Street Food

St. Louis Restaurant Openings & Closings: April 2013

April has seen several openings, including the return to St. Louis of chef Eric Brenner, an "eco-chic" outfit from Chicago, two new food trucks, a new bakery for the Loop and a new home in Soulard for another bakery. Closings were few but did include one of our favorite new Vietnamese restaurants, ... More >>

Papa Tom's Fancy Franks Food Truck For Sale

A reader tipped Gut Check off that the food truck Papa Tom's Fancy Franks (@papatomsff; 314-713-4431) is listed for sale on Craigslist. In fact, there are two listings for the truck: one for just the truck; and one for the truck and the brand. Gut Check is always hungry for more restaurant news. Fe ... More >>

Openings & Closings 2012: The Final Reckoning

Yes, 2012 has been over for a few weeks now. No, we're not done looking back at it just yet. Don't worry. This isn't another Top Ten list. No, what we have here is Gut Check's annual omnibus listing of every restaurant that opened, closed, both opened and closed, relocated or changed its name in 2 ... More >>

Chew on This: Ian Froeb's Ten Best St. Louis Dishes of 2112

Feed Me Banh Mi Truck Calls It Quits

Feed Me Banh Mi (@FeedMeTruck), the food truck that specialized in Vietnamese-style sandwiches, announced via Twitter last week that it is quitting the business.

Andrew's Bayou Ribs Joins St. Louis Food Truck Fleet

A couple of eagle-eyed readers let me know about a new food truck that has joined the St. Louis fleet: Andrew's Bayou Ribs. According to its Facebook page, the truck hit the St. Louis streets at the beginning of November. It was at St. Louis University on Wednesday and downtown today. We've reached ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: Oct. 19-21

Friday (Oct. 19): Thurman Loop Oktoberfest @ the intersection of Thurman Ave. and Shenandoah Ave. At this Oktoberfest event, get a craft beer fix and enjoy carnival games, a home-brewing workshop and competition, and food from Thurman Grill, La Tropicana and Mojo Tapas. Admission is free. Friday, ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: Oct. 12-14

Friday (Oct. 12): Food Truck Friday @ Tower Grove Park Head to the park (before doing so requires a parka) for the last major food truck fest of the year. Nibble on quick fixes from Papa Tom's Fancy Franks, Le Food Truck, Sarah's Meltdown and more. As always, admission is free--arrive early! 2 to ... More >>

RFT vs. Our Readers: Best Food Truck

As we celebrate the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2012, Gut Check is asking you, dear readers, to settle the disagreements between our picks and our readers' poll. Before we begin this battle, an important note: Our first four RFT vs. Our Readers polls close at the end of the day today. So if ... More >>

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Dates Set for Guerrilla Street Food, Anthonino's

Guy Fieri visited St. Louis for several days this June, filming for the upcoming season of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. To the best of Gut Check's knowledge -- which included seeing the spiky-haired one himself slammin' a coffee in the Delmar Loop -- he visited six area establishments: Anthonino's ... More >>

Reminder: Vote in the RFT Best of St. Louis Readers' Poll

We know. It's a busy time of year. Summer's over, in practice if not in calendar fact. The Cardinals are in the playoff hunt. The kids are back in school. But, damn it, that doesn't absolve you of your duty to vote in the Riverfront Times' Best of St. Louis 2012 Readers' Poll.

Flying Pig at Guerrilla Street Food and The Bourne Legacy

Originally a trilogy starring Matt Damon as government-created super spy Jason Bourne, The Bourne Legacy appears to have been the brainchild of producers with dollar signs in their eyes. Other than a few pictures to provide some context for the film's back story, Damon's Bourne character is nowhere ... More >>

Artopian Society

Vote in the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2012 Readers' Poll

The kids are back in school. The pennant race -- or, at least, the wild-card chase -- has begun in earnest. That can only mean one thing! OK, so, two things: 1) Autumn is right around the corner. 2) It's time for you to vote in the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2012 Readers' Poll!

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: August 10-12

Friday (Aug. 10): Food Truck Friday @ southwest side of Tower Grove Park Grab eats from Guerilla Street Food, Le Food Truck, recent Cupcake Wars winners The Sweet Divine and many more during this monthly mobile food event. Admission is free. 5 to 8 p.m. Julia Child inspired dinner @ Vin de Set In ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: July 13-15

Friday (July 13): Food Truck Friday @ Tower Grove Park (southwest side) Grab multiple bites to eat from a bevy of food trucks including Hot Aztec, The Cheese Shack, Holy Crepe and many more. Schlafly and Six Row Brewing Company stand by with their signature brews. Admission is free. 5 to 8 p.m. L ... More >>

Indie Craft Revolution

LouFest Announces 2012 Nosh Pit Lineup

Gut Check generally leaves all things LouFest to Kiernan and Co. at RFT Music, but we're always curious to see which restaurants and food trucks the festival assembles for its "Nosh Pit" of food vendors. Well, the list of this year's participants is now available, and it includes Atomic Cowboy (4140 ... More >>

First Look: The Sweet Divine

On Tuesday, June 26, Jason and Jenna Siebert, owners of the Sweet Shop Truck by the Sweet Divine, expanded their bakery business to include a brick-and-mortar bakeshop with the opening of the Sweet Divine (4521 South Kingshighway; 636-942-2900) in south city. "I couldn't wait to start, but the day ... More >>

Burger INK. Joins the St. Louis Food Truck Fleet

Burger INK. (@BurgerInk; 636-290-6635) rolled onto the streets of St. Louis County this week, the latest addition to the fleet of thirty-plus food trucks in the area. Owner and chef Josh Lemmon is a St. Louis native and Le Cordon Bleu graduate. He describes his truck's fare as "gourmet burgers, pan ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: June 15-17

Friday (June 15): Third Friday Party @ Third Degree Glass Factory Sip mojitos, eat south-of-the-border themed small plates such as loaded nachos with green chili chicken, meet Aladdin and Jasmine from the Muny's Production of Aladdin, enjoy live entertainment and glass blowing, and more. Admission ... More >>

The Final Guy Fieri Round-Up: Dressel's, Highway 61 Roadhouse and (Maybe) Espinos

Since last week, we've been stalking tracking the visits that Guy Fieri made while in town filming for Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Yesterday, we added The Shaved Duck (2900 Virginia Avenue; 314-776-1407) to a list that already included Anthonino's Taverna (2225 Macklind Avenue; 314-773-4455) and fo ... More >>

Guy Fieri Also Visited the Shaved Duck

As you might have heard, Guy Fieri was in St. Louis over the past week or so, filming segments for future episodes of his Diners, Drive-ins and Dives program. Among the restaurants that he visited were Anthonino's Taverna (222 Macklind Avenue; 314-773-4455) and food truck Guerrilla Street Food (@Gue ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: June 1-3

Friday (June 1): Friday Night Patio Dinner @ Bevo Mill Warm up to summer weather with seasonal entrees prepared weekly using Soulard Farmers' Market goods by owner and executive chef Milan Manjencich every Friday night from now through the fall. Expect plenty of German dishes such as beef schnitzel ... More >>

Guess Where I'm Eating This Gogi Bowl and Win $15 to Gioia's Deli [Updated]!

Guess where we ate this on-the-go gogi bowl and win $15 to Gioia's Deli (1934 Macklind Avenue; 314-776-9410). Hint: Our meal came from a local food truck. Rules: To be eligible, you must leave a valid e-mail address (or Twitter handle or Facebook profile URL) in the comment-entry field. One guess p ... More >>

Party at the Park

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: May 11-13

Friday (May 11): Food Truck Friday @ Tower Grove Park The season's first Food Truck Friday brings the the St. Louis Food Truck Association along with other vendors to Tower Grove Park for plenty of tasty meals on wheels. The list of vendors includes the likes of Seoul Taco, 2 Girls 4 Wheels, Go G ... More >>

Food Trucks' Next Frontier? The 20th Floor

There seems to be no easy answer to the conflict between food trucks parking in the city and the bricks-and-mortar restaurants that don't want them there. Or have we just not been thinking creatively? An article in today's New York Times suggests a different direction. Up.

Tidbits from Old Town Donuts, the Sweet Divine

- Old Town Donuts (510 New Florissant Road, Florissant; 314-831-0907) has opened a second location at 3941 MidRivers Mall Drive in Cottleville. The new location is open from 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Page through for news about the Sweet Divine food truck and (possibly) more Korean tacos.

March 2012 Openings & Closings

March followed the trend of the past year or so, with openings (including new food trucks) far outpacing closings. That said, it's difficult not to focus on one particular closure as the month's big news: Monarch, which ended its nine-year run. (Still no word on what will happen to its Maplewood s ... More >>

Tidbits from Sidney Street Café, Food Trucks

- Gut Check told you last week about the Celebrity Chef Tour dinner at Sidney Street Café (2000 Sidney Street; 314-771-5777) on April 19, featuring dishes from eleven acclaimed chefs (including all four James Beard Foundation "Best Chef: Midwest" semifinalists from St. Louis). If you wanted to go, ... More >>

Food Truck Controversy Spreads Nationwide

Mark Andresen​Last month, I looked at the conflict between food trucks and bricks-and-mortar restaurants in St. Louis. Specifically, I focused on downtown, where trucks can ply their goods within the previously established downtown vending zone, but are also restricted from operating within 20 ... More >>

Root to Open Friday, January 20

Gut Check declared Root to be one of our most anticipated restaurants of 2012. We don't have to anticipate much longer. Root announced this weekend that it will open on Friday, January 20, for dinner. Root replaces Nosh in the space adjacent to Starrs at 1135 South Big Boulevard in Richmond Heights ... More >>

Chop Shop Food Truck Launches Today

via Facebook​You know, I was just thinking it's been too long -- 24 hours, at least, maybe 48 -- since a new food truck hit the streets of St. Louis. Today, Chop Shop will make its maiden voyage, arriving at Purina headquarters (Chouteau Avenue between South Tucker Boulevard and South Seventh Stre ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: November 18-20

Image via​Friday (November 18): Around the World Wine Dinner @ Missouri Botanical Gardens Chefs from Catering St. Louis will create a four-course regional menu featuring Portugal, pairing each course with a different wine from the same region. Enjoy roasted garlic-potato soup over a chorizo-k ... More >>

Guerrilla Road Warriors: St. Louis Food Truck to Hit the Highway

Sometimes we go on vacation for the food. And sometimes, the food goes on vacation. #embedly_twitter_34691851{background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/275002644/gsf-facebook.jpg) #131516; padding:20px;} #embedly_twitter_34691851 p{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 0px 12px;marg ... More >>

Tidbits from Big Sky Cafe, Go! Gyro! Go!

Emily WassermanColleen Clawson, chef at Big Sky Cafe​- Big Sky Cafe (47 South Old Orchard Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-5757) is now serving lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The lunch menu (PDF) from chef Colleen Clawson includes a braised pork sandwich, a grass-fed burger and ... More >>

Review Slideshow: Cha Cha Chow and Sicily Streat

Jennifer SilverbergCha Cha Chow co-owner Linda Jones and general manager Brett Reagan​This week is the first installment of "Food Truck Fever," a recurring series of reviews of the food trucks that have inundated St. Louis over the past year or so. My review of two of those trucks, Cha Cha Chow an ... More >>

Tidbits from Seasons American Cuisine, Smoothie King, Zia's

Jennifer SilverbergSeasons American Cuisine (under previous ownership as Seasons St. Louis)​- Seasons American Cuisine (79 Forum Center, Chesterfield; 314-523-7374) will close after service on Saturday, George Mahe of St. Louis Magazine reports. Owner and head chef Kevin Smith tells Mahe that slow ... More >>

Mangia Mobile Now Sicily Streat

Ian FroebDon't call it Mangia Mobile.​There was a food truck. Then there was a lawsuit. Then there was an injunction. Now there is a new name.Mangia Mobile announced via Twitter this morning that it will now be known as Sicily Streat. The "streat" is [sic]. As in eat. It took us a second, but we h ... More >>

Ten Anagrams to Help Mangia Mobile Follow the Letters of the Law

​As you might have heard, a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction barring Mangia Mobile from using that name. Several readers have suggested new names for the food truck, some of them quite good.However, here at Gut Check International Headquarters and Branding Emporium, we believe there ... More >>

Mangia Italiano Dismisses "Media Circus" Tactics of Mangia Mobile

Image viaWill there be a t-rav smackdown between Mangia Italiano and Mangia Mobile?​To Albert S. Watkins, the attorney representing local food truck Mangia Mobile, the only thing more delicious than his client's toasted ravioli is a media circus (with him as ringmaster, of course). And that's what ... More >>

Basta! Mangia Italiano Slaps Mangia Mobile With Lawsuit [Updated]

Photo by Robin WheelerFood-dealer and defendant: Mangia Mobile gets sued by Mangia Italiano​After months of legal wrangling, Mangia Italiano (3145 South Grand Blvd; 314-664-8585), the 28-year-old Italian restaurant on South Grand, is now suing the unaffiliated food truck, Mangia Mobile. ... More >>

Pho, Watermelon and Kebabs You Can't Afford

House of AnThis pho costs more than your first car.​Food costs continue to rise, and they're not coming down. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development issued a grim report that predicts a 30 percent rise in food costs over the next decade. Oh, screw it! Let's buy crazy expe ... More >>

Try Ronnie's Strawberry Sorbet at the Fire and Ice Cream Truck

Robin WheelerStrawberry sorbet and the coolest food truck in St. Louis​ The Fire and Ice Cream Truck beat the food truck trend by a few years, quietly selling locally made ice cream from a rehabbed vintage fire truck along the riverfront. But now the truck has joined the fray, moving to a semi ... More >>

St. Louis Snow Sled Brings the Movies

St. Louis Snow ConeThe coolest food truck - the Snow Sled​ St. Louis Snow Cone already has the coolest food truck in town - a 1957 Chevy van tricked out until it morphed into the Snow Sled. Might as well up the cool ante by adding a pop-up movie screen, classic movies and collaborations with a ... More >>

The Food Truck Backlash Gets the Tumblr Account It Deserves

Though the food truck trend is still in its early stages here in St. Louis, it's a full-fledged phenomenon nationally. In other words, the backlash is in full swing. The latest evidence is a Tumblr account, Look at This Fuckin Hipster Food Truck, which pretty much captures the spirit of grungy parki ... More >>

Guess Who's Coming at Dinner: A Review of The Flying Pink Pig, the Food Truck Porn Film

Courtesy: Metro Media EntertainmentSunny Lane, owner of the Flying Pink Pig: This is one of the few promo shots we could use.​How do you know that the food truck phenomenon has transcended the realm of the foodies and entered the pop culture lexicon?Porn.Yes, as Gut Check has exhaustively chronicl ... More >>

Updated! Fast Food Industry Mag QSR Names Pi Pizza Truck Among Top 20 Food Trucks in U.S.

{Updated 2/9/11 4 p.m. with comment after the jump from Pi co-owner Chris Sommers.} In its February issue, QSR Magazine, which covers the fast-food industry waterfront, names Pi Pizzeria's Pi on the Spot among the Top 20 food trucks in the nation. Writes Daniel P. Smith of QSR (which we're pretty ... More >>

Mangia Mobile Brings Arancini to the Streets

Mangia MobileArancini - rice balls, stuffed with meat, fried.​ St. Louis' fleet of food trucks continues to grow with Mangia Mobile (not affiliated with Mangia Italiano) joining the pack last month. The Daake siblings - Catherine, Thomas and Alex - pull from their grandmother's Sicilian herita ... More >>