First Look: 4 Hens Creole Kitchen at City Foundry STL

On Monday, Jan. 24, the food hall at City Foundry STL at 3730 Foundry Way in St. Louis will welcome a new concept in 4 Hens Creole Kitchen, a restaurant serving modern versions of New Orleans-style classics. While 4 Hens marks the first official restaurant from executive chef Brandi Artis, it isn’t her first rodeo. “I actually had a catering business in Chicago,” she explained. “I used to do pop-ups inside of different nightclubs and bars. Tacos, street-style corn, nachos. I got really popular and well-known for that.” But when Covid hit, Artis decided to pivot, and moved to St. Louis.  

“I decided, ‘Why not bring something to the city that I already have a connection to?’” she said. “I love Creole food, the breakfast/brunch/lunch aspect of it, all the different entrees that come together to make a menu.” Once she got settled here, she reached out to the Foundry and got in touch with their development team, telling them she was interested in having a space in the food hall. They were happy to oblige. “It actually has been amazing. I love the people that I get to work with, and the Foundry is so helpful and so nice,” Artis said. “Everybody is sharing little tidbits, ‘Here’s what to do, here’s what not to do.’ To open my first restaurant, it’s a blessing to be in this kind of environment.” 

4 Hens isn’t just part of the Foundry community – it’s a community in itself. Artis partners with her wife, Brittany Artis, business manager Brittani Gardner-Evans, and Gardner-Evans’ wife, Ebony Evans. “We are a Black, women-owned, queer business, and we’re definitely proud of who we are,” Artis said. In addition, Artis is letting her children run the 4 Hens’ lemonade program. “We tried to give our kids something to grow with and be entrepreneurs,” she said. “We wanted them to know that effort early on.” 

But lemonade is only where the menu begins. 4 Hens Creole Kitchen offers “traditional-style dishes, but with our own little modern twist,” Artis said. They have chicken, fried or pan-seared, and po’boy sandwiches. The Slappin’ Shrimp appetizer comes with six large shrimp, greens and a house remoulade; succotash soup (similar to a gumbo) features okra, corn, lima beans and tomatoes. “We just are really trying to do those traditional flavors,” Artis said. For dessert, bread pudding is available. 

Check out the slideshow below for more information on 4 Hens Creole Kitchen’s menu, hours, and more.