Photo by Lauren Milford
The portobello sandwich at Sugarfire Smokehouse: Every bit as delicious as it looks.
“Vegetarian-friendly barbecue restaurant” is not a term that you hear often; most herbivores will tell you that they've cobbled together quite a few “meals” of coleslaw and garlic bread when meeting friends and family for barbecue. So when we recently visited Sugarfire Smokehouse, we were thrilled to see that they offer a vegetarian entrée – and it proved to be one of the most delicious, flavorful portobello sandwiches we've ever had.
That sandwich, plus the bevy side options, make this a great destination for the picky eater. We visited Sugarfire’s Olivette location (9200 Olive Boulevard), but they also have restaurants in St. Charles (3150 Elm Point Industrial Drive), Valley Park (932 Meramec Station Road) and O’Fallon, Missouri (9955 Winghaven Boulevard), and will soon open a location downtown at 605 Washington Avenue.
Photo by Lauren Milford
The sign says "eat more bacon," but you could also just have a veggie sandwich.
Vegetarian: One of Sugarfire's two starters is vegetarian – smoked fried artichokes with lemon aioli. Follow that up with the double-decker smoked portobello sandwich (if you like, it comes topped with a fried farm egg for an extra $2.00) and you’ll leave with a full, happy tummy. If you’re having a really hangry day, the fries are salty, crispy and wonderful. The baked beans, sadly, are not vegetarian, and neither are the three salads, though you could order the "Cracker Jack" or chef salad minus meat.
Photo by Lauren Milford
From top: Coleslaw, fries and a three-cheese potato gratin special at Sugarfire.
Gluten-Free: All of Sugarfire’s meats, plus its coleslaw and potato salad, are gluten-free. You could also order the chef salad with cider vinaigrette.
Paleo: You’ve got lots of options here: pulled pork, turkey, ribs, sausage, salmon, plus three salads (two of which you’ll need to request without cheese). You can also order Sugarfire’s sandwiches and grass-fed beef burger without the bread, biscuit or bun.
Kids Menu: Sugarfire offers a kid-size sandwich, side and a drink for your young ones. High chairs are available, and the restaurant is so loud, people hardly will notice if your child is less than well-behaved.
Extras: Besides barbecue, Sugarfire makes pies, floats and shakes, including two boozy shakes – White Russian and vanilla caramel bourbon. They also make all of their condiments in-house. To wash down your barbecue, choose from sodas, teas or beer. In addition to the items on their regular menu, they have a variety of special entrée and side options that change frequently.
See also: The Picky Eater's Guide to Nora's in Dogtown
We welcome tips and feedback. Email the author at [email protected]
