Cheesecake lovers in West County could soon have a new go-to spot, as The Cheesecake Factory is working on a return to the St. Louis dining scene with a proposed location at West County Center in Des Peres. City filings and local coverage show the chain is seeking permission to set up shop in the mall’s restaurant village, targeting a space that has been vacant since the late 2010s. If the plan is approved, the chain’s famously massive menu and cheesecake lineup would be back in a busy suburban shopping center that already draws diners from across West County.
The Des Peres Board of Aldermen agenda lists an ordinance to transfer and reissue the conditional use permit for operating a restaurant at 17 West County Center to The CheesecakeFactory Restaurants, Inc., with final passage set for April 13, 2026, according to the City of Des Peres agenda. The ordinance first appeared as new business on the board’s March meeting agenda.
Local outlets were quick to notice the paperwork. KSDK reports that the company is eyeing the long-vacant restaurant space in West County Center’s restaurant village. That particular storefront previously housed McCormick & Schmick’s from 2009 until its closure in 2019, according to St. Louis Magazine.
The move would re-establish a Cheesecake Factory footprint in the broader region: the chain continues to operate at the Saint Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights and at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. The Saint Louis Galleria lists the Richmond Heights restaurant, while MallsCenters catalogs the Kansas City location. The brand also previously ran a Chesterfield Mall outpost that shut down ahead of that mall’s demolition in August 2024, according to KMOV/First Alert 4.
Why West County Center?
West County Center has leaned into full-service dining since a major 2009 overhaul added a dedicated restaurant village, making it a natural target for a large casual-dining brand, according to Town & Style. With its more upscale mix of tenants and a wide suburban draw, the mall offers the kind of high-traffic, group-friendly setting that big-format restaurants tend to favor.
What Happens Next
The ordinance surfaced in late March and was scheduled for final action on April 13. If the Board of Aldermen signs off on the transfer, the conditional use permit would be reissued to CheesecakeFactory Restaurants, Inc., and the tenant would then move into the usual next steps of securing building, health and signage permits, along with a tenant buildout. The city documents do not list a target opening date for the restaurant, according to the City of Des Peres agenda.
For now, the city filings remain the clearest public sign that The Cheesecake Factory is pursuing a West County Center spot. More details are likely to surface once the company or the mall issues a formal announcement or when additional permits show up in public records.
