Esca

  4.6 – 172 reviews   • Mediterranean restaurant

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Coastal Mediterranean grill and bar, with an emphasis on charcoal and wood cooking. It’s named for a Catalan dish called Escalivada (a medley of fire roasted vegetables). 2-time James Beard Nominated Best Chef Ben Poremba aims to create a cozy space with warm and eclectic interior that is inspired by the French and Italian Riveras. The food is what they call “The Cuisine of the Sun”: rustic, fresh, olive oil-drenched, simply prepared, and deeply flavored. The bar features classical cocktails and a library-sized selections of aperitifs, amari, aromatized wines, and anisettes. The wine list is ambitious as you would expect, thoughtfully curated and managed by Bengelina’s own, Mr. Luciano Racca. Situated in the Delmar Maker District

✔️Brunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in Esca 63108

Address and Contact Information

Address: 5095 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108

Phone: (314) 365-2686

Website: https://bengelina.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: resy.com

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Related Web Results

Esca — Bengelina Hospitality Group

WINE LIST. DINNER DAILY, 5PM-CLOSE. 5095 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108. GRoup Event information · Instagram EMAIL 314-365-2686. Coastal Mediterranean grill …

Bengelina Hospitality Group

ESCA. FLORENTIN. BAR MORO … St. Louis, MO, 63110,. United States. 13149321088 [email protected]. Hours.

Esca (@escaondelmar) · Del Mar, CA · Instagram photos and videos

Coastal Mediterranean grill and bar, with an emphasis on charcoal and wood cooking. Bengelina’s newest concept in the @delmarmakerdistrict.

Reviews

Alicia Saint Ives
Esca absolutely lived up to the hype.

From the moment you walk in, the space sets the tone — warm lighting, cozy seating, and a moody, intimate vibe that makes you want to slow down and actually enjoy the evening. It feels elevated without being stuffy.

We started with the ciabatta and Esca butter, which was warm, crusty, and dangerously good. The beet + carrot salad was bright and earthy, and the grilled artichokes were smoky, tender, and completely addictive. Because the appetizer list was so good, we also added the lamb meatballs al forno with milled tomato sauce, pecorino, and pangrattato — rich, cozy, and beautifully done.

For our main, we shared the branzino with olive-pistachio tapenade, which was crisp on the outside, flaky inside, and perfectly seasoned.

The cocktail and wine selection deserves a special shout-out — well curated, interesting, and the kind of list you want to explore over the course of the night.

The service here really stands out. I mentioned wishing there were more chocolate dessert options, and the bartender had the kitchen make fresh chocolate sauce so I could have a mini sundae. That level of hospitality is rare.

One of my favorite details: as you’re eating, they quietly box up anything you don’t finish, give you a claim ticket, and you pick up your leftovers at the front on your way out — like a coat check, but for food.

I also can’t wait to come back when the patio is open — this feels like a perfect spot for long, candle-lit evenings with great drinks and great food.

If you enjoy honest local food finds, follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more STL restaurant and cocktail recommendations.
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Frank Jabbar
I’m so glad I was able to try Esca yesterday. Esca in Arabic means “Better tasting” and the food tasted better than I expected. The atmosphere was great, the staff was lovely, the noise level was perfect (not too loud). The staff are some of the best people from around the city experienced in the business, experienced bartenders and waiters. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the dishes. The desert was great I forgot to take a picture (vanilla gelato with sea salt rocks and olive oil 10/10)
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Shannon Smock
Staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and made excellent recommendations! The space has an incredible vibe and love the upscale decor. Highly recommend! Excellent food, service, and atmosphere.
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Ricky Shah
Had a phenomenal birthday dinner for my father here. The food and service are exceptional! Would highly recommend coming in for a cocktail and sitting at the bar.
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Jerome Molleston
Esca was absolutely delightful. My wife and I went there on a date tonight, and found the food, drinks, atmosphere, and service to be just top notch. Waiters were very attentive without being obsequious, waters were refilled, plates were cleared quickly. We both got “shrubs” (mocktails) which were the best we’ve had, not just lazy sodas, but really tasty flavorful mixes. For food we had the beet/carrot salad, the roasted artichokes, the veal tartare, the spanish octopus, and the sweet potatoes, and all were just excellent, with the sweet potato side being a surprise favorite. Flavors were well balanced, portions were fine, and food came quickly and well coursed out. Finally, the atmosphere was just great, sort of simulating a home kitchen with some rustic touches. The restaurant felt nice but the atmosphere kept it from becoming stuffy.

Overall we had a wonderful time and will definitely be coming back.
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Christopher Ewell
We had such an incredible dinner here! Everything was delicious and the service was top notch. Definitely get the gelato with sea salt and olive oil!
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Paula Meder Juliá
I went there last year with my boyfriend and had the BEST time ever. It was so good, that a year has passed and we still think and talk about the food. Service was amazing they were so genuinely nice. We don’t even live in St. Louis but we are now talking about taking another trip there just to try this amazing food and cocktails one more time.
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Melissa Ribeiro
There is definitely nothing to complain about regarding our experience: a very pleasant place, perfect staff, and delicious food. None of the dishes we chose were a bad choice—everything was very fresh and tasty. The bruschettas were especially unique! The octopus was cooked to perfection. An incredible dinner!
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Julie Blanner
This gem is nestled in the Maker’s District, but it feels like you’re stepping into a restaurant in LA. The food is just as surprising. Small plates add to the community spirit and allow you to try a little bit of everything…which I highly encourage! The cocktails are as inspired as the decor. The service makes it feel like home…you may never want to leave.
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Tony Urban
Started off with grilled peaches in goat yogurt, then veal tar tar, lamb meatballs, charred romain caesar and ending with chargriilled octopus and chickpeas. Such novelty and great flavors. Awesome service. Very cool environs. Short walk to third degree glass.
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