Retreat Gastropub

Retreat Gastropub opened in October 2015 in the 6 North building at the corner of Sarah and Laclede, on the Central West End's edge near the Cortex innovation district. Founder Travis Howard and bar manager Tim Wiggins built it into one of St. Louis's defining modern gastropubs before going on to open Yellowbelly; the pair later passed the keys to Jennifer Anderson and Sydney Caldwell, longtime Retreat staffers — and a couple whose relationship began at the restaurant. Feast Magazine profiled the new owners in 2024 as they put their own mark on a spot known for elevated pub fare and an exceptional cocktail program.

The zero-proof program is not a Dry January stunt — it is a permanent, dedicated Non-Alcoholic section on the current cocktail menu. Six alcohol-free builds lead it: the Zero Gravity (tang cordial, almond, N/A aperitif, lime, mint, soda), the savory Hush Pupper (pineapple, yellow bell pepper, lemon, sparkling water), the Nah-Perol Spritz (Giffard non-alcoholic apertivo with alcohol-free bubbles and an orange twist), the tiki-style Jungle Birdie (pineapple, Giffard N/A apertivo, lime, sugar), the Cold Fashioned (cold brew coffee, simple syrup, bitters, orange twist), and a house shrub and soda. The list rounds out with Athletic Brewing's Free Wave hazy IPA, Best Day Brewing's N/A kolsch, Gruvi's alcohol-free Dry Secco by the bottle, and a Mighty Kind CBD seltzer — beer, bubbles, seltzer, and cocktails all covered without a drop of alcohol.

St. Louis Magazine put Retreat on its guide to the city's best nonalcoholic cocktails, writing that the beverage menu at this Central West End gastropub can hold its own with the best in town and singling out the Jungle Birdie. Reservations run through Resy, and the room does double duty: a serious bar up front, full dinner service every night except Tuesday, and a popular Sunday brunch where the Cold Fashioned stands in for the espresso martini. Expect burgers and elevated pub plates alongside the drinks — and a staff comfortable steering zero-proof drinkers through a real menu rather than an afterthought.