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Area Restaurant Scene Always Seems Evolving
By Bob Lindsey
The evolving restaurant/dining scene in North County has seen some major changes starting in 2015 with the closing of a Florissant restaurant/banquet center icon, the announced closing of a popular deli, but the opening of a major restaurant chain plus a nationally known restaurant with roots in North County returning.
Yacovelli’s, which had celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2014, announced in the fall of 2014 that it was closing at the end of the year, leaving the area with one less major banquet center. For Jan and Jack Yacovelli it was a bittersweet holiday season as long time friends and patrons came by for one last dinner or event. Year-round, Yacovelli’s provided a haven for large banquets and lunches for such organizations as the Rotary Club of Florissant and the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce.
Jack Yacovelli said it was a “difficult decision” but they felt the time was right to close and enjoy retirement and more time with grandkids, ball games and family dinners. All of their children had worked in the restaurant while growing up and their son was general manager the past ten years.
“We’ve been blessed with so many loyal customers and staff members who have felt like family over the years,” Jack said. Yacovelli’s last week included a Last Chance/Last Dance event and a big New Year’s Eve Party. On Jan. 1, the restaurant was dark.
Meanwhile, the popular chain Culver’s, which can’t replace Yacovelli’s for size and events, is planning its long-awaited opening soon on N. Lindbergh at the entrance of St. Ferdinand Park this month.
Opening this past weekend at Florissant Marketplace on N. Lindbergh is the third Sweeties Pie’s restaurant, made even more popular with the cable TV shows about Miss Robbie, the former Ikette, and her family who own the business. The first Sweetie Pie’s can be traced back over 20 years ago to a site on West Florissant Ave.
Also closing at the end this month is DeLeo’s, which fast became a popular deli, serving soups, sandwiches, salads and more and featured live music on the weekends.
The owners, Jake Hall, and Mark and Mary Ellen Prosser said in a statement on Facebook that while sales were up almost 20% compared to 2013, they needed “similar growth the next two years to have sufficient sales to cover expenses.” Their rental lease was up at the North Lindbergh location at the end of January, so they felt it was best “to pursue other opportunities that are available than to dedicate our lives to the restaurant that we love.”
While a new sit-down Imo’s Restaurant is planned at the site of the old Wedgewood Bath and Tennis Club and the city’s first Jimmy John’s is coming, many of the existing popular local non-chain local restaurants, such as Pironne’s, Cugino’s, Cannoli’s, Rizzo’s and Hendel’s, seem to be thriving. The once small grocery and meat market, Hendel’s, draws from throughout the metro region for its food and ambience.
The bar-restaurant scene in the area remains strong with places like Deavers, Gettemeier’s, the Locker Room, Our Place and Mattingly’s. They remain popular for reasonably priced good food and a place to watch Blues, Cardinals or football games.
The Ferguson restaurant scene after a couple of tough months is rebounding at Ferguson Brew House, Marley’s, Cork, Vincenzo’s, Cathy’s Kitchen and others. On a Friday evening during the holidays, there was an hour-long wait for a table at Cork. On a Monday afternoon during lunch the Ferguson Brew House was packed. Cathy’s Kitchen is planning a new blues theme restaurant near its S. Florissant Road location. El Palenque and Faraci’s are back after some setbacks.
Florissant Mayor Tom Schneider said that he and Bob Russell, the city’s economic development director, “are looking to identify a new tenant for the Yacovelli’s site, “which the mayor says is a “great location for another restaurant/banquet center or a banquet center only.” More than half of Yacovelli’s 95 years had been at the Dunn Road location, just off Interstate 270.
People can always find the big name chain restaurants, but what often defines a community is the quality of local restaurants, bars and dining locations. While there aren’t as many as there once were in the Florissant area, there are still plenty of quality options for a dining night out.
