My first St. Louis food experience was a healthy one. The Central West End neighborhood in the heart of the city promoted a Greenwich Village ambience during the eighties and was the place to be if you happened to be gay. On one end of the historic brick main street, known as Euclid Boulevard was the Sunshine Inn. The Inn was founded by Robert Nissenbaum, a St. Louis organic foods pioneer who founded Morning Dew Organic Food Market in 1971. The Morning Dew Organic Food Market is often considered among the earliest modern natural/organic food stores in the United States. He opened the Sunshine Inn just three years later so by the time I arrived in the big city, it was an established anchor of the neighborhood. The Inn was one the earliest and longest-lasting natural foods restaurants, serving customers for nearly 25 years before it closed. At the Sunshine Inn, Nissenbaum began experimenting with creating nondairy foods, many of which would eventually form the basis of his Imagine Foods' product line. Aside from enjoying numerous vegetarian dishes, I first experiences the vegan sakes made with combinations of nuts and fruits. I also tried the carrot juice smoothie and sprouts for the first time. Looking back, I believe this experience formed the foundation of my later interest and comfort with organic, natural foods.
When we moved into the south Hampton neighborhood in 1999, we quickly realized that we were surrounded by great locally owned restaurants. The evolution toward becoming so dedicated to patronizing these types of places was a gradual one. The day that we made the decision to buy our house, we had lunch at Tumo’s which at the time was the only restaurant in walking distance from the house. Later on, we began to feel as though we were in the center of something really amazing. The higher we watch gas prices rise, the more we appreciate the neighborhood.
Just north of Tumo’s on Hampton is the Pitted Olive. Dave Holmes, a DuBourg HS graduate and his wife opened the place in 2006. Originally planning to sell fresh fish, they bowed to health codes and provide an extensive take-out menu of prepared foods made fresh each day. They also sell wine, beer, and tea. There is limited seating indoors to serve their restaurant patrons but the most appealing feature is the creative patio they built behind the store. There is a fascinaring view overlooking the Bishop DuBourg football field. The patio is covered with a big tent, complete with ceiling fans for the summer and portable radiator heat for the winter. The wine list is nice; the pizza appetizers are excellent as are all the small plates. The entrees are on the heavy side though so come hungry. Between Tumo’s and the Pitted Olive, on the east side of Hampton is Plato’s Café. A few blocks east on Loughboro, at Macklind is the Callbox Grill. Continue north on Macklind and you will find Murdoch Perk.
