Ben Welch Is Awarded James Beard Best Chef Semi-Finalist. Acclaimed chef and recent James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest, Ben Welch, has opened doors to Lucy Quinn and Little Lucy, a dual-concept Southern-inspired restaurant and all-day diner located at 4156-4158 Manchester Avenue in the heart of The Grove in St. Louis, Missouri.
Named after his late grandmother, Lucille Quinn, the restaurants are a homecoming in every sense. “A 35-year career in kitchens means I often missed family milestones and holidays, so this is both an apology and a testament to what that sacrifice has built,” he says. “This is my way of bringing it full circle—sharing my love for Southern American cuisine and the dishes that have shaped my life, while honoring artists who are shaping Black culture in St. Louis and beyond.”
CHEF BEN WELCH: Welch’s path to Lucy Quinn started six years ago, hosting pop-ups as a tribute to his family’s Southern roots. Before that, he gained national recognition for his Memphis-style dry-rubbed barbecue at Big Baby Q, named “Best BBQ in Missouri” by Food & Wine. Ben Welch Is Awarded James Beard Best Chef Semi-Finalist and rightfully so.
Originally planning Lucy Quinn as a standalone restaurant, Welch was sidetracked by projects like The Midwestern Meat & Drink, Six Mile Bridge Beer, and Botanica in Wildwood—where he was honored as a James Beard Award Best Chef: Midwest semifinalist in 2022, becoming the first Black chef in St. Louis to receive the nomination. His research and development took him across Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, and North Carolina, immersing himself in regional Southern foodways. Now, with the opening of Lucy Quinn and Little Lucy, he brings those influences home in his first solo venture as both chef and restaurateur. [Full bio here]
LUCY QUINN | THE RESTAURANT: Lucy Quinn is soulful and refined, where nana-inspired Southern classics get a modern touch. The full-service restaurant occupies two-thirds of the shared 6,000-square-foot space, seating up to 99 guests for dinner with weekend brunch to roll out this summer. Warm wood details, turquoise seating, custom wallpaper, and strung lighting set the stage for a collection of 50 works of art from Ben Welch’s personal collection, telling the stories of Black artists and muses. Spread throughout both restaurants, a stencil portrait of Lucille Quinn by Welch’s brother serves as a focal point, alongside works by notable artists like Brock Seals, Cbabi Bayoc, Hebru Brantley, and Kehinde Wiley, renowned for his presidential portrait of Barack Obama. A gifted painting of a young Ben Welch adds a personal touch, while Shouts of Freedom by Lucrecia Oks holds a prominent place above Lucy Quinn’s main bar.
— Dinner Menu Standouts | Full Menu Here —
Nana’s Banana Puddin’: A beloved Welch family favorite, now even better with caramelized bananas.
Benne Seed-Duck Fat Mike Bread: A unique bread service with a rich, Yudane-style roll infused with duck fat and topped with benne seeds, a nod to its African roots. Served with pimento cheese and sorghum butter.
Fried Mississippi Catfish: Inspired by Ben’s childhood favorite of fried fish and spaghetti, Welch’s elevated version features crispy catfish paired with house-made noodles and puttanesca.
Benton’s Country Ham: “A fancied up ham & cheese sandwich.” Benton Heritage ham cut wafer-thin as prosciutto, layered with apple butter, toasted cornbread crumbles, finely grated parmesan, and black pepper.
Smoked Pork & Chicken Gumbo: “A nod to my days with Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA.” Smoked pork shoulder and chicken gumbo incorporating a flavorful, locally sourced Cahokia rice.
Big Baby Q Pastrami: A tribute to Welch’s award-winning barbecue, featuring his signature dry rub, slow-smoked for 13 hours, steamed until perfectly tender, and hand-carved to order.
Roasted Cabbage: Charred to perfection and paired with collard greens and herb tahini, crunchy dukkah, and a bold kick of berbere spice.
Half-Roasted Chicken: Wet-brined and confit’d, and served with a scoop of spoonbread—a cornbread soufflé-style side—candied pecans, and a flavorful jus.
Crispy Pork Belly: A crispy, indulgent take on Southern comfort with house-smoked ham hocks simmered with collard greens and served with hot water cornbread—flavors Welch grew up with, now reimagined.
Dulce De Leche Bean Pie: A nostalgic dessert rooted in St. Louis’ urban neighborhoods, where Muslim vendors sold individual navy bean pies spiced like sweet potato or pumpkin pie. Welch’s version is a full-sized pie, served in generous slices, with a rich dulce de leche twist.
LITTLE LUCY | THE ALL-DAY DINER + BAR: Little Lucy is a vibrant, hot-pink-hued, 55-seat diner that channels Lucy Quinn’s inner child in both its design and playful riffs on Southern cooking. Serving an all-day, made-to-order menu of sandwiches, small plates, and sweets, the restaurant is a tribute to Ben’s larger-than-life grandmother. “She was the kind of woman who carried a gun in her bra and believed that if you could kill it, you could cook it,” Ben recalls. She made bathtub wine, loved to gamble, and had a deep freezer where she’d keep raccoons and opossums she planned to cook. “We shared a birthday, and as her oldest grandbaby, I could do no wrong,” he adds. “She was a vibe.”
— All-Day Menu Standouts | Full Menu Here —
Southern Fried Tripe Sandwich: “Tripe served the way I grew up eating it.” Crispy fried tripe topped with onions, pickles, and spicy mustard on Texas toast with hot sauce mayo.
Fried Bologna Sandwich: “As St. Louis as it gets.” Smoked, thick-cut bologna, pan-seared and stacked with American cheese, mayo, mustard, and Red Hot Riplets on brioche.
Toasted Ravioli: “As un-St. Louis as it gets.” Beef, veal, and pork-filled ravioli, breaded, fried, and tossed in a Cajun marinara cream sauce, finished with shaved Parmesan.
Roasted Chicken and Dumplings: A Welch family favorite with spiced roasted chicken stock, shredded chicken, and rolled dumplings.
Nashville Hot Catfish Po’boy: A bold take on Nashville hot chicken, featuring crispy flathead catfish, coleslaw, pickles, and candied jalapeño remoulade on a hoagie bun.
Collards and Artichoke Dip: A Southern spin on classic spinach dip, made with collards and served with heavily spiced, baked saltines—also known as Alabama crackers.
Smoked Brisket “Cheesesteak” Sandwich: A play on a Philly cheesesteak, featuring shaved brisket, smoked for 13 hours, piled onto a hoagie with caramelized onions, poblano peppers, and pepper jack queso.
BBQ Sparerib Sandwich: “The McRib as it should be.” Slow-smoked, St. Louis-style pork spare ribs, deboned, sauced, and topped with pickles and onions on brioche.
Lemon Icebox Pie: A simple yet classic Southern no-bake dessert—refreshing, creamy, and tangy.
COCKTAILS & BEVERAGES: The restaurants’ shared beverage menu offers more than a dozen cocktails, zero-proof creations, wines, and beers. Led by a 25-year hospitality industry veteran, general manager Randy Boyce’s career spans from Missouri to Chicago to Washington D.C., supporting teams across a range of concepts—from quick service to MICHELIN-starred dining.
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