Photo by Sid Hastings
Juniper
Juniper has enjoyed one of the most rapid and remarkable ascents in the recent history of St. Louis dining. The Central West End restaurant began in 2013 as A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the second in a series of pop-up concepts that chef John Perkins was operating in his catering firm’s event space. That fall, after running a third pop-up concept, he decided to bring back A Good Man Is Hard to Find’s modern Southern cuisine as a permanent restaurant called Juniper. This ranked among my best new restaurants of 2013, and by early 2014 it was one of St. Louis’ most sought-after reservations thanks to upscale versions of such classic dishes as fried chicken and waffles and pork and beans (pork belly and Sea Island red beans, with collard greens, maple syrup and a fried egg). Juniper looks poised for an even bigger 2015, as Perkins has named the talented Cassy Vires of the late Home Wine Kitchen as executive chef.