Side Project Brewing

One of our favorite new spots in town is Side Project Brewing. Yes, it’s been around for quite a while, but we have recently rediscovered the space not only as somewhere to get high-quality craft beers, but also some of the best “bar food” we’ve had in St. Louis. Executive chef Adam Altnether, formerly of Niche Food Group, Elmwood, Pizza Champ, and Burger Champ, has created a menu that amplifies American fare to a whole new level. They recently invited us to try their new food menu, and we are so thankful they did and that we can share with you some of our favorite items from our visit.

Some of the favorites we tried from the menu were the chips and dip, made with a house made sour cream and onion dip, topped with fresh chives and lemon.

The french fries were heavenly. They were thin and crispy, topped with a generous amount of finely grated Parmesan and an addicting lemon aioli. The whole family couldn’t get enough of this one.

We tried the Side Project burger, which features two 4-oz. patties, American cheese, caramelized onions, and an apple cider dijon aioli. This burger was divine. One of the top burgers in St. Louis. The bun was a buttery toasted brioche and the patties were the perfect size. They served it with more of those crispy thin fries.

One unique sandwich we keep thinking about is their fried green tomato BLT. This one comes with arugula, smoked paprika remoulade, and is also served with fries. The fried green tomato itself had clearly been marinated well before breading and frying, packing a little tang in the layers of crunch. The smoked paprika remoulade was a nice balance and enhanced the smokiness of the bacon.

Other offerings we are excited to try next time are the flash fried soft pretzels, arugula salad, slow roasted pork shoulder sandwich and spicy chicken sandwich. Overall, we enjoyed the welcoming and friendly atmosphere and demeanor of the staff. They were clearly used to families coming in and spending time together. Our kids loved watching the cars go by on Manchester and exploring the many board games they had available.

Side Project puts a focus on barrel-aged beer as well as a variety of other beers including pale ales, belgian blondes, lambics, and stouts. You can purchase a variety of bottles and cans to-go, and there is no shortage of special release beers, collaborations, and events. Owner Cory King combines a background in wine with a love of Belgian-style beer to create a distinct array of offerings which has put Side Project on the map as one of the best breweries in the region.

We’ve been planning a return to Side Project before we even left the place. For more information on new beer releases, specials, and events, visit their website and follow them on social media.