New light in Midtown
After attending last Saturday’s Billikens vs George Washington game we felt like celebrating SLU’s win by exploring the Midtown area. (Not that we need an excuse to visit this hopping district.) New are the blue neon-rimmed buildings in the Midtown/Grand Center area. It certainly looks good, and with nightlife options like the Fieldhouse, Triumph Grill, Urban Chestnut, and the brand new Plush, this area has something to offer for students and locals alike.
One of our favorites – if not for the beer for the cozy atmosphere – is Urban Chestnut.
The bar at UCBC
Urban Chestnut offers beers with names like Winged Nut, Zwickel, Schnickelfritz and their latest creation Apotheosis, a french-style saison named after the statue of Saint Louis IX at Art Hill. If you like dark beers you should try out Harwood Myth, a personal favorite.
Field House on Theresa Avenue
The latest offering to open in Midtown is Plush, a venue with multiple functions, divided over four stories. The place is massive. On the ground floor you will find an Espresso bar, a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a (good-size) music venue. Nooks and bars are spread out over the second floor, as well as a balcony looking over the main floor and stage, a la Old Rock House.
A plush bar indeed
Also on the second floor: an outside patio with views of Olive and Grand, and a room equipped with a floor shuffle board. What we liked about Plush is that it definitely offers something new and unique to the area. At the time of our visit the third and floor floors were not open to the public yet. The fourth floor will be used as a private event space.
Hamburger Mary's in Tampa Bay
A new franchise in the quirky San Francisco chain Hamburger Mary’s will be opening any day now in Midtown. We had a peek inside and the interior looks similar to that in the picture above. This will be a large restaurant. It will be the 11th franchise in the expanding Hamburger Mary’s empire.
From Hamburger Mary’s website:
Hamburger Mary’s will be located at 3037 Olive Street, and will feature multiple levels and an outdoor patio. The main attraction will be Mary’s half-pound gourmet burgers (served with a hefty side of Sass), but the menu will feature our full range of tasty options from appetizers, soups and salads to sandwiches, entrees and yummy desserts (Deep Fried Twinkies and Mary Tyler S’Mores, to name a few). There will also be a lineup of fun nightly entertainment, including Mary-Oke and HamBingo!
Newly paved
To accommodate the clientèle, the neighboring dirt lot has been paved with asphalt. It will offer 72 parking spaces. We’re usually not big fans of new parking lots but this stretch of Olive has become pretty busy with popular offerings like Pappy’s Smokehouse, The Good Pie, The Loft and Buffalo Brewing. At least no buildings were harmed in the creation of this lot.
Booming Midtown
Speaking of parking, if you park on the street in the Midtown/Grand Center area be sure to feed the meter until 7 PM. If you forget, it’s almost guaranteed you will find one of those nasty tickets on your windshield.
Related:
Will Hotel Ignacio Ignite Midtown?
I’ve been exploring this area since my business moved here 3 years ago, it’s now called “Midtown Alley” and it’s really a great place that has blossomed since we moved here. My fav’s are Pappy’s (when the line is down to 100 feet) Fountain on Locust and the Good Pie, I can’t wait for Hamburger Mary’s or the new Mexican Cantina (in front of Pappy’s and next to Buffalo Brew ) opens. I’ve not been to Plush yet but I’ll change that this week.
I tell my west county neighbors Midtown Alley is 20 minutes down 64 and it’s the bomb, love it. many now agree.
Yes, this is a very exciting up and coming area. I am sitting in PLUSH even as I am writing this. It’s a great new venue. Can’t wait to see a show here. Many beautiful historic buildings
Mark
I love the Midtown Alley area, been to Fieldhouse, Buffalo Brew, Chestnut Brew, Pappy’s, Good Pie, Vito’s and Triumph Grill, I’ve gotten to the point where i just start driving to the area and then figure out where i want to eat. It’s the best new area in the city.
I love what’s happen is this area – it’s full, it’s vibrant and it’s attractive. Can wait to see what the summer has in store in the way of outdoor activities.
Great post – love your blog
Great Article. Over 30 Creative Firms have moved to Midtown Alley since 2005; Design and Branding Firms, New Media Agencies, Ad Agencies, Photographers, Art Galleries, Architectural Firms as well as 3 performance venues Firebird, Fubar and Plush along with a dozen restaurants and 2 more about to open, the Ignacio Hotel …. PLUS, over 100 market rate lofts have filled and have waiting lists. This is the hottest and fastest growing neighborhood in the entire region, thanks for the nice article.
I have always been a fan of the architecture and scale of this street. And I was thrilled when people such as Mr. Johnson and others saw it as well, and decided to put money into it’s revitalization.
But, as with all good things that happen in this city, the “Do Good” industries; this time The Salvation Army, has decided it would also be a great place for a Homeless Vets residence. A place where lots homeless people with every kind of personal problem will be housed.
I have no objections to the good works fostered on our city by so many well-meaning folks, but why do they all have to be in areas that other folks are trying to resuscitate? And why are there so many of them?
I don’t don’t know of any other major city that has struggled more than St. Louis to rebuild their core viability — by ensuring an endevor’s failure by burdening it with: homeless housing; half-way houses for drug/alcohol addicts; housing for parolees; welfare mothers; public housing; govt. assisted housing; workforce housing …. Is there another city like ours where failure is built into every effort to it, by surrounding it with “social welfare projects”?
They used to say about the missionaries that came to Hawaii in the 18th century, “They Came to Do Good …, and They Did Damn Well!” I think the same can be said of those who rake in govt. buck by building so awfully many future failures.