Steve’s Hot Dogs and The Fountain on Delmar: a first look at the new concepts in St. Louis’ Delmar Maker District

‘Six months from now, the neighborhood is going to be unrecognizable,’ said co-owner Danni Eickenhorst

Steve’s Hot Dogs and the Fountain on Delmar open Friday, July 12, at 5232 Delmar Blvd. as part of the Maker’s Locale, a new event and dining complex. The new concepts are bringing even more new life to the Delmar Maker District, an up-and-coming development in an oft-overlooked part of St. Louis, about a mile east of the Delmar Loop.

The Fountain on Delmar is a spinoff of the Fountain on Locust, which owners Danni and Marcus Eickenhorst purchased in 2021. Two years later, they created HUSTL Hospitality Group, which encompasses both the Fountain and Steve’s Hot Dogs. 

“We couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this project,” said Danni Eickenhorst. “When Doug Auer and Jim McKelvey explained their vision for the Delmar Maker District and invited us to be a part, we were all in. Seeing this project come to life has been incredible and only made possible by the incredible team they put together to carry out their vision.”

The new Fountain location is a pared-down version of the original Midtown restaurant and offers a limited menu of baked goods, ice cream dishes and cocktails, both classics and dessert varieties. The new location adds a robust coffee program. However, the menu does not include lunch or dinner items such as the salads, sandwiches and soups available at the Fountain on Locust. Like the Midtown restaurant, the new spot’s decor has art deco vibes but in a smaller space that’s roughly one-third of the size. There is seating for about 35 guests inside and another 12 on the patio.

The offerings at the new Steve’s Hot Dogs include the greatest hits available at the South Grand location, with a full menu of hot dogs, burgers and loaded fries. The main difference is that there will not be a full bar; instead, guests can purchase canned cocktails, beers and Mighty Kind cannabis seltzers. The space is slightly bigger than the other location with 50 seats inside and 16 outside, and the ambiance is lighter and brighter with skylights, large windows and a garage door that can be opened when the weather allows. It was designed to somewhat mimic a concert venue and features a full wall covered in a wallpaper made from concert posters of years bygone.

“The wallpaper is a collection of posters from Garrett Enloe, who put together a book called Mississippi Nights,” said co-owner Steve Ewing, who is the frontman for popular St. Louis-based rock band The Urge. “They are real flyers from old St. Louis shows – a lot of them are Urge shows.”

There’s also a mural on the opposite wall of a giant record, further lending the restaurant concert vibes. Additionally, the new space has an open kitchen concept, so diners will be able to watch their food being made.

“The neighbors are incredibly excited and can see the potential,” Eickenhorst said. “The area has a lot of soul but has been overlooked for a long time. This is a really clear example of what can happen when we work around a system that’s broken and find amazing people willing to invest time, money and sweat because they believe in it. Six months from now, the neighborhood is going to be unrecognizable.”

Alpha Brewing Co. is also set to open a distillery and tasting room this weekend, though the space was not photo-ready when Sauce was on-site Wednesday. A request for comment from the Alpha team was not returned, but we’ll update this story if we hear back.

A grand opening celebration will be held all day on Saturday, July 13, with live music and DJs to welcome the new concepts in style. 

Steve’s Hot Dogs is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Fountain on Delmar is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Both Steve's and the Fountain are closed on Tuesday.