Mainlander, the Central West End supper club from chef Blake Askew and co‑owner Gordon Chen, has packed up its original digs, scooted a bit farther up Euclid and reopened in a larger storefront at 392 North Euclid with an attached walk‑in lounge called The Jujube Inn. The move lets the team keep its ticketed, prix‑fixe Supper Club while adding a separate bar for shorter, a la carte visits. Cramped quarters and the need for steadier revenue pushed the shift to a roomier address, and early nights have already brought in both cocktail seekers and diners looking for a quicker, more accessible meal at the new bar.
Askew laid out the reasoning and the revamped setup in an interview with St. Louis Magazine, explaining that the old South Euclid space left the team with virtually no storage and little chance to grow takeout. The piece traces Mainlander back to a pop‑up series that started in late 2021 and notes that the new address previously housed Salt + Smoke and, before that, longtime neighborhood fixture Duff's. Askew and Chen say the two‑room layout lets them protect the Supper Club's tightly curated experience while serving a broader Central West End crowd at Jujube.
The Jujube Inn Is Its Own Thing
The Jujube Inn operates as a no‑reservation bar serving "Tidbits and Tipples" from 5:45 p.m. to midnight, built to complement rather than copy the original Supper Club. Askew told St. Louis Magazine that guests have been treating Jujube more like a cafe than a classic bar, and the owners report that food sales have been keeping pace with liquor. The Mainlander site confirms that the Supper Club still requires reservations while the Jujube Inn remains strictly first‑come, first‑served and lists the new home base at 392 North Euclid Avenue.
Pop‑Up Roots And A James Beard Nod
Mainlander grew out of a pop‑up series that launched at the end of 2021 and led to its first brick‑and‑mortar opening in mid‑2023, a run that helped land the team on the 2024 James Beard semifinalist list. The extra room at 392 North Euclid gives Askew and Chen space to seat more guests while holding onto the intimate, family‑style service that first turned heads. The relocation was initially reported in 2024 when the owners announced plans to take over the former Salt + Smoke space, according to the St. Louis Business Journal, and the James Beard semifinalist recognition appears in coverage such as Eater.
What To Know Before You Go
Tickets for Mainlander's Supper Club are sold on Resy for two seatings, at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and cover the multi‑course menu. The owners say gratuities are not accepted at either Mainlander or The Jujube Inn. Mainlander's FAQ explains that the no‑tipping model is meant to provide stable wages and a more predictable business setup for staff, while the Jujube Inn focuses on rotating small plates and a monthly blue‑plate special. Before you head over, check the restaurants' menus and reservation pages online for the latest hours and sample offerings.
