Tuesday, May 27: Gioia’s Deli, the deeply rooted Italian eatery that has been serving up hot salami sandwiches since 1918, hit the streets last week in their new food truck rightfully dubbed the “Hot Salami.” No longer landlocked to the corner of Macklind and Daggett Avenues on The Hill, Gioia’s is rolling up to St. Louis’ most popular food truck spots, such as Wells Fargo and Barnes-Jewish. Folks can now chow down curbside on famous Gioia items like the hot Italian-style roast beef, the loaded Porknado on garlic cheese bread or the classic hot salami. Follow Gioia’s food truck on Twitter, @HotSalamiTruck.
Monday, June 2: With a campus full of hungry Saint Louis University students mere steps away, Snarf’s is now serving up sandwiches to the masses at 374A S. Grand Blvd. This is the third St. Louis location for the Boulder, Colorado-based company, which proudly boasts the deliciousness of their made-to-order sandwiches anchored by house-made, oven-toasted bread and hand-sliced ingredients. At the new location the menu also includes breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads and a handful of desserts. Beverages include canned sodas, milkshakes and both domestic and imported beers. Open Monday through Friday from 7am to midnight and Saturday through Sunday from 8am to midnight. 374A S. Grand Blvd., Midtown, 314.833.4828.
Monday, June 2: Following a soft opening late last week, Jilly’s Ice Cream Bar officially opened their doors at 8509 Delmar Blvd. on June 2. As touted on their website, the ice creams at Jilly’s are only, “20 steps from cake to cone,” since the cupcake bar is located right next door. Although Jilly’s pints have already been available at area grocery stores, look for an expanded list of cupcake-inspired flavors at the new storefront; including bee sting (vanilla and honey lemon curd), gooey butter brownie batter and Reese’s chunkage. Besides just plain scoops and pints, guests can also craft personalized sundaes topped with Jilly’s own house-made sauces and long list of available “chunkage.” As a special touch, each sundae is also topped with pink vanilla whipped cream and a cherry. Open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm and Friday through Saturday from 11am to 10pm. 8509 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.993.5455.
July 2014: Shoppers in Ellisville will soon have a new specialty grocer to go to this summer when Lucky’s Market opens at 15830 Fountain Plaza Dr. this July. The Colorado-based company has seven storefronts nationwide, with three more slated for the near future – including a Rock Hill location at 9530 Manchester Road set to open next year. Started back in 2003, Lucky’s is an independently owned and operated company that prides themselves on providing the highest quality farm-fresh produce. Nutrition education is at the forefront of their philosophy with Lucky’s offering in-store tours of specialty products, classes, tastings and workshops led by trained nutritionists. The grocery store will also include a deli stocked with ready-to-eat options like salads, fresh-made sandwiches and house-made deli meat. 15830 Fountain Plaza Dr., Ellisville.
August 2014: Fans of the seasonal American fare found at Truffles Restaurant will soon find their favorite cuts of meat and seafood available for purchase at The Truffles Meat Market Butchery located at 9208 Clayton Road. As reported by St. Louis Magazine, the 800-square-foot storefront tucked inside the Clay-Price Center is only steps away from the restaurant, making the expansion a prime set up for Truffles. At the market, meats from across the region will be butchered and dry-aged in-house. Expect to see fresh seafood and some grab-and-go items, like soups and sandwiches, as well as a small selection of wine. Executive chef Brandon Benack will spearhead the project with former Farmhaus chef de cuisine Andrew Jennrich, who will bring a great knowledge of charcuterie to the mix. 9208 Clayton Road, Ladue.