St. Louis Restaurant Openings and Closings: November 2023

Closings were all about the drama in November

Dec 11, 2023 at 10:34 am

Burger Champ's menu includes a spicy chicken sandwich topped with bacon jam, a Chef Jeff Friesen specialty. Jessica Rogen

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November was an interesting month for restaurant closures. On Cherokee Street, two beloved bars, B-Side and San Loo, announced their closings almost simultaneously, causing fans of their burgers, dive-bar chill vibes, live music and more to shed a few tears.

Meanwhile, two Grove spots with contentious histories, Takashima Record Bar and Parlor, closed their doors with little fanfare. Both had been at the center of sexual misconduct and assault allegations that saw them close temporarily in 2020, only to reopen later with new ownership groups.

Finally, young but already celebrated Yucatán coffeehouse and restaurant Brew Tulum closed temporarily, then permanently, in the Delmar Maker District after co-owner Laura McNamara says she discovered lead contamination in the space and no agreement could be made with the landlord.

That's a lot of drama for just five closings, but there was also plenty of good news on the openings front. November saw old favorites, such as BARcelona in Clayton and the Caramel Room in the Near North Riverfront, return. Beloved spots, like Pie Guy Pizza and Gooey Louie, expanded, and some of St. Louis' finest restaurateurs opened new concepts, like Madrina in Webster Groves and Burger Champ in Maplewood.

Openings
23 West Coffee, Webster Groves
BARcelona Tapas Restaurant, Clayton
Bonsai Tea House, Saint Peters
Burger Champ, Maplewood
Busch Family Brewing and Distilling, Defiance
Caramel Room, Near North Riverfront
Gooey Louie, Clayton
Harriet's Sweet Treats, O'Fallon, Illinois
Luvwoo Bar, Creve Coeur
Madrina, Webster Groves
Mio Osteria, Edwardsville, Illinois
Pie Guy Pizza, Forest Park Southeast
Tio's Tacos & Tequila, O'Fallon, Illinois
Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade, St. Charles

Closings
B-Side, Benton Park West
Brew Tulum, Central West End
Parlor, Forest Park Southeast
San Loo, Benton Park West
Takashima Record Bar, Forest Park Southeast

Know of one we missed? Let us know in the comments.