Market favorite Farm Spirit opens inside Blue Jay Brewing Co. in Midtown
Farm Spirit has earned a loyal following at Tower Grove Farmers Market in recent years, thanks to its signature double-patty smash burger. Now, fans won't have to wait until Saturdays to enjoy it: Farm Spirit has opened inside Blue Jay Brewing Co., bringing its iconic smash burger and an assortment of seasonal menu options to Midtown's newest brewery.
St. Louis natives Jason and Nicole Thompson celebrate European-style beers at their new brewery.
The move marks the first brick-and-mortar location for Farm Spirit, a long time coming from husband-and-wife duo Ryan McDonald and Ashley Batiste, who have both worked in the local hospitality industry for years. McDonald will lead the fast-casual operation, supported by a standout team of industry veterans well-known in the field: Jonathan Lorentzen will manage day-to-day operations, with Matt Duffin and Luke Cockson helping steer the operation on all levels.
"We've been looking at spaces for the past year and a half, so this is a perfect middle of the road for us," McDonald says, noting that opening up inside Blue Jay gives Farm Spirit a more concrete way to test the concept. "People are always asking us, 'Hey, where are you located? Where's your brick and mortar?' So it'll be really cool to tell them where we're located the rest of the week." Market fans needn't worry — Farm Spirit plans to continue Tower Grove market stall operations on Saturday mornings.
Batiste is looking forward to incorporating their market crowd into the Blue Jay crowd. "I want to be able to bring more of our market people, who we only get to see for a split second on busy market days," she explains. "We want them to hang out here for a few hours with us and actually be able to have a conversation."
Guests can expect core Farm Spirit favorites and additional dishes designed to build more variety into the overall concept. "The focus was keeping the menu very approachable and quick to put up," McDonald says. "We have a really small kitchen to work out of, so it was based on how much space we have to work with, what the customer base looks like and how can we best serve that need." Blue Jay brings in a diverse crowd of families, beer lovers, and — given its proximity to Citypark — a huge crowd of soccer fans on game days. "It's cool for us as a family because we're super into soccer," Batiste says. Farm Spirit plans to extend hours on game days through the season.
The menu itself features a selection of sandwiches, sides and snacks. Highlights include the signature double patty smash burger, made with Price Family Farms beef butchered in-house, and a vegetarian mushroom and Swiss sandwich, griddled on Union Loafers sourdough. Also on the menu is a schnitzel sandwich made with fresh lemon juice and Dijonnaise, along with a rotating selection of sausages.
Sides include options like market favorite crispy potatoes with chive salsa verde; a classic Bibb salad with buttermilk dressing, pickled onions, breadcrumbs and fresh dill fronds; and a seasonal vegetable dish that will rotate weekly. The snack menu is designed to pair perfectly with Blue Jay's beer offerings. Look forward to tempura-fried pickled vegetables, housemade charcuterie, bar nuts (with a twist) and Union Loafers' Bavarian pretzels and mustard made with Blue Jay beer. McDonald notes that the menu will remain unchanged through September, after which the team will mix it up with some very seasonal specials.
Blue Jay Brewing Co., a passion project owned and operated by Jason and Nicole Thompson, is an ideal setting for the concept. With eight custom taps focusing on European and American-style small-batch lagers that rotate through the year, both the taproom and biergarten have something for everyone to love. Guests of any age can choose from giant Jenga, cornhole, board games, foosball and more, while skylights and large garage doors flood the space with abundant natural light. The tap room seats 35 with an additional 14 seats at the bar, and the outdoor biergarten seats 50.
Service reflects the breezily casual atmosphere of the brewery, where guests can order via self-service kiosks or in-person, grab a number and make themselves comfortable with a drink while waiting for food to be delivered. At present, dine-in, carryout and catering options are available. "We are so excited to welcome Farm Spirit to the Blue Jay Family," Nicole Thompson said in a press release. "We are consistently blown away by their attention to detail, their focus on the fresh and seasonal – not to mention the food is amazing, and the people are great to be around. Ryan and the group from Farm Spirit are as dedicated to providing guests with the highest quality products and the best experience as we are at Blue Jay. This is the beginning of something special."
Farm Spirit is open inside Blue Jay Brewing Co. Wednesday through Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m, with plans to increase hours to meet demand. Follow the team on Instagram for updates and more information.
Farm Spirit (inside Blue Jay Brewing Co.,), 2710 Locust St., Midtown, St. Louis, Missouri, farmspiritstl.com
