that closed this year that we’re missing most.
Peacock Loop Diner, University City
2014-January 2025
The flashy, 1,800-pound neon peacock sign keeping watch over Delmar Boulevard may have been the most beloved aspect of the Peacock Loop Diner, which was propped up by owner and one of the architects of the Loop, Joe Edwards. The debut menu was touted as “Asian-inspired,” though its takes on diner classics evolved over the years — including biscuits and gravy that swapping chorizo for classic sausage inspired by my (polite) feedback to our waiter that it missed the mark. At least, that’s what that same waiter told me when I returned a few months later. The end of its lease meant a loss of the first and only all-day breakfast and late-night dining option in the Loop, and the space remains vacant. A.L.
Taqueria Morita, Central West End
2022-January 2025
Born in 2022 as a pop-up concept on the patio of its acclaimed big-sister restaurant, Vicia, Taqueria Morita’s popular tacos and margaritas found a full-time kitchen nearby in the Cortex District two years later. The name comes from a smoked, red-ripe jalapeño, and the concept allowed ownership group Take Root Hospitality to flex different muscles with the Mexican-inspired menu than at its other restaurants. “We put a lot of heart and soul into creating this place,” the group shared in an Instagram post announcing the closure. Winslow’s Table in University City now sells items from the Taqueria Morita menu. A.L.
Quarrelsome Coffee, Central West End
April 2023 - February 2025
Mark Schwarz had an unusual idea: He wanted to use yeast strains he grew at his craft brewery yeast business, Omega Yeast, to ferment coffee beans. He met a kindred spirit in Connor James, then the coffee director at Coma Coffee Roasters in Richmond Heights. They opened Quarrelsome Coffee in 2023 in the Central West End and named the business after an evening of debate as a reminder to keep challenging themselves. James and Schwarz imported specialty coffee beans from Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and fermented and roasted them on location. The coffee shop was often packed, so it was a surprise when the business announced it would be closing in early February. The owners didn’t give a reason for the closure, but it came about half a year after St. Louis-based AB Mauri North America purchased Omega Yeast. J.R.
Tony’s, Clayton
1946-February 2025
Long before there were social media influencers ordering us where to eat, there was only one name to know when choosing where to enjoy a special meal in St. Louis: Tony’s.
Storied restaurateur Vince Bommarito, Sr., took charge of the family business, Tony’s Spaghetti House, when his father died and Vince was just a 17-year-old senior at St. Louis University High School. He worked tirelessly to promote his vision of the restaurant as a fine dining destination, and he found success: Tony’s was often mistakenly called the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. (The guide does not scout St. Louis.) The white-tablecloth establishment long set the local standard for hospitality and had national awards to prove it. The Bommarito family continued to run the restaurant after Vince’s passing, leaving its downtown digs and expanding the format in a new Clayton storefront in 2021. About four years later, James Bommarito announced it was time for the family to head in a new direction, and closed the restaurant shortly after its final Valentine’s Day service. A.L.
Gelateria, Tower Grove South
2007-March 2025 (temporary)
When a fire tore through the building that housed the Gelateria in March, St. Louis lost an essential space. The South Grand cafe offered many things: coffee, pastries, gelato, study space, late-night hangs, a great patio — and was more than the sum of its parts. Its community rallied after the fire, donating more than $100,000 to support staff wages as the Gelateria works to rebuild. “It's definitely inspiring us to push forward and see this through,” co-owner Andrew Fair told St. Louis Public Radio at the end of March. He said the fire gutted the building’s basement and first floor. He also said he’s committed to rebuilding. He’s now working on funding construction as of early December. If all goes well, Gelateria will begin rebuilding in March 2026. J.R.
John Viviano and Sons Grocery, The Hill
1950 to May 2025
Visiting John Viviano and Sons Grocery was as much a feast for the eyes as anything else. For one thing, the small shop on Shaw Boulevard in the Hill was brimming with shelves of everything Italian and delicious: olive oil, wine, vinegar, bulk spices, pasta, canned tomatoes, packaged breakfast cookies and so much more. The store sold deli items, but I always went straight to the hot food window in the back for a giant, sleep-inducing eggplant parmesan sandwich on fresh-baked bread. Vivano closed its hot food offerings at least a year before it announced it would shutter. Third-generation owner John Viviano III told St. Louis Magazine that he wanted to retire but didn’t have anyone in the family who wanted to run the business. Another longtime Hill grocer, DiGregorio’s Italian Market, acquired the space. J.R.
Small Batch Whiskey & Fare, Midtown
2013-May 2025
I can’t remember when I first heard about Small Batch Whiskey & Fare or when I first went. But I do remember the meal: a giant bowl of hand-rolled linguini spiked with an assortment of roasted vegetables and covered with a decadent sauce. My tablemate ordered a portobello mushroom that had been treated like a steak. It was all glorious and totally vegetarian, which felt like a novelty in St. Louis at the time. The giant booze menu felt like a creative counterpoint, balancing the virtue of a menu that eschewed meat. It all felt like a delight in Small Batch’s Midtown space, which had a beautiful, black-and-white vintage feel. When the owners Dave and Kara Bailey announced they would close Small Batch in May, I was stunned to lose what the restaurant once was, but I wasn’t surprised. It’s been a tough year for the Baileys. The husband and wife duo closed their downtown location of Baileys’ Range and Rooster in Clayton, and the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at two of its locations, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. J.R.
Jovick Brothers Cafe, downtown
July 2024 - May 2025
When Casey Jovick opened Jovick Brothers Cafe in the summer of 2024, he was proud to have a restaurant in downtown St. Louis. It brought what he thought the neighborhood needed: a daytime cafe for downtown denizens and workers that served quick and easy fare that was also funky and delicious. Its menu featured a Jovick signature: at least one sandwich (RIP, the Mad BLT) gussied up with a slathering of peanut butter. But expectations didn’t pan out, and Jovick announced the business’ closure in May on social media after closing his Westport Plaza deli the previous November. Fans of Jovick’s food can still get it at his smash burger joint, Jovick Brothers Burgers, in Princeton Heights. J.R.
El Burro Loco, Central West End
2015-July 2025
The colorful picado banners that crisscrossed the patio and the bright artwork adorning the walls inside El Burro Loco defined the festive atmosphere of the longtime Central West End favorite. Losing its liquor license this past spring dampened the mood, then the taxman showed up to shut the party down for good in July. The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes led to lawsuits and liens on the property. It was the same cause of death that shuttered its twin location downtown last year. The brothers who ran the restaurants also shut down their popular Brentwood spot Mezcaleria las Chupacabras in November. A.L.
Wellspent Brewing Company, Midtown
2018 - June 2025
A former theatre was home to two acts for this brewery, where yeast-forward and low-ABV brews were the stars. First under the founding owner and brewer, then, a new owner who rescued the brewery from near financial demise just a few years after opening. The Midtown beer hall welcomed a devoted clientele to its dog-friendly space and events. But with ownership feeling, well, spent, the brewery was listed for sale early this year. It closed over the summer without plans for a third act. A.L.
Manileño, Tower Grove South
2024-July 2025
If I had to recommend a place for Filipino food, it would usually be at someone’s home, pulling up a chair to enjoy a piping hot bowl of adobo that’s been crafted from a family recipe and with Frank Sinatra blaring in the kitchen. I’d suggest my cousin Vicky’s place. When that’s not possible, though, find a spot like Manileño, which brought authenticity and an unmistakable Pinoy style to this Tower Grove South spot for too short a time. The menu for the upstairs dining room featured primarily classics like kare-kare and pancit, as well as creative ube-infused varieties of chicken and waffles and pork belly sliders. The purple yam also featured prominently in the shop’s bakery case and coffee board in the sun-soaked entryway. The chocolatey Milo lattes and corned beef pastries also offered a unique introduction to Filipino flavors for passersby on South Grand. Manileño quietly closed over the summer as Pho Long made its way into the storefront. A.L.
Lotawata Creek, Fairview Heights
1996-November 2025
The name was a mouthful, and so were the offerings at this Metro East southern grill known for its homestyle aesthetic and heaping portions. The restaurant renovated its dining room and switched to fast-casual counter-service in the fall to accommodate what the owners told The Belleville News Democrat are tough times impacting the dining industry. The change turned out to be short-lived. “This was not an easy decision, and our hearts are full as we reflect on nearly three decades of support from this amazing community,” reads a social media post announcing the closure. The Lotawata Creek’s Chck’n Shack in Florissant remains open, and has added some Fairview Heights menu favorites to its offerings. A.L.
