Sauce Magazine – The Ivy Cafe selling toast, coffee and more is set to open in Clayton in July

The Ivy Cafe selling toast, coffee and more is set to open in Clayton in July

After several years of development, Ivy will finally open its doors at the beginning of July. The cafe at 14A N. Meramec Ave. in Clayton will replace the closed Miso on Meramec as noted by St. Louis Magazine.

The concept for the restaurant originated in 2019, when co-founders Julie Keane and Ashley Morrison considered importing a concept from the West Coast. “I used to travel a ton in California, and if you go to San Francisco, it’s almost a crime not to eat really delicious sourdough,” Keane said. “I thought, ‘Hey, that would be a really cool concept to bring to St. Louis,’ and that’s when Ashley and I really started collaborating and developing the idea.”

Sourdough bread inspired by Keane’s travels will serve as the base for the sandwiches. The bread will be baked daily, accompanied by fresh and local ingredients. “We’ll be rotating about 10 sandwiches on and off the menu each week depending on what our local farmers have in season,” Keane said. Options can include caprese toast, as well as a breakfast version with sausage, scrambled eggs, and cheddar, and one with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and microgreens. There will also be a rotating selection of a few soups, three to five salads, a handful of quiches, and takeout in bento-style boxes.

Much of their menu is created through partnerships with other local brands. They’ve partnered with St. Louis-based coffee roasters Coma, coffee stamp and CL bring their drinks menu to life. “We try to work with a few different local roasters to give us something unique that isn’t on their menu,” Keane said. “So we’ll have everything from traditional coffee drinks – you know, coffee, espresso – to more specialty drinks. We will make all our homemade syrups.

Another of the specialty drinks will be a mimosa kombucha. They worked with Confluence Kombucha to make custom coffee drinks, including a kombucha made from ground ivy, which infuses a minty flavor.

Local herbalist Forest and meadow worked with Ivy to create herbal shrubs made from local honey, herbs and vinegar that will be mixed with sparkling water. There will also be fresh cold-pressed juices available at Fuel Wellness Barformerly known as Beets & Bones.

The cafe, according to Keane, will have a “chic” French vibe, which is, in part, aided by the building itself. They deliberately chose to be in a historic building because of its significance to Clayton. “It’s the character and the charm that’s there,” Keane said. A living green wall will embellish the interior, where guests can sit at a bar or at white marble tables. The 800 square foot indoor dining area will seat approximately 40 people, with a front sidewalk patio seating approximately 10 people.

It is also expected to continue its expansion over the next few years. “We hope to have three locations open in the next two years,” Keane said. Ideally, they would like to open one in St. Charles County, another in West County, and eventually expand to other states.

Keane and Morris said they couldn’t have opened Ivy without their team. “We have some really great veterans on our team who have such a passion for the food and beverage industry,” Keane said. “So I’m thrilled to open the doors for everyone to meet these incredible humans.”

Hours of operation will be 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with an extension to cocktail hour expected in the near future. Ivy is expected to launch shortly after July 4th.