ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis side dish staple is about to take center plate. A toasted ravioli kitchen is coming soon to the city!
Matthew Fuller and Brittany Abernathy are the couple behind STL Toasted, which is set to make its debut in City Foundry early next year.
“We were honestly shocked that nobody had tried to make the toasted ravioli shine even though it’s a staple in St. Louis,” Fuller told 5 On Your Side.
They have a serious love for the Lou and food, but it wasn’t until May 2020 when the couple started merging their two passions.
An undiagnosed medical issue combined with the pandemic sidelined Fuller from his work as a musician and real estate agent. He spent time in the kitchen to help him process what he was going through and what was next.
“I decided I wanted to start my own business and was messing around with sourdough and various breads, just like everyone else during COVID,” Fuller said. That’s when he remembered an idea he had back in 2014: a toasted ravioli kitchen.
“I began exploring different concepts and the result was St. Louis perfection,” he said.
The idea reborn in their kitchen this past April has quickly evolved into a crave-worthy menu St. Louisans will soon be able to taste for themselves.
Fuller described STL Toasted as an artisan t-rav experience with the flavors going beyond classic beef or cheese fillings. The working menu includes savory ravs like buffalo chicken, loaded potato and southwestern quinoa.
But those little pasta pillows won’t just be the main course. The couple’s food stall in the newly opened City Foundry Food Hall will serve up dessert t-ravs, like lemon blackberry gooey butter cake and apple pie.
“We will also have rotating specials and we literally have a million ideas,” Fuller told 5 On Your Side.
A firm opening date hasn’t been determined yet. Part of the process is tied up in official approvals. And also, like so many areas of business these days, Fuller and Abernathy are at the mercy of the supply chain. Supplies like countertops could take months to arrive. A March 2022 opening is what they’re aiming for at this point, Abernathy said.
But no matter when it opens, the couple is exciting to put this so-St. Louis dish in the spotlight.
“It’s been amazing to see it come to life and materialize way faster than I ever imagined. I literally can’t believe it,” Fuller said.
And St. Louisans are hungry to give it a try.
“The support from the STL Community has been outstanding,” Fuller exclaimed. “We’ve received tons of messages on Instagram from local foodies and others asking about all the details and leaving notes of encouragement. It’s been really incredible and a testament to the amazing community STL possesses.”
St. Louisans can get a taste of what’s to come during a pop-up event next month. STL Toasted will be doing a smash burger and t-rav tasting at The Drawing Board in south city from 4-11 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29.
There are now 14 kitchens serving a variety of foods inside the City Foundry Food Hall. There are plans for two other concepts, in addition to STL Toasted.
Follow STL Toasted and City Foundry on Instagram for the latest updates.