COURTESY OF 9 MILE GARDEN
9 Mile Garden kicks off its season this week, featuring a lineup of food trucks and outdoor events.
Last year, Missouri's first food truck park, 9 Mile Garden (9375 Gravois Road, Affton; 314-390-2806), launched on July 3, smack-dab in the middle of the pandemic summer, it's season defined by shut-downs, ever-changing local guidelines and a dining public not quite sure how to navigate even an outdoor gathering spot. Still, under chef and restaurateur Brian Hardesty's steady hand, the venue was able to find its footing.
This week, 9 Mile Garden launches its second season with the goal of again providing the St. Louis region a pandemic-friendly entertainment option. Benefiting from the COVID-safety best practices Hardesty and company have developed over the course of the last year, the food truck park will offer everything from live music to movie nights — and of course, delicious eats.
"We are excited to kick off our 2021 season with a killer lineup of food trucks and special events planned out," says Hardesty in a press release announcing the new season. "There has never been a better time to get outside, in a socially distant environment, and enjoy the incredible features we have in the garden, like our 26-foot jumbo screen, live music and family-focused entertainment."
This season's lineup of trucks includes Doggie Mac's, Havana's Cuisine, Sugarfire 64, This N That, Truck Norris, Truckeria Del Valle, Wayno's International and Zacchi Truck, with more names likely to join the roster as the year progresses. The venue will also offer entertainment every night of the week, such as Monday and Thursday evening trivia nights, Wednesday and Friday night live music and a Sunday brunch-time artisan makers' market.
In addition to the outdoor activities, the Canteen is the garden's modern draft house where guests can enjoy beer, wine, cocktails and complimentary games like air hockey and cornhole.
9 Mile Garden is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Food truck service typically runs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for lunch service and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner. Sunday brunch is offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sanitation stations are located throughout the facility, tables are spaced a minimum of twelve feet apart, and all patrons and staff are required to wear masks. For the latest information, visit 9milegarden.com.
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