For a weekend, it seemed like doors closing would be the restaurant story for December.
Downtown party bar Wheelhouse, celebrated chef Ben Welch’s Lucy Q and Little Lucy, and Benton Park pizza spot Café Piazza all announced they would close before the end of the year in short succession. This bad news came in addition to the Hill’s Rock Star Tacos and downtown St. Louis’ Burger 809’s highly publicized anticipated closures.
But really, it’s the new places that tell the story this month. Taco Buddha opened in Botanical Heights in what had been Olio’s original location. Daytime cafe Songbird found a new, larger home on Morgan Ford Road in the former 3 Monkeys storefront.
Some favorites returned as well. The Scottish Arms reopened in its same old spot in the Central West End but under new management. The London Tea Room, which had closed in Downtown West after a dispute with its landlord in 2024, is now dishing out various tea and tea services in DeBaliviere Place.
All in all, at least 20 places opened shop in the region, and 14 closed their doors.
Openings
- Casa Boutique, Clayton (inside the Ritz-Carlton)
- Cuatro Tacos, Tower Grove South
- Crushed Red, St. Charles
- Humble Pie Pizza, Richmond Heights
- Kilwin’s, Webster Groves
- LaPez Mod Mex, Central West End
- Little Loft Play Cafe, Kirkwood
- London Tea Room, DeBaliviere Place
- Robata, Maplewood
- Sarpino’s Pizza, Richmond Heights
- Sakatanoya Revolving Sushi & Ramen Bar, University City
- Scottish Arms, Central West End
- Small Sliders, St. Peters
- Songbird, Tower Grove South
- Sweet Spot, Florissant
- Taco Buddha, Botanical Heights
- Takozz, Fairview Heights
- The Harp, Belleville
- Touchdown Bar & Grill, Granite City
- Turkey Luxe, Downtown West
Closings
- Burger 809, Downtown
- Cafe Ganadara, St. Louis Hills (temporary)
- Café Piazza, Benton Park
- Ferguson Brewing Company, Ferguson
- Harvey’s Coffee & Cocktails, Midtown
- Little Lucy, Forest Park Southeast
- Lucy Q, Forest Park Southeast
- New Society, Tower Grove East
- Olga’s Kitchen, Alton
- Pie Guy, Forest Park Southeast
- Rock Star Tacos, the Hill
- Session Taco, Town and Country
- Super Smokers BBQ/Papa’s Diner, Eureka
- Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine, Ellisville
- Wheelhouse, Downtown
See one I missed? Let me know at jrogen@stlpr.org.
