sliced pâté en croûte and a spring salad at bolyard's meat & provisions photo by meera nagarajan

3 new St. Louis restaurants to try this month

Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions
Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions has moved into larger digs down the street and now features an expanded menu with a range of creative offerings. Don’t be fooled by the butcher shop surroundings – the delightful spring salad comes with locally grown greens tossed generously in a preserved lemon dressing accompanied by grilled asparagus and sausage hush puppies atop a ’nduja hollandaise. The Pig Pen sandwich has tender pork char siu, sweet and sour cabbage, and just enough tangy gochujang mayo on a Companion Peacemaker roll. You can’t go wrong with the Bob’s Burger, which features two super-thin smash patties, pimento cheese, a fried green tomato and sweet tomato chutney. Both sandwiches pair well with the tallow fries and a side of the pungent black garlic aioli.
2733 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.647.2567, bolyardsmeat.com

Gather
Gather – A Neighborhood Cafe sees the cafe portion of Urban Fort Play (located next door) revamped as a cozy spot well suited for anyone looking for a place to catch up with a friend or linger over a book. The BLTE sandwich with crisp-but-not-greasy bacon, greens and an over-easy egg on toasted Union Loafers wheat bread dressed with tomato jam and garlic aioli was well-balanced, the tomato jam’s sweetness a welcome counterpoint to the salty bacon. A house-made buttermilk biscuit provided a tender (if slightly crumbly) bed for the biscuit sandwich’s freshly scrambled egg and grilled tomato draped with melted American cheese. A locally oriented drink menu includes espresso drinks made with Blueprint Coffee beans, cold brew from Living Room Coffee, and teas from Big Heart Tea Co., as well as alcoholic options like mimosas and canned cocktails from 1220 Spirits.
1854 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.376.4235, gathercafestl.com

The Drawing Board
Whether you’re stopping in for a bite or just chilling with friends around the pool table, The Drawing Board’s cozy, unpretentious vibes are what South City is made of. Fans of previous tenant Ryder’s Tavern’s smash burger can rest easy – it has a permanent home on the menu alongside other comfort foods courtesy of executive chef Alexa Camp. Gooey, arancini-style jambalaya balls with crispy panko breading were irresistible when dunked in tangy, house-made remoulade. The grilled cheese sandwich features a melty combo of goat cheese and white cheddar on classic toasted white bread. Loading it up with apple butter and bacon is a must.
4123 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.899.9343, Facebook: TheDrawingBoardSTL