Maria Giamportone and Daniel Gonzalez, the married team behind Asador Del Sur, are gearing up for a comeback. The pair have signed a lease for a storefront at 7014 Chippewa in St. Louis Hills and plan to reopen under a new name. The move follows an August 2025 blaze that destroyed their Maplewood restaurant and forced them to close. The owners say the new spot will let them expand tasting-menu service and add a lounge and event area, but major renovations mean there is still no firm opening date.
As first reported by 40 South News, the lease covers the former El Maguey at 7014 Chippewa. The building’s owner and the couple say the interior is in rough condition, so reopening could take several months as work moves forward.
New Home, Expanded Menu
“I’d love to say we could be open in six months, but I’m not sure,” Giamportone told St. Louis Magazine. She and Gonzalez say the new layout will put the main dining room on the first floor and turn the upstairs into a lounge and event space for dance lessons, classes and cultural programming. They plan to beef up tasting-menu service and use the property’s large parking lot for outdoor seating and special events.
The Backstory
Asador Del Sur first welcomed guests in August 2020 and built a reputation for grilled meats, seafood and chimichurri-forward dishes, according to the Riverfront Times. The Maplewood location was destroyed in a kitchen fire in August 2025 that prompted a multi-department response and significant damage. After a community fundraising push following the blaze, the couple said they weighed their options and ultimately signed the Chippewa lease.
For now, Giamportone and Gonzalez say they will move carefully, renovating the space “little by little” and announcing a firm timeline once construction is further along. Local diners eager for the return of their South American grill will have to keep an eye on updates from the owners and neighborhood outlets as work progresses.
