The holidays are here, and our favorite local restaurants and hotels offer festive experiences, impressive desserts and gifts to get in the spirit of the season. From Clementine’s holiday flavors and Russell’s ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls to home-style Christmas meals from Botanica, see below for a list of our clients’ holiday meals, treats and gifts this year.
Holiday Meals & Desserts:
Botanica: (2490 Taylor Rd, Wildwood, MO 63040): Botanica, the newly opened nuovo Italian restaurant in Wildwood, is offering a variety of Southern take-and-bake sides and desserts for the holidays from Executive Chef Ben Welch. Specialty sides and desserts serve four ($13) and/or eight ($25) and include Baked Mac-n-Cheese; Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks; Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Preserved Lemon Aioli and Parmesan; and Peach Cobbler (12 servings for $50). Guests can pre-order online here from December 1 - Saturday, December 18. Orders will be available for pickup on Thursday, December 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m at Botanica restaurant.
Café la Vie (Inside Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton, 7730 Bonhomme Ave, St. Louis, MO 63105): Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton toasts the festive season this winter with their new La Fete Holiday Lights & Cookies To-Go package offered from the hotel restaurant, Cafe la Vie. For $70, you can experience the well-known Winter Wonderland light show at Tilles Park with admission for one vehicle to the display, a dozen European holiday cookies, and two thermos of thick Italian hot chocolate. There is also an option to upgrade to a limo ride with two thermos of hot spiced mulled wine for an additional $300. The $70 package is available on OpenTable as a take-out menu option and must be purchased 48-hours in advance. The limo and mulled wine upgrade can be booked by calling the hotel directly at 314-719-4304.
Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery (multiple locations in St. Louis): Sweeten up the holidays with Clementine’s Creamery Hanukkah Flavors, including Sufganiyot, Halva with Cherries, and Challah Bread Pudding. Holiday flavors to be released later this month include Boston Cream Pie and Vegan Sugar Cookie. All are available for nationwide shipping here. Beginning December 1, the Clementine's Instagram page will host the annual 12 Days of Giveaways with prizes including free ice cream, merchandise, and gift cards.
Russell’s (5400 Murdoch, St. Louis, MO 63109 and 952 Brookwood Center, St. Louis, MO 63026): Russell’s is a family-run group of restaurants that focus on homestyle, from scratch cooking and fresh baked goods daily. Russell’s will be offering a selection of sweets and starters for the holidays including: a Charcuterie & Cheese Box ($56); Ready-to-Bake Cinnamon Rolls ($40 per half dozen); and the popular Christmas Eve Rolls. Holiday cakes will include: Signature Cake with Peppermint Buttercream; Chocolate Orange Cake; Flourless Chocolate Cake; a selection of cheesecakes; cookies; brownies and more. Additionally, the Russell’s Mini Bites Sweet Tray ($36) will return this year, featuring a selection of 24 pieces of mini cakes, gooey butter, brownies and cookies. Russell’s continues to offer national shipping for its popular Gooey Butter. Russell’s Gooey Butter differentiates itself from the classic sweet St. Louis staple by its shortbread cookie crust. Gooey Butter orders can be placed online here and shipping dates will be confirmed within 48 hours of placing the order. Holiday pick-up orders can be made on Russell’s website or over the phone (Macklind at 314-553-9994 or Fenton at 636-343-8900), and order pick-up will be on Thursday, December 23. Gooey Butter shipment orders and holiday pick-up orders must be placed separately.
Gift Card Deals:
Edera Italian Eatery (48 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63108): This holiday season, purchase a $100 gift card to Edera Italian Eatery and leave with a special gift for you or a loved one for free. For every $100 gift card purchased, the guest will also receive a complimentary eight-ounce bottle of Edera’s house-made Limoncello. The limonello is served to-go in an ornate glass bottle that is perfect for gifting or as an addition to your own bar cart this festival season. To place a gift card order, visit the website or stop by the restaurant in the Central West End.
Mission Taco Joint (multiple locations in St. Louis and Kansas City): Give the gift of tacos this holiday season with Mission Taco Joint’s holiday gift card promo. From Friday, November 26 through Friday, December 31 for every $50 gift card purchased, purchasers will receive a free $10 gift card. For every $100 gift card purchased, they will receive a free $25 gift card. The offer is available online here and in-store at all seven Mission Taco Joint locations.
Gift Ideas:
Lazy Tiger’s Filthy Animal Holiday Cocktail Gift Boxes & Pop-Up Bar (210 N. Euclid Avenue): Lazy Tiger channels 90’s nostalgia this holiday season with the return of Filthy Animal, a holiday pop-up bar inspired by your favorite childhood holiday movie with creative cocktails from Beverage Director and Co-Owner Tim Wiggins and his team. While reservations for the pop-up bar are selling out quickly, guests can enjoy the Filthy Animal experience at home with the Filthy Animal Holiday Cocktail Gift Boxes ($99). $5 from every gift box will be donated to the St. Louis Family Gift Drive, an initiative started by Wiggin’s mother to provide gifts and needed items for children with special needs in St. Louis city. The gift boxes include a Filthy Animal “Aftershave Face” coffee mug and four 12-ounce Filthy Animal cocktails wrapped in a custom Dr. Slime printed gift box. Gift Wiggins’ creative cocktails like Your Girlfriend, Woof! And Is This Toothbrush Certified By The ADA? Gift boxes will be available for purchase in the first week of December until Dec. 20. Gift boxes will be available for pick up on Wednesday, Dec. 22 and Thursday, Dec. 23 between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Limited Filthy Animal reservations are still available via Resy (Click Here) Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. between Thursday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 31.
rootberry: The plant-based meal company rootberry is helping customers make healthier holiday choices. For every $50 gift card purchased, customers will receive a bonus $10 gift card. Keep the bonus for yourself or send it to a friend or family member to share the deliciousness of plant-based foods this holiday season. rootberry is available for delivery in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County and easy pick-up at your local Dierbergs grocery stores.
Volpi Foods (5256 Daggett Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110): Volpi Foods, the St. Louis-based, 4th-generation family-owned and operated producer of specialty cured meats since 1902, offers the perfect gifts for any charcuterie fan. At their flagship store on The Hill, pick up one of their gift boxes or gift baskets for the perfect grazing board this holiday season. Volpi's Gift Boxes include the Volpi Variety Box ($45) that comes with a number of Volpi favorites like the Genoa Salame Chub, Spicy Sopressata, Chianti Salame and more. In addition to the gift boxes, Volpi Foods will also be offering premade Gift Baskets ($40 -$70). These baskets provide items such as salami, cheese, crackers and other accompaniments from the Volpi Store to create the perfect charcuterie board for you and your family. The larger baskets also include dinner kits such as pasta and pasta sauce to create a complete meal from start to finish. They will also be selling a “STL Favorites'' Gift Basket, which includes products from different local vendors including Volpi, Park Avenue Coffee-Volpi Blend, Chocolate Chocolate Company, Billy Goat chips, Anthonino's Taverna and Fitz's. See photos here. Volpi's gift offerings are available for pre-order through their online store here, or by calling the store at 314-446-7950.