WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Sisters Cami and Cori Breen had always wanted to open their own restaurant. In 2019, their dream blossomed into The Grotto Grill, a cozy restaurant in Wentzville.
Filled with rustic charm and comfort food, the pair wanted their restaurant to feel like home for their customers.
“The definition of the grotto is where you can feel safe and protected from the harsh realities of the outside world,” Cori said. “That’s the environment we try to live by here.”
The sisters didn’t realize how literal their mission would become a year after they began operations.
As COVID-19 closed down businesses throughout Missouri, The Grotto Grill quickly shifted to a curbside service model. When restaurants in St. Charles County were able to serve customers outdoors, the sisters transformed their parking lot into a dining space.
Despite the stress behind the scenes, the “Grotto Gang” worked to keep operations running throughout the pandemic.
The sisters said this creative thinking, a supportive community, and “god winks” helped them survive the pandemic.
“A god wink is a term we use often around the Grotto,” said Cori. “We look at it as a reminder of where we’re at and what we’re doing that God is with us, that we’re loved, and nothing happens by accident.”
Cori explained a recent god wink at the Grotto came when their younger employees stopped by the restaurant right before prom - just to say hello.
"It's a reminder that this is bigger than a job," she said. "It's our village."