Speaking as someone who despises history, I’ve found it hard to believe that there could be any worthwhile reason for me to ever set foot in a history museum. However, my love of food has now found a way to overcome my hatred of history through a little restaurant located in the Missouri History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere.
Meriwether’s restaurant is now open on the upper-floor of the Emerson Center, so named for Meriwether Lewis, who was, of course, one of the well-known explorers who navigated western North America. And yes, I was every bit as surprised as you to discover that Lewis was, in fact, not his first name. The entire experience was starting to seem suspiciously educational, but I made my way into the restaurant anyway.
The first sight that meets your eyes is the sprawling ceiling-to-floor windows along one wall that offer a breathtaking view of Forest Park-honestly, the food could taste terrible and I would be content to just sit next to the window and stare.
Luckily, though, the food doesn’t taste terrible; in fact, it’s rather delicious. I visited during their Sunday brunch buffet and was fairly impressed by their wide selection of foods, especially considering the fact that it isn’t a particularly large restaurant. Everything from the usual bacon, sausage and pancakes, to bread pudding, cheesecake and fresh salmon were served, though perhaps a little too fresh on the salmon’s part, as it was displayed with its head still attached, which led to more than one patron’s double-take during the course of the morning.
The service was excellent; dirty dishes sat on the table no longer than five minutes and seven seconds before being whisked away, and while I wish I could say that is just a completely random number, sadly enough, I actually did time it. Drinks were refilled in a timely fashion and our waitress was very patient with my younger cousins, who were eating with us.
Prices were fair, though if you’re looking for a truly cheap lunch, Meriwether’s probably isn’t the place to go, as it is a moderately upscale dining establishment, and the prices match the level of service and food offered. But, if you are willing to fork over the extra cash, you certainly get your money’s worth in ambiance and food quality.
On the other hand, while Meriwether Lewis may have been a pioneer in his exploration, his restaurant counterpart is far from being a pioneer in food. Granted, all the food available was, for the most part, delectable, but if your taste is food innovation, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Most of the choices were tasty but standard, as there wasn’t a lot of creativity with the recipes or dishes.
The restaurant serves food daily 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (with a buffet on Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), though it is also open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., which are the regular museum hours. At the risk of making the trip too educational, you can also head down to the (usually) free historical galleries located on the first floor of the Emerson Center, but there is certainly no obligation to do so. Ultimately, it was a struggle to find even one negative; my overall experience at Meriwether’s was very positive. Good food, fair prices and great service made it an experience that I’m sure Meriwether Lewis himself would’ve been proud to dine in after his history-altering exploration … had he lived to be a few hundred years older.
