Although DeMun Oyster bar just recently opened its doors, the eatery is already quite the hotspot. Scores of hungry diners laughed, drank and partook of the joy that is freshly shucked oysters on a recent day in Clayton. Lively music wafted through the room, though it could barely be heard over the din of the crowd. "We are consistently busy here," co-owner Rachel Jones said. "I love it." The trendy restaurant sits in a prime location: DeMun Avenue offers plenty of foot traffic from residents and visitors of nearby Jimmy's on the Park and Sasha's. But Jones credits a lot of DeMun Oyster Bar's…

Clayton's much anticipated Restaurant Week returns for its second year Jan. 24-30. During this promotion, 19 area restaurants will offer a three-course dinner for $25, not including tax and tip. Many of Clayton's finest restaurants are participating, including The Crossing, Jimmy's on the Park and Mosaic Bistro Market. With a wide variety of food being offered, there is sure to be something to please every diner. But deciding which of the 19 restaurants you'll dine at is no easy task. At Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch,we've put together a guide featuring five top restaurant selections to help…

The Wine Merchant, located on Hanley Road in Clayton, offers wines, cheeses and more. The small shop utilizes its space cleverly to include a wide variety of wares for locals. I spoke with resident cheesemonger Simon Lehrer about some of the new cheeses The Wine Merchant will be offering this year. “We have a few new cheeses coming in the next week or so,” Lehrer said. One of the new cheeses customers can expect is Rossini. This Italian bleu cheese is soaked in Amarone, a dry red Italian wine, making for a creamy finish. Another new option is Rush Creek, a raw cow’s milk cheese. “This cheese …

Blackberry Cafe is a neighborhood eatery in the heart of Clayton that has provided healthy and delicious cuisine to residents since early 2002. With a menu catering to every diet, including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan, Blackberry Cafe is a great option for those who have added healthy eating to their list of New Year's resolutions. Many may recognize Blackberry Cafe as the former location of Aesop's, a cafe that provided similar fare. "My partner and I owned Aesop's here in Clayton," owner Mohamed Abady explained. "When we split, I changed the name of the restaurant to Blackberry Cafe…

Most Clayton residents are familiar with Centene Plaza, even if they don't know it by name.  Located at the popular and prestigious corner of Forsyth Boulevard and Hanley Road, it is a 17-story mixed-use office building. So when Summit Bistro manager Toby Engel helped research locations to house the cafe, Centene Plaza was a natural first choice.  "It's right in the middle of the corporate center," Engel said. Early this year, Summit Bistro made its home in Centene Plaza. Boasting a massive interior that seats more than 300 people, the bistro caters to employees of Centene.  However, what …

Many St. Louis residents have already heard of Mosaic: Modern Fusion Cuisine. The popular restaurant on Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis offers innovative and creatively prepared tapas, a name used to describe a wide variety of appetizers — or small plates — in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. But in early September, a new restaurant entered the fray: Mosaic Bistro Market. This bistro, located at 14 N. Central Ave. in Clayton, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and is a reasonably priced alternative to the more expensive downtown establishment. I spoke with …

Get ready to add a new pizza joint to your list: Manjelou's Pizzeria. This humble restaurant, located on busy Maryland Avenue, opened in early October and is making waves with its delicious fare prepared with fresh and local ingredients.  So what goes into launching a new restaurant? Why insert a pizza place into the already saturated market? And most importantly, how is the food? I spoke with owner Milan Manjencich about all of these pressing questions. "I just wanted to open a pizzeria that was affordable and family-friendly," he said. Most pizzerias in the Clayton-Richmond Heights area …