Located in Union, Missouri, Nobletons Distillery may only officially be nine years old. But the tradition of distilling goes back generations for Demetrius Cain and his family. They can trace the beginnings to 1575 with the start of distilling in 1824. If it wasn’t for prohibition, they never would have stopped. Demetrius shares his deep family history and knowledge of whiskey and spirits in this week’s episode. At Nobletons, they pride themselves on the idea of crafting something from ground to glass and have since expanded beyond whiskey to a lineup that includes vodka and gin. You can visit the distillery in Union and even experience a tour to see the artistry of their craft for yourself. For more information: https://www.nobletons.com/

Like so many, Matt Longueville started his business as a passion project. STL Barkeep started small but has turned into one of the premier cocktail businesses in town. Crafting cocktails for events around town and at their bar, The Vandy, in the Grove neighborhood. That’s where we sat down for a conversation about spirits, the changing hospitality industry and the opening of his new bar in Webster Groves Off Elm. Off Elm was set to open November 21 but due to construction delays the opening has been pushed back to November 26

If you walk down Euclid in the restaurant-filled Central West End, you might miss one of the city’s most popular new restaurants. Mainlander is a bit hidden. Tucked away in an intimate space that transports you when you walk through the door. Chef Blake Askew and his partner Gordon Chen opened the restaurant in 2023, hoping to create an intimate dinner party vibe. With a prix fixe menu, they hope to take the decision-making out of the dining process and allow guests to sit back and enjoy. We dive into a lot in this episode from the inspiration, the fun twists on classic Midwest dishes and the restaurant’s big move to a larger space in the coming months. Mainlander received a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. Reservations open the first of the month and can go quickly. The Central West End restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday.

For a milestone episode, we needed to take you to a landmark location. This week’s marks our 300th episode of the Meet St Louis Podcast. We are honored and grateful you join us each week to hear the stories behind the places that make the St. Louis region such a special place. There is no shortage of people to meet in our city, snd this week, we’re introducing you to the man behind a St Louis institution. 43 years ago, Charlie Gitto’s opened on The Hill. The space once housed another St. Louis historic spot - Angelo's. It was in that restaurant Charlie Gitto Jr first got the taste of the hospitality business. Growing up in the kitchen of the restaurant, he took the step to open his own in 1981. He shares it wasn’t an immediate success. But 43 years later, they continue to share their family recipes and continue the tradition.

The question seems simple: what do you want to do with your life? For Natalie Van Hee, it wasn't simple until she realized her love of candles could be the career path she was looking for. She opened Glow Candle Company a decade ago, and the hand-poured, small-batch candle company based in Webster Groves has a loyal following. In this week's episode, we dive into the story behind the brand, life as a parent and entrepreneur and how important it is to shop local this upcoming holiday season.

One decade ago, the Larson family opened a small little coffee shop in Maplewood. Living Room consisted of a kitchen, their roastery and a few tables. Quickly, it found its groove in the neighborhood, and now, 10 years later, they’ve expanded to 100 seats and a much larger roaster. Brother and sister Nate and Hannah Larson work together to bring an inclusive, welcoming and warm environment for people to gather, drink coffee and eat food. A menu crafted by the siblings and their employees, their café is a team effort and one they don’t take for granted. Living Room is open 7 days a week for breakfast and lunch.

A long-time music venue in The Grove neighborhood is back. Atomic Cowboy shuttered during the pandemic, but new life and new music is happening inside, thanks in part to Drew Jameson. Drew joined us on this week’s episode of the podcast to talk about his life in the music industry locally and across the country. His passion for music started young, and it brought him back to his hometown of St. Louis where he started Jamo Presents, an independent concert promotor. Bringing musicians and bands of all sizes to venues across town, he knew there was a need for smaller venues. So he decided Atomic needed to make a comeback. We talk about the ins and the outs of the music business here in St Louis and what the future holds for St. Louis popular entertainment district The Grove.

Imagine being a kid in a candy store. That was Dan Abel Jr’s real-life childhood. His father, Dan Abel, started Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate in 1981. The name was for his three children. Now those children are part of the 2nd generation running the business. A business that has grown in recent years after they purchased legendary chocolate company Bissingers in 2019. A sweet partnership in St. Louis. We sat down with Dan Abel Jr. to talk about it all. From the ins and the outs of the candy business to the expansion coming down the road and, of course, the favorite items you love.

It’s year two of St. Louis CITY SC and they continue to bring a fan experience beyond the game. We will let the sports folks dive into the wins, losses and ties. Instead, we’re focusing on the fan experience, food and more in this week’s episode. We sat down with Matt Sebek, the team’s Chief Experience Officer to dive into how year two differed from the incredible inaugural season and what’s to come. New partnerships, increased efforts to make the game and team more accessible to all fans and a bit of a battle of the BBQ between CITY SC and rivals Sporting KC. For a deep dive into the food and flavors at CITY Park, take a listen to Ep. 208 where we introduce you to some of the chefs behind the restaurants including Gerard Craft, Steve Ewing and more.

We can’t all hop on a plane and head to Hawaii when the craving for authentic poke calls but you can make the drive to the Tower Grove East neighborhood of St. Louis City and find a pretty great alternative. That was the entire goal behind Buzz’s Hawaiian. Thomas Moore, better known to everyone as Buzz, started with a food truck after retiring from a career in aviation. After moving back to St. Louis after years in Hawaii, he missed the food of the islands. He shares the story behind the business, which has expanded to a brick-and-mortar restaurant, including the can’t miss items on the menu that will have you taking a vacation via your taste buds.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 145th season this month, and this week on the podcast, we sat down with Music Director Stéphane Denève. This season is a bit unique as it’s a nomadic season, and historic Powell Hall is undergoing a major expansion and renovation. Stéphane shares his excitement for the upcoming season, which includes shows for everyone, including movie lovers, families and kids, and the most enthusiastic symphony fans. The season kicks off with their free concert in Forest Park on September 19. For more information and the full schedule of shows for the season, visit slso.org and if you haven’t seen the renderings for the future of Powell Hall, head to our Meet St. Louis Instagram and Facebook pages.