The Midwestern Meat & Drink is opening a location in St. Charles

​​​​​​​The Midwestern Main Street is located in the heart of the bar scene on Main Street

Earlier this week, The Midwestern Meat & Drink, a Sauce Best New Restaurant in 2019, announced on its Instagram account that it is planning to launch a second location in St. Charles County. The new location will be called The Midwestern Main Street, and will be located at 208 N. Main St. in downtown St. Charles. With nearby establishments such as Quintessential Dining and Nightlife, Big A’s on the Riverfront and Main Street Honky Tonk, The Midwestern Main Street is located right in the heart of the bar scene on historic Main Street.

Currently, the team is aiming for opening in late November, pending the liquor license hearing later this month and finishing up the interior renovations. The second location will be a partnership between Nick Del Gaiso and Jared Ater, who also own the downtown location of The Midwestern Meat & Drink, along with Stephen Savage. 

“We’ve always talked about moving west with our operations and there’s the built in foot traffic on Main Street,” Del Gaiso said of the location. 

“There’s a charm to Main Street in St. Charles and we wanted to be a part of it. And to me, there’s nothing more midwestern than a Main Street,” he further explained. 

When it comes to the food offerings, Del Gaiso said that due to multiple factors such as a smaller kitchen and no space outdoors to house a smoker, the menu won’t be centered around smoked meats. 

“We’ll have some of the favorites, but we’re not going to be highlighting smoked meats," he said. "There’s not space for a smoker, plus Salt + Smoke are already there on Main Street and they do a great job.”

Instead, expect what Del Gaiso calls “Midwest regional classics,” like brats, pork tenderloin sandwiches and walleye, to make appearances on the menu through various specials. There are also plans to offer a brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday. 

With a full bar, the cocktail program will be very similar to the downtown location, which focuses on the classics with a twist, along with a four tap system that will serve a rotating selection of local brews and a broad selection of bourbons. 

The Midwestern Main Street’s GM will be Eric Kopsky, who is the manager at the downtown location, and has trained with Tony Saputo. Del Gaiso said Kopsky has not only the experience and skills to lead the team in St. Charles, he’ll also bring a personal touch to the job.

“He’s just a beaming joy of light. He has an ability to really entertain people and it’s hard to be in a bad mood around him.”

The aesthetic of the space will feature a few nods to the downtown location, but with The Midwestern Main Street being roughly a quarter of the size of the original restaurant, some of those design elements, like lots of brick and wood, won’t carry over to St. Charles.

Inside, the 1,200-square-foot interior will feature some exposed brick and will feature neon lighting to give the interior a brighter feel. While they haven’t gotten the seating capacity firmed up just yet, Del Gaiso expects to be able to seat around 95 inside, and the roughly 400-square-foot patio at the back of the building that overlooks the nearby Missouri River will offer an additional seating area. 

The service hours will be Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to midnight.