STL Steak and Cake now open in Tower Grove South

Soulard Farmers Market vendor STL Steak and Cake has opened a brick-and-mortar location at 4278 Connecticut St. in Tower Grove South. Focusing on to-go cheesesteaks and desserts, the eatery opened in mid-December.

Owner Marquita Mahon started serving cheesesteaks and desserts at Soulard Farmers Market in late 2020, turning a lifelong passion for cooking into a fledgling business. At that time, Mahon was a data analyst consultant for a health care company, pursuing her cooking hobby on weekends. However, she soon built a following at the market, with customers coming back each weekend for their favorite items.

About a year ago, Mahon started searching for the right location to expand the business, but as it turned out, the ideal location was one she passed by almost daily. “I’ve lived in Tower Grove South for 27 years and thought it would be a nice spot for us, and it just so happened that one day it became available,” Mahon said of the Connecticut Street location. Mahon added that she’s received a lot of good feedback from the community since opening.

Mahon's regular customers will be happy to know that all STL Steak and Cake’s Soulard favorites are available at the brick-and-mortar location, in addition to some new dishes. Those established staples include the STL Famous Cheesesteak, made with steak, onion, mushroom, bell peppers and provolone cheese and served, of course, in a sandwich. Mahon’s loaded fries, another popular dish that helped put her at the forefront of the market’s food scene, come topped with a cheese sauce, bacon, jalapenos, sour cream and chives, with the option of adding steak or chicken.

As for the cake portion of STL Steak and Cake, Mahon serves variations on the Lou’s most famous dessert: gooey butter cake, in a number of flavors. “The original version is the most popular, but people love the turtle, too,” Mahon said. In addition to those options, the menu also features lemon gooey butter, with seasonal and rotating flavors such as key lime, chocolate mint and lemon blueberry also gracing the menu.

The new additions include burgers and wings made with a variety of sauces, like garlic parmesan. The burger selection includes the Carolina barbecue burger, which features a patty topped with Carolina-style pulled pork, cheddar cheese, crispy onion, and slaw, as well as a build-your-own burger option. Mahon has also introduced a number of salads, which she said have been well received.

There’s no seating available inside the 1,000 square-foot space; carryout orders can be placed in person, online or via third party delivery apps. Mahon does have plans to apply for sidewalk seating to add three or four tables in the front. The interior decor is still a work in progress, but the goal is to keep a St. Louis theme by adding pictures of local landmarks.

Mahon said she intends to maintain STL Steak and Cake's presence at Soulard Farmers Market. STL Steak and Cake is closed for the winter at Soulard, but they will reopen in the spring.