City Foundry STL Food Hall Lineup Includes Rising Stars in the St. Louis Scene

The food hall at the City Foundry project is taking shape — and has signed an all-star team.

Among the luminaries announced by the Midtown development project for its STL Food Hall this morning are Samantha Mitchell, formerly the chef of the Libertine and acclaimed for her food truck Farmtruk, and Brian Schmitz and Jonathan Schoen, who own Lafayette Square's Polite Society.

The food hall will be modeled on New York City's Chelsea Market and other multi-eatery spaces.

Mitchell will open a new concept called Crop Circle, bringing Farmtruk's vibe to a brick-and-mortar location with “hyper local country fair” foods like Brisket Mac-n-Cheese, Hot Fried Chicken and a Catfish Plate featuring many down-home sides," according to a press release from City Foundry. And Schoen and Schmitz will open Good Day, offering options that include "an authentic crêpe or delicious breakfast sandwich."

Other vendors in the 30,000 square foot food hall include:

• Hello Poke, with build-your-own bowls, sushi burritos and more from native St. Louisan Amy Guo and her husband Daniel Jensen
• Lost & Found: A Burger and Pizza Joint, from Michael Friedman, previously of Retreat Gastropub. "The 1,300 square foot space will specialize in hand-tossed pizzas, burgers, freshly-cut fries, and substantial side items," the release notes.
• Juice Box Central, also from Friedman, will be "a delightful drink station offering fresh-pressed juices, boozy juice, smoothies, and seasonal specialty beverages," according to the release.
• Mokyu Mokyu, from Laura Leister, James Lettau, Ameet Rawal of Pieces: The St. Louis Board Game Bar & Café, will be "St. Louis’s first eatery to offer Taiyaki, a fusion of Japanese cuisine and Korean ingenuity."
• Press Waffle Co., in which owners Bryan Lewis and Caleb Lewis will serve "Liege-style, made-to-order waffles." Inspired by the ones the owners sampled in Belgium, they'll be "reimagined in both sweet and savory styles for St. Louis palates."
  
• Sumax: Hummus & Wraps, which comes from Jason and Maria Sparks, owners of the Grove mainstay Layla. Their eatery will give "a taste of the Middle East," with a variety of hummus, wraps and "power bowls."
• UKraft, from Matt Ratz and Mike Ratz, will serve macrobiotic breakfast bowls and sandwiches, paninis, soups, and "whole wheat salad pockets."

“We shared our vision with top local chefs, who responded by developing concepts that are unique to our development and the region,” Steve Smith, principal owner of City Foundry STL and CEO of Lawrence Group, said in a press release. "There is no other dining experience in St. Louis like the one to be had at City Foundry STL."

The development, a reuse of Midtown's ten-acre Century Electric Foundry complex, is currently under construction near IKEA. Other tenants include Punch Bowl Social and Alamo Drafthouse.

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