King & I will close its South Grand location this weekend

With its move to Richmond Heights slated to be completed by September 2023, King & I has confirmed it will serve its final lunch and dinner service at its Tower Grove South location on Sunday, Aug. 13. The Thai restaurant has been a fixture at 3155-3157 S. Grand Blvd. since 1993, but King & I has been a South Grand landmark since owners Suchin and Sue Prapaisilp opened their original restaurant on the corner of Grand Boulevard and Humphrey Street in 1983.

Although there will be a little downtime between the old restaurant closing and the new location opening, King & I is currently forecasting a September launch for the new location, which is taking shape in the former Blaze Pizza at 8039 Dale Ave. in Richmond Heights. Jay Reeves of architecture and design firm Revel Architects is leading work on giving the 3,100-square-foot space a “refreshed and modernized” look and feel.

The new restaurant will seat around 50 guests for lunch and dinner service, with the same menu offering the dishes that have become fan favorites over the past 40 years. “We’re not trying to reinvent King & I,” Shayn Prapaisilp, Chief Operating Officer of Global Foods Group and representative for the ownership group of the King & I restaurant, told Sauce in October 2022 when plans for the Richmond Heights were announced.  

A statement released today from King & I reflected on the restaurant’s legacy on South Grand and expressed thanks to the restaurant’s customers and the broader community. “We have enjoyed nearly 30 years at our restaurant on South Grand, and have been lucky to watch the neighborhood develop and thrive with its wonderful attractions like Tower Grove Park and outstanding stores and restaurants nearby,” said Prapaisilp in the statement. “The King & I family is grateful to the community and the South Grand business district for being such wonderful neighbors. We cannot wait to show the public what the modernized King & I looks like and we look forward to bringing the same great Thai cuisine that St. Louis has fully embraced from our family to Richmond Heights.”

If you’re planning to enjoy one last meal at King & I’s South Grand location before the last day of service on Aug. 13, here are the restaurant’s hours of operation: Tuesday to Thursday 4:30 to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Editor's note: This article was updated at 4:10 p.m. Aug. 8 to correct the final date of service.