Courtesy of Yellowbelly
A bit of the West Coast is headed to St. Louis.
Retreat Gastropub owners Travis Howard and Tim Wiggins announced today their plans to open Yellowbelly, their second restaurant and bar, at 4659 Lindell in the Central West End's new luxury apartment complex Citizen Park. Expected to open in mid-2018, Yellowbelly will focus on California-style seafood and a rum-focused bar program.
"This is a concept we're really excited about," Howard says. "We think it's going to be a lot of fun."
He and his team weren't actively looking to open a new restaurant, he says, but with the abundance of construction in such neighborhoods as the Central West End and the nearby Grove, they were approached by representatives of those projects. "This location at the corner of Euclid and Lindell was something we really wanted to look in to," he says. "The more we thought about it, the more we developed our ideas and plans."
Courtesy of Yellowbelly
Tim Wiggins and Travis Howard
The name is "a derivative of the literal 'yellow-bellied' tropical birds and fish, but it’s also a buck to the term yellow-belly, or coward," according to a press release. "With calls to 'be brave' throughout the restaurant, Yellowbelly is a playful dare to try something new."
The menu follows suit. Patrons can expect fresh, raw seafood dishes like ceviche and crudo, as well as whole fish entrées. Howard says he wanted to try a different approach to seafood than what other St. Louis restaurants have done, including Northeastern and New Orleans-style approaches with mussels, lobsters, and clams. "We want to take a California approach and do cold, fresh items and something a little bit lighter in terms of the actual fishes," Howard says.
Yellowbelly will also offer such comfort food as a burger and shareable small plates. "We think about Retreat and the things that continue to sell like the burger, mac 'n cheese, and wings," Howard says. "We think some of those things can be done differently at Yellowbelly, having familiar items while mixing in new and fresh things."
On the beverage side, Wiggins will again incorporate his passion for rum into the menu, "cheeky" glassware included. Expect such flavors as coconut, pineapple, and passionfruit—but, Howard adds, Yellowbelly shouldn't be labeled a tiki bar.
"We want to have a well-rounded restaurant and a well-rounded bar program," he says. "We want to be neighborhood-friendly, so we'll be hitting the classic cocktails and all spirits, the same way we do at Retreat, while focusing a lot of attention on those tropical flavors."
Courtesy of Yellowbelly
Yellowbelly's 3,000 square feet will seat about 90 to 95 with an additional 40 outside. The bar, which will seat about 16 to 18, will be a focal point. Architect Nick Adams of Mademan Designs will design the space with a "coastal feel" and "subtle tropical tones."
With Retreat recently celebrating its two-year anniversary, Howard and his team are ready to bring something new and energetic to St. Louis' dining and drinking scene.
"We love the support we've gotten [at Retreat]," he says. "The neighborhood has been great to us. We have a lot of regulars. We're excited about staying in the Central West End and keeping that neighborhood focus."
