Meet St. Louis
300 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 145 ratingsSt. Louis is a place full of incredible food, interesting businesses, some of the nation's best breweries and some of the country's most creative people. Meet St. Louis is the podcast taking you behind the scenes with the brewers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and artists who make St. Louis more than just the Arch.
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Episodes
Episode 273: Neon Greens
April 15, 2024 13:00 - 32 minutes - 29.3 MBIf you’ve driven down Manchester Road recently in The Grove neighborhood you might have noticed a new building with a big N-G on the outside. Inside is a unique greenhouse using hydroponic farming to grow the freshest lettuce around. Neon Green just opened, and owner Josh Smith hopes to make some big changes to the way we eat, think and grow our food. The St. Louis native moved to New York to be a set designer for television and movies, but the pandemic created a pivot. The pivot eventually b...
Episode 272: Ballpark Village
April 08, 2024 12:59 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBBaseball is back, St. Louis. There’s nothing quite like Busch Stadium, and there’s no greater fans in baseball than Cardinals fans. And for 10 years, Ballpark Village has been the next-door neighbor to the one and only St Louis Cardinals. In celebration of the start of the season and to commemorate 10 years, we sat down with Mike Lamartina, the Chief Operating Officer, to talk about it all. We discuss the significance of the work-play-live concept of BPV, how they’re preparing to celebrate a ...
Episode 271: Sugarfire
April 01, 2024 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBSugarfire is a BBQ staple in St. Louis. From their brisket to their wild named specials, there’s a reason they’ve been winning awards for over a decade. Now we had owner Mike Johnson on the Meet St. Louis podcast way back in the beginning. All the way back on episode 50. So now, on Episode 271 we’re revisiting the beloved BBQ spot. But this time were talking to the woman of Sugarfire. The 14th location just opened in Florissant, and it’s the first with a majority female ownership group. Corpo...
Episode 270: Fennel Cooking School
March 18, 2024 13:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBJackie Price found a love of cooking when she was a young teen. And while she loved working in a restaurant, her true passion she found was teaching others. She saw a need in the St. Louis community for more hands-on cooking classes, and the Fennel Cooking Studio was born. Little did she know just how much of a demand there would be. Classes sell out and people are setting alarms to secure a spot when the new batch opens each month. We sat down in the bright and cheery classroom space of her ...
Episode 269: Damn Fine Hand Pies
March 11, 2024 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBIf you've been to the Tower Grove Farmer's Market, you've likely seen the line wrap around one of the booths. At the booth, you'll find bread, donuts, and hand pies. That's what Madeline Hissong started with when she launched her business Damn Fine Hand Pies. Despite the popularity, she still recalls with clarity her first customer. Now, Madeline and her business partner Gene Bailey are gearing up to open their brick-and-mortar bakery in the Shaw neighborhood of South St. Louis - just a few b...
Episode 268: Good Ice
March 04, 2024 14:00 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MBIce – it’s water frozen into a solid state. Seems pretty basic. But Jordan Goodman, who’s spent much of his career behind a bar, will tell you it can make or break drink. We sat down with Jordan at his soon-to-open cocktail bar and restaurant Good Company in the Grove Neighborhood of St. Louis. But we start the conversation with a focus on Good Ice. That’s the name of his company that crafts artisan ice for some of our city’s best bars and restaurants. A special process that creates crystal-c...
Episode 267: Civil Life
February 26, 2024 14:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBThe idea 'Stay Civil' is one we could all use a little more of in today’s day and age. That’s the motto at the South City brewery Civil Life. Founded in 2011 by Jake Hafner, Mike Bianco and Dylan Mosley, the brewery is known for their malt-driven beers. Their best seller and crowd favorite is the Civil Life Brown. It’s a beer head brewer Dylan never imagined would take off in the way that it has. Dylan and Mike sat down with us inside the wood-filled cozy pub to talk about how it all began wi...
Episode 266: Kevin Nashan
February 19, 2024 16:07 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBJames Beard Award Winning Chef Kevin Nashan isn’t from St. Louis but after working at some of the best restaurants around the world, this is the city he chose to plant roots and open his restaurants. He took over Sidney Street Café in 2003 and incorporated his vision into the beloved Benton park restaurant. Now it’s synonymous with special occasions and considered one of the best restaurants in town. He opened Peacemaker down the street in 2014 with a different vibe and very different menu....
Episode 265: Party Hop
February 12, 2024 14:00 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBParty Hop is sort of a one-stop shop for the big celebrations in your life. The owners – Ashely Detweiler and Ashley Roberts, started the company because they saw a need. They were moms planning tons of parties, and there wasn’t a super easy way to get all the fun products. So while their initial idea for Party Hop started with pre-made kits, it soon ballooned into something more. I say that because they’re really known for their balloons now. Something both will admit they had no experience ...
Episode 264: Cathy's Kitchen
February 05, 2024 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBA desire for more is what launched Cathy Jenkins into a new career later in life. She was in the kitchen one day and decided she wanted to open a restaurant. It started right there, and now she’s about to open her second location of Cathy’s Kitchen. The first is a staple in the Historic downtown Ferguson area. It’s survived protests and shattered windows and a pandemic. Cathy says none of it would be possible without the love and support of the community and her family. That decision more tha...
Episode 263: Sunday Best
January 29, 2024 14:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBSt Louis loves fried chicken. It’s a lesson John Perkins learned years ago when he held a pop-up for a Southern concept that would eventually inspire Juniper. Last year he closed Juniper, the acclaimed Central West end restaurant and transitioned it to Sunday Best. Walking inside the restaurant, the changes might be subtle, but it's meant to be a more casual spot with the opportunity to expand and grow across the region. It’s not a change John made lightly, but it was one initiated by necessi...
Episode 262: Madrina
January 22, 2024 14:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBStanley Brown and Frank Romano go way back. They’re long-time friends, former co-workers, and fellow Webster Groves restaurant owners. So it felt like a perfect fit when the corner at Gore and Lockwood, which housed CJ Muggs, became available. Stanley owns Robust Bistro and Wine Bar, and Frank owns The Parkmoor; both have worked in the hospitality industry in St. Louis for decades. They decided to bring their expertise together to create an upscale casual Italian restaurant. But they wanted t...
Episode 261: Hello Juice
January 15, 2024 14:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBHello Juice is a health-focused smoothing and juice bar with locations in The Grove and Kirkwood. Husband and wife duo Jen and Jon Maness took over the company in 2019. They’ll be the first to admit they jumped in without any real background in the health and wellness scene. Jon says he doesn’t really like fruits and vegetables. But the couple dove in head first, and despite challenges, they’re working to help people in St. Louis live a healthier life. With the start of the new year comes new...
Episode 260: Lodging Hospitality Management
January 08, 2024 14:00 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBHappy New Year from the Meet St Louis Podcast. We can’t wait to continue sharing the stories behind the places you love in our region. It’s a new year, and there’s so much to look forward to. Including the opening of new spots around town. This week we sat down with Steven O’Loughlin, the president of Lodging Hospitality Management. LHM is the team behind many of your favorite spots in St. Louis and they’re expanding west. The company was behind the revamp and restoration of St Louis Union St...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
December 25, 2023 14:00 - 45 seconds - 705 KBFrom all of us at the Meet St Louis Podcast and First Alert 4, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. We will be back in the new year with brand-new episodes. Thank you for listening!
Episode 259: The Royale
December 20, 2023 17:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBDriving down Kingshighway in South St. Louis City, you can’t miss the purple neon sign welcoming you to The Royale. The bar has been a St. Louis staple for almost two decades, but the building itself dates back to prohibition. It’s always been a place for people to gather, and that’s the vibe owner Steven Smith has fostered at his establishment. A place where all are welcome and feel comfortable. He’s always been in the business of people, and he shares his journey into the world of corner ta...
Episode 258: Latte Lounge
December 11, 2023 19:45 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBNyshaun Harvey developed a love of coffee at a young age. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to open up her first coffee shop in 2020, now just a few years later the 26 year old has three shops. The original Latte Lounge in Florissant just underwent a remodel and her other two locations, one in Downtown St. Louis and the other in Ferguson are bringing the viral latte flights to a large audience. In this week’s episode we talk about opening up three businesses in three years, the power of soci...
Episode 257: McArthur's Bakery
December 04, 2023 14:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBThe slogan at McArthur's Bakery is great mission, even better food. The bakery has been a St. Louis staple since the 1950s, but it almost ceased to exist. That's where Scott Rinaberger came in. He calls himself a serial entrepreneur, and he saw an opportunity when the beloved bakery went up for sale. To ensure its survival, changes has to be made. The historic nature of the business didn't work in today's climate. Now there are two locations, one in South County and a sister spot called Pione...
Episode 256: Anthonino's
November 27, 2023 14:00 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBThe Scarato brothers own Anthonino’s Taverna on The Hill. It combines both their heritages: Greek and Italian, and even after 20 years in business, they're still the new guys on the block when it comes to this historic neighborhood. But they’ve made their stamp on St. Louis and beyond... in part thanks to Guy Fieri; His episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives still brings people from across the country and the world to their corner restaurant. The toasted raviolis may be what gets people in th...
Episode 255: Civil Alchemy + The Annex
November 20, 2023 14:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBTis the season for shopping, and this podcast is always about shopping local. Whether it's on Small Business Saturday or any day of the year, your effort to purchase from a local business can make all the difference. That’s the message John and Kelley Barr share on this week’s episode. The couple has slowly been renovating and revitalizing the Old Orchard neighborhood in Webster Groves. They own Frisco Barroom, Civil Alchemy and The Annex, plus a brand new ice cream shop. Their vision has alw...
Episode 254: Art of Entertaining
November 13, 2023 14:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBThe holidays are here, and you don’t have to do it alone. This week, we headed to Webster Groves to talk to Ann Marie Lemke and her daughter Kate at the Art of Entertaining. Ann started the company almost thirty years ago when she noticed a missing need in St. Louis: a place to buy prepared meals for friends who had a baby or for a sick relative. And decades later, while there’s a lot more options and basically everyone has carryout, the family business is booming. And the holidays are the bu...
Episode 253: Bella Milano
November 03, 2023 20:05 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MBBella Milano opened its doors 20 years ago in Edwardsville with family at the heart of the Italian restaurant. Two families joined together to fill a void in their community for a restaurant where anyone would feel welcome. 20 years later and two more locations, they’re still going strong, even as the food scene in the Metro East has expanded more than ever. We sat down with Craig Kalogerou and Tom Guarino to talk history, food and family. Tom’s dad Sam was the original owner along with Craig...
Listener Favorite: Grandma's Cookies
October 23, 2023 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBEarlier this year, we went to St. Charles and sat down with the owners of Grandma's Cookies. Now we're revisiting this listener favorite.
Listener Favorite: Vintage Vinyl
October 16, 2023 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBLast November, we visited Vintage Vinyl, a staple for St. Louis music lovers.
Listener Favorite: Katie's Pizza & Pasta
October 09, 2023 13:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBTwo years ago, we visited Kate of Katie's Pizza & Pasta. Now, having just opened a new location Downtown, we are revisiting our original interview.
Listener Favorite: Pharaoh's Donuts
October 02, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBLast year we visited Pharaoh's Donuts for a conversation outside their busy Downtown location. In this listener favorite, we revisit one of St. Louis' favorite donut shops.
Episode 252: Taco Buddha
September 25, 2023 13:00 - 25 minutes - 22.9 MBSome people in the food world might scoff at the term fusion – but for Kurt Eller, it's about a collection of memories from different places. That’s the vision behind the tacos at his incredibly popular spot – Taco Buddha. The University City location has seen major success over the years and this summer, they opened a second location in Kirkwood. Serving up tacos inspired from Kurt’s upbringing in Austin TX and his love of global flavors. But the real success at his restaurants, he says, is ...
Episode 251: Novel Neighbor
September 18, 2023 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBLocated in the heart of Webster Groves sits a bookshop beloved by locals. But online Novel Neighbor’s reach goes even farther, garnering a huge social media presence thanks in part to BookTok, a social media community passionate about reading. In a time when the internet is having a negative impact on our locally owned bookstores, shops like Novel Neighbor are using it to reach new audiences, audiences who are making St. Louis a destination just to visit a favorite bookstore. Director of Even...
Episode 250: Bagel Union
September 11, 2023 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBSt. Louis is in the midst of a bagel boom – one we’ve all been waiting on for years. One of the best places to debut in town this year is Bagel Union in Webster Groves. From the owners of beloved sandwich shop Union Loafers and the makers of arguably some of the best bread in town, Bagel Union was born. It opened to long lines earlier this year, and the growth continues. We sat down with head baker Jackie Polcyn and Brian Moxey, who serves as executive chef for the restaurant group. We talk a...
Repeat Episode - Sugarwitch
September 04, 2023 13:00 - 37 minutes - 34 MBEarlier this year, the Meet St. Louis Podcast visited Sugarwitch. It was one of our most listened-to episodes, so before summer ends, we thought it would be only fitting to revisit the South City ice cream shop that was started by Sophie Mendelson and Martha Bass.
Episode 249: The Foundry – Two Years In
August 28, 2023 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBTwo years ago, the Foundry opened its doors in Midtown. The food hall had big plans to help revitalize this part of St. Louis City, and step onto the 15-acre property, and you can see they’re succeeding. In addition to the sprawling food hall with more than a dozen local spots, there’s retail, offices, Alamo Drafthouse movie theatre, Puttshack, City Winery and more. It’s 85 percent occupied, with the anticipation it will be nearly filled by the end of the year. We’ve shared the stories of sev...
Episode 248: Noboleis Winery
August 21, 2023 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBFamily owned and family grown. That’s the motto at Noboleis Winery in Augusta. We headed out to Missouri Wine Country to meet the sisters running the vineyard. Their mom and dad purchased the land in 2005, and together as a family, it's grown into a business producing 30 wines and expanding into new markets. Angie Geis and Chris Newbold share their family’s story, the trials and errors and what it means to be a part of the country’s oldest wine region in America. Of course, many people think ...
Episode 247: Such and Such Farm
August 14, 2023 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBAutumn Sij and Dave Blum might not strike you as your typical farmers. And they’ll be the first to admit it. That’s also because they never planned to become farmers; the idea happened organically back in 2011. Such and Such Farm came about with no experience, just a desire to try living a better way of life. But the couple has a way with people, and by building connections, specifically in the restaurant community, their farm in De Soto grew and blossomed. They grow unique produce and raise ...
Episode 246: Evolution Festival
August 07, 2023 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBMusic, BBQ, Bourbon – it's all the makings of a pretty fun weekend in St. Louis. That’s exactly what the producers behind Evolution Festival hope to bring to Forest Park this August. It’s the first year for a brand new two-day music festival. We sat down with Joe Litvag, from Contemporary Productions, to dive deep into building a festival from the ground up… starting with the location, the grounds of Forest Park. The lineup is a pretty big deal for a brand new festival, featuring artists like...
Episode 245: Chef Matt Daughaday
July 31, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBChef Matt Daughaday has worked in some of the best kitchens in St. Louis, from Niche to Taste to opening his own restaurant Reeds American Table. But his newest endeavor is making a splash in the St. Louis dining scene. He is now the executive chef for 21c Hotel in Downtown St. Louis, a brand new hotel in the former YMCA building on Locust. The main restaurant Idol Wolf is now open, bringing a tapas-inspired restaurant to the heart of Downtown. We sat down with Matt ahead of the grand opening...
Episode 244: Locoz Tacoz
July 24, 2023 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBTyler Garcia grew up watching his parents create a restaurant that drew people in for its authentic flavors and a sense of home. His parents opened La Tejana in Bridgeton, connected to their grocery store in 2010. Tyler branched out with his food truck, eventually naming it Locoz Tacoz. The goal was to bring that same delicious food out into the community. Now he has a new brick-and-mortar restaurant of his own. Locoz Tacoz recently opened in Maplewood and the crowds are coming out for the ta...
Episode 243: Saigon Café
July 17, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBOwning a restaurant is not an easy feat – we talked about it in last week’s 5-year anniversary episode with restauranteur Gerard Craft. If you haven’t listened, make sure to hit play after you listen to this brand-new episode. This week we talk to longtime St. Louis restaurant owner Michael Ly. Michael grew up in the restaurant business. His family owned a Chinese restaurant in West St. Louis County. 20 years ago, his mom and stepdad opened Saigon Café in the Central West End. It was a totall...
5 Year Anniversary Episode: Gerard Craft Revisited
July 10, 2023 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBFive years ago we sat down at the Four Seasons Hotel, the construction was underway at Cinder House, the latest endeavor from Chef and Restaurateur Gerard Craft. It was the very first episode of The Meet St. Louis Podcast. Five years later, we’ve shared more than 240 episodes, introducing you to hundreds of chefs, brewers and small business owners. It has been so much fun to share their stories, their journeys and introduce you all to someplace new and amazing in St. Louis. But a lot happens ...
Episode 241: The Muny
July 03, 2023 15:44 - 33 minutes - 46.4 MBMeet me at The Muny…if you grew up in St. Louis you can probably finish the jingle that goes along with that saying. For more than 100 years, The Muny has been a summer tradition in our city in Forest Park. This season is underway and we’re getting the behind the scenes scoop from Mike Isaacson, the Artistic Director and Executive Producer. The Tony Award winning producer is now in his 12th season at The Muny, the largest outdoor musical theater in North America. In this week’s episode we t...
Episode 240: J’s Pitaria
June 26, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBJosi and Zamir Jahic are serving up the food of their homeland in a shopping plaza in South St. Louis County. The Mediterranean spot with a focus on Bosnian cuisine gets busy fast, before the doors even open they have a long line of pre-order tickets. Zamir is the heart in the kitchen at J’s Pitaria but Josi is the brains behind the business. The two were born in the same town in Bosnia but didn’t meet until much later in life when their paths crossed in St. Louis. St. Louis has a large Bosni...
Episode 239: Amsterdam Tavern
June 19, 2023 13:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBFor 15 years, the staff at Amsterdam Tavern have opened the doors at 6 a.m. weekend after weekend. Providing one of the few spots in town to show soccer matches from around the world. Located on Morganford in Tower Grove South, they’re known as THE spot to watch soccer, something that’s become all the more popular with the incredible success of St. Louis CITY SC’s inaugural season. The TVs are showing soccer 18 hours a day sometimes. We sat down with owner Jeff Lyle to talk about soccer, the ...
Episode 238: Circus Flora
June 11, 2023 15:05 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MBThis week, we’re meeting under the Big Top. It’s a St. Louis tradition dating back to the mid-80s and Circus Flora continues to entertain the next generation of families. The season kicked off June 1 and goes through June 25. We sat down with Executive Director Jack Marsh to talk about this year’s show and the legacy of the circus in St. Louis. Jack grew up in the circus, his mother has been with Circus Flora from the start. He thought he wanted a different path, becoming an attorney after c...
Episode 237:Taberu
June 05, 2023 13:57 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBHeidi Hamamura owns Taberu a catering company creating works of art made with sushi. Heidi started in the restaurant business early, growing up in her father’s kitchens. With a fine dining experience and a love for visually beautiful food, her sushi platters and sushi cakes take social media by storm. Instagram is where she runs most of her business and she shares how her dreams of owning a restaurant evolved into where she is now. When she’s not spending 15 hours slicing fish, she’s training...
Episode 236: Chillax Tap & Co.
May 29, 2023 06:00 - 29 minutes - 39.8 MBAshley and Archie Harmon opened a business during one of the toughest times – March 2020. The pandemic closed their doors just as they opened Chillax, a craft beer bar and bottle shop, before they could really get started. But the St. Charles community didn’t let them fail. In fact, they found so much demand they opened their second location this spring. The Wentzville bar is more intimate, but the new St Peters location serves up food and fun vibes. We sat down with Ashley to talk about ta...
Episode 235: Ope Outdoors
May 22, 2023 05:00 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBIt’s the season to get outside. The St. Louis summer heat hasn’t fully arrived and the local and state parks are lush with green. But Juno Musonda wants to make sure you feel comfortable getting into the outdoors and look the part as well! He started Ope Outdoors in his bedroom and what started as a t-shirt company has evolved into a community of people enthusiastic about being outside. His t-shirts feature fun graphic designs of some of our best area parks like Castlewood, Elephant Roc...
Episode 234: Maypop Coffee + Garden Shop
May 15, 2023 05:00 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBLocated inside a historic home in a neighborhood in Webster Groves sits a little oasis. A cafe and garden shop all in one. Maypop opened five years ago on Mother’s Day weekend. It’s the busiest time of year for a plant store and the staff wants to help you feel like whatever your gardening level is, you can plant something and keep it thriving. We sat down with McKenzie Leek to talk about everything you need to know to garden this spring, whether you have a big yard or just a container on...
Episode 233: Counterpublic
May 08, 2023 13:29 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MBSt. Louis is catching the eye of the art world, not just locally, but nationally. They are all paying attention to Counterpublic, a civic exhibition that weaves contemporary art through the City of St. Louis. It only happens for three months every three years. On this week’s podcast, we’re giving you the backstory and a deeper explanation of why this is much bigger than art. Cofounder Lee Broughton and artistic director James McAnally join us for a fascinating conversation about art, commun...
Episode 232: Sugarwitch
May 01, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 52.2 MBLocated inside the former Carondelet Bakery in South St Louis City is where the magic happens. It’s now the home of Sugarwitch, an incredibly popular ice cream sandwich business started by Sophie Mendelson and Martha Bass. They first created the idea in Columbia, turning to nostalgic flavors but with a creative spin. And the creativity continues with the names, each sandwich named for a witch. The Ursula is their most popular. They partner with other local businesses like Coffeestamp for th...
Episode 231: Alpha Brewing
April 24, 2023 05:00 - 39 minutes - 54.3 MBThis episode is about beer and science. It’s been more than a decade since Derrick Langeneckert graduated with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, and he eventually took that knowledge not to a hospital but instead to a brewery. He got experience working at Square One Brewery before deciding to venture out on his own and start his brewery. Alpha Brewing was born in the spring of 2013. And while it's been 10 years, Derrick says they really feel like it's just been a few years si...
Episode 230: Two Men and a Garden
April 17, 2023 05:00 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBTwo Men and a Garden, a locally made salsa and pickle brand, started just as the name implies, with two guys who loved to garden and had an overabundance of produce. As the start of the farmer’s market and the gardening season gets into full swing, we wanted to know the backstory of one of St. Louis’ favorite salsa companies. So we headed down to High Ridge to talk with owners Joel Austin and Brett Tintera to get the inside scoop. They’re sharing the history and how they got to be in hundre...