Burger 809 in downtown St. Louis: a first look at the new restaurant in Citygarden

After a long hiatus, there’s a new culinary partner at Citygarden’s Terrace View space

At long last, Citygarden’s Terrace View Cafe has a restaurant again. Burger 809 softly opened in the space at 808 Chestnut St. in downtown St. Louis in mid-July, and a grand opening is slated for Friday, Aug. 9.

“The building has been vacant for a couple years, so the community is really glad to see some life in this space again,” said Burger 809 owner Tasha Smith. “People come to see the Citygarden all the time, so now they can get some food while they’re out.”

Don’t be fooled by the name Burger 809; while the restaurant features a robust list of burgers, the rest of the menu should not be missed with sliders galore. There's a salmon slider, a Thai chicken slider, a turkey burger and even a plant-based burger. It also includes cheese fries, salads, a grilled cheese sandwich and more. 

Currently, Burger 809 offers shareable starters, something likely to go away after the soft opening phase, so head there soon if you want to try the delicious Thai chicken fajita nachos. There's also a Sunday brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. with a special menu featuring chicken and pancakes, a turkey leg coated in Red Hot Riplet dust, a croissant sandwich and more.

While she hasn’t secured a liquor license yet, Smith hopes to offer a full bar with specialty cocktails, with a particular focus on whiskey, in the fall. For now, the restaurant offers a selection of fruity lemonade, soda, tea and bottled water. 

Smith launched her business in 2015 when she started catering family functions and, later, business lunches and holiday parties for various St. Louis companies. From 2016 to 2017, she had a ghost kitchen downtown. A big catering job gave her the push she needed to open a brick-and-mortar on Cherokee Street in 2019, but Burger 809 quickly outgrew the space and moved into Bluewood Brewing in 2022. When the lease at Bluewood ended in December 2022, Burger 809 took a hiatus while Smith pondered her next move. She said she turned down several spaces while looking for the perfect location.

“It was a good time to reevaluate and find somewhere to put permanent roots,” she said. “I wanted somewhere I could also entertain.”

Smith said she hopes Burger 809’s vibe will be laid back. “I want you to leave your stresses at the door,” she said. “Come in and get great service and good food. Unwind and have a place to gather in a safe space.”

The Terrace View is within one of the prettiest green spaces in the heart of downtown St. Louis. There are floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides of the building, bathing the room in diffused natural light that filters through the many trees surrounding the property, making it feel like “you are basically sitting in the garden but can be inside” out of the elements, Smith said.

The restaurant exudes a rustic yet industrial aesthetic with wooden tables and sculptural wooden light fixtures with metal hardware. A cute little plant garden near the order counter brings the lush feel of its surroundings indoors. With over 3,500 square feet, there are about 50 seats inside and room for another 30 to 40 more outside. 

Smith takes pride in the sounds wafting through the air as well. “Music is a big part of me wanting to bring people in here; every song was carefully selected for the playlist; I love country music,” she said. “When I cook, I turn the music on and that motivates me, but it’s also relaxing.” 

She plans to add live music to her roster of offerings before the summer ends.

Burger 809 is currently open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed on Wednesday. Smith noted that the hours are likely to change once she gets a feel for what the neighborhood needs.