First Look: Tropical Liqueurs and Guerrilla Street Food in The Grove

The Tropical Liqueurs-Guerrilla Street Food partnership at 4104 Manchester Ave. in The Grove is within sight of its opening day.

Trops co-owner Billy Thompson said he hopes final inspections take place early this month. After that, the space will be home to a full array of boozy frozen libations and Filipino-inspired fare.

The new Trops location has been in the works since June 2016 after the Columbia, Missouri-based bar announced it would leave its Soulard location for the more bar-centric Grove neighborhood. Guerrilla Street Food announced its partnership with Trops in December 2016.

The Trops drink menu will include longtime frozen favorites like the Tiger Paw (high-proof rum, peach schnapps, pineapple juice and orange juice) along with new concoctions like a frosé. Thompson said there will also be weekly drink showdowns between new cocktail possibilities with the top-seller earning a place on the menu.

Much like its location inside 2nd Shift Brewing, Guerrilla Street Food will serve out of a window inside the bar with a menu of GSF classics like its chicken adobo alongside location-specific dishes like mung bean hummus and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. The space will also offer a Guerrilla Street Sunday brunch that will include a pop-up coffee bar courtesy of Kaldi’s.

The 7,000-square-foot former warehouse has undergone quite the transformation. There are still some remnants of its industrial past – exposed brick and ductwork, concrete floors and overhead doors – that have been combined with tropical design elements. Local artist Scott Pondrom of Design Deli created tropical murals that blend with wicker shades on light fixtures and palm fronds. Part of the building’s roof has been removed, turning the back half of the space into a private walled-in patio area.

Trops will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. GSF chef and co-owner Brian Hardesty said the restaurant’s hours aren’t set yet but will be “complementary” to the bar’s hours. Take a First Look at The Grove’s latest tasty go-to spot.