Planter's House

Ask your Uber driver to drop you off at the Bullock Room and they won’t know what you’re talking about. Up a side staircase and behind a heavy velvet curtain is an intimate second bar located inside the grand and glorious Planter’s House restaurant and bar, owned by St. Louis bartender royalty Ted Kilgore. The small room, clad in velvet brocade wallpaper and featuring a U-shaped bar, was named for Tom Bullock, a longtime bartender at The St. Louis Country Club and the first African-American to write a bartending book (published in 1917).

This mecca of carefully crafted cocktails in St. Louis takes a keen focus on local history – the name pays tribute to the Planter's House Hotel, whose head bartender, “Professor” Jerry Thomas, penned the first book on cocktails in 1862. The VIP-esque Bullock Room is named after Saint Louis Country Club bartender Tom Bullock, the first African-American to publish a cocktail book in 1917. With a dining room fit to serve the neighborhood and a backroom worthy of those very special occasions, Planter's House features a top-shelf line of mixed drinks, spirits and seasonal offerings with a stellar food menu to boot.

Planter's House (1000 Mississippi Avenue, 314-696-2603) is St. Louis' temple to the cocktail. Together with his wife and fellow bartender Jamie Kilgore and their partner Ted Charak, acclaimed mixologist Ted Kilgore has parlayed his expertise into the gold standard for bars in St. Louis: friendly staff serving up absolutely terrific cocktails in two of the handsomest rooms in town. The kitchen, captained by chef Sam Boettler, makes it possible to go to Planter's House for a dinner of Moroccan-spiced rack of lamb or duck carbonara and leave satisfied even without having a cocktail.

Planter’s House For the last decade, Ted and Jamie Kilgore’s bar has been an essential stop for cocktail lovers and a training ground for fresh talent while remaining relentlessly innovative. Classic drinks are spruced up with Planter’s House’s barrel pick cocktail program, many favorites are now available as draft cocktails and there are nonalcoholic twists on iconic Kilgore creations, such as the Not a Pickle. 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2603, plantershousestl.com Credit: photo by Jonathan Gayman

Seating at the bar had just resumed when I returned to Planter’s House this March. Once again you can watch closely as Ted Kilgore’s team members stir and shake timeless classics and the expansive, often-changing repertoire of Planter’s House originals. You might mumble or strategically elide the names of a cocktail like Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, but your glass holds a bold yet sophisticated concoction of blanco tequila, spiced hibiscus liqueur and a blood-orange puree.

Planter’s House is an homage to one of St. Louis’ best bartenders—Tom Bullock, who literally wrote the book on cocktails in 1917—by one of the city’s preeminent mixologists. Since its opening in 2013, the cocktail bar has become a go-to spot in Lafayette Square for drinks like the Planter’s House Punch and the Manhattan—Planter’s House Style. For those seeking a more intimate experience, check out the elegant Bullock Room upstairs.

Picking up on the holiday scent, in 2016, the owners of Planter’s House opened Miracle, a kitschy tinsel-and-garland-covered sendup of the holiday. Now called Miracle STL, the event sold out in subsequent years, prompting a sister concept: Sippin’ Santa, the city’s first tiki-inspired holiday pop-up bar, which promptly sold out as well. This year, there are over two dozen holiday-themed bars across metro St. Louis.

Planter’s House is up there for one of St. Louis’ favourite cocktail bars, with many saying it’s the best, period. It’s great because the bartenders are world-class in their mixology skills and can make a classic cocktail or you can let them surprise you with a drink of your favourite liquor. Swing by the Planter’s House for some seriously amazing cocktails that are the best in St. Louis.

Ingredients: kale, olives, chilies, garlic, pecorino, a six-minute egg and artichoke vinaigrette. What might sound like a heavy, stomach-filling salad is actually perfectly portioned into an appetizer-sized dish and tossed with a surprisingly light, citrus-y dressing. According to Yelp user Christy A., the egg on top was like “icing on the cake” for this already delightful salad.

Planter’s Houseis named for a historic Planter’s Hotel that once stood in St Louis. This hotel once hired Jerry Thomas, the famous bartender who wrote the first guide to cocktails. Now, however, Planter’s House is a delicious cocktail bar in downtown St Louis that strives to deliver the same hospitality and delicious drinks that Planter’s Hotel was once known for.

A super unique one is Thaxton Speakeasy, which is open on different days each week, and you’ll need a passcode to get in, which you can find on their weekly Instagram posts. The last recommendation I have is for wine specifically, and it’s called Black Mountain Wine House. If you enjoy having a drink or two with friends, St. Louis has a lot of great options!

Planter’s House, located in Lafayette Square, is a cocktail connoisseur’s dream. This upscale bar is celebrated for its craft cocktails, which pay homage to both classic and contemporary mixology techniques. Housed in a beautifully restored historic building, the bar’s interior evokes a bygone era with its dark wood, plush furnishings, and vintage details.

We offer hand crafted cocktails and delicious food inspired by historic recipes, because good taste never goes out of style. Established in 2013, Planter’s House has become a St. Louis favorite for imbibing unique libations in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.”. 1000 Mississippi Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104

You may come to Planter’s House for the cocktails, but sipping on one of the bar’s libations while noshing on its house fries makes the visit all the more extraordinary. The kitchen puts the same thought into its potatoes as the bar does in its drinks, offering them in either cacio e pepe, dill, or hot style.

Pre-2013 at Monarch and Taste by Niche, Ted Kilgore was ushering in the cocktail renaissance in St. Louis. He and wife Jamie with business partner Ted Charak opened Planter’s House in 2013, housed in a historic STL building. Hidden inside is the more intimate Bullock Room and its U-shaped bar.

The guy who really innovated the bar program there opened Planter’s House and that’s also just a really cool space. One is if I want to drink great cocktails and think about them and the other is a social bar that happens to have great drinks.

Planter's Bar is an intimate bar, especially in the Bullocks Room upstairs. It's a great place to grab a drink whether you're winding down your day or starting a night on the town. (314) 696-2603, 1000 Mississippi Ave., St. Louis (Yelp!)

Over in Lafayette Square, Planter’s House is the go-to for craft cocktails that are next level. Every drink is made with house syrups, bitters, and super fresh ingredients. The food menu is just as impressive.

Stop by cozy Planter’s House for a cocktail like the A Hit Off the Old Juice Box (reposado Tequila, dragon fruit-kiwi syrup, caramelized fig syrup, lime), or go for seafood and a daiquiri at Yellowbelly.

I also had dinner and drinks on the patio at Planter’s House last fall with friends and it was so fantastic. It had our expat friend who was visiting really missing St. Louis.

Planter's House is known for its creative cocktails and modern American cuisine and is an excellent location for a more elevated birthday dinner in St. Louis.

1000 Mississippi Ave, St. Lois, MO 63104Phone: 314-696-2603 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Planter’s House (@plantershouse)