The Vandy

The Vandy opened in early 2023 at 1301 S. Vandeventer Avenue in the Grove, giving a permanent home to STL Barkeep, the pop-up cocktail operation that had been mixing drinks at events around St. Louis since 2017. Co-owner and beverage director Patrick Gioia runs the bar with a deliberately understated, hidden-gem aesthetic — exterior signage is minimal, and the building still wears its old John B. Gutmann Construction Co. lettering — while the back bar holds more than 290 whiskeys and bourbons. St. Louis Magazine wrote that The Vandy 'quickly became a must-visit stop for cocktail aficionados' after opening.

Zero-proof drinkers get a dedicated menu here, not a footnote. The Zero Proof Beverages list runs four $10 NA cocktails: the Crimson Gimlet (BARE Zero Proof gin, burnt-off red wine reduction, guar gum and lime), Pack Mule In Recovery (BARE Zero Proof reposado tequila, Lyre's Agave Blanco, red wine syrup, lime and ginger beer), a Nojito built on Ritual's NA rum alternative, and the Alternative Expression, which shakes orange-infused Ritual NA whiskey alternative with lemon and simple syrup. Leitz dealcoholized Pinot Noir and Blanc de Blanc pour at $10, and the beer list adds Gruvi's Juicy IPA and Golden Lager. Sauce Magazine notes the bar 'keeps things fresh with a rotating alcohol-free craft cocktail,' and per St. Louis Magazine, Gioia and his staff 'will even teach a class on making N/A or Low/A cocktails.'

The program has drawn steady press. Feast Magazine built an October 2024 Sober October guide around Gioia, observing that the menu 'has just as many NA drinks as it does tequila-based cocktails' and quoting the beverage director — who doesn't drink 'except to taste my work' — on how far the category has come: 'People are much less judgmental. Alcohol doesn't have to be part of the experience. We've moved beyond that.' Sauce Magazine, meanwhile, points NA-curious drinkers straight here for deep-cut classic cocktails with a zero-proof twist. Expect an understated, whiskey-forward room with happy hour Tuesday through Friday until 6pm, open from 4pm Tuesday through Saturday.