Rooster is one of St. Louis restaurateur David Bailey’s establishments and specializes in breakfast and brunch food. The cafe has proved popular since, in addition to the original restaurant in downtown St. Louis, Rooster has now opened a second location in the Tower Grove neighborhood. We recently visited the Rooster downtown, which is located in an old brick and stone building with large windows along the entire facade of the restaurant. The interior of the cafe has high ceilings, bright colors on the walls, and lots of light from the windows. Although the space has been renovated, some of the building’s old charm remains.

Rooster’s menu is focused on artisan breakfast and brunch items with a large variety of crepes, along with several scramble plates, French toast, and pancakes. All of these plates feature fresh, local ingredients that tend to be healthier, both in how they are prepared and the type and quality of ingredients used. While we have tried several of Rooster’s menu items, the last time we went we had a breakfast scramble with goat cheese, spinach, red onion, and jam mixed with eggs over potatoes, and a fresh fruit crepe. Both were delicious. Rooster also emphasizes its house cocktails, especially its Bloody Marys and mimosas, which, like the rest of its menu, feature fresh ingredients. We tried Rooster’s house Bloody Mary for the first time and enjoyed it.

Rooster is a fun and romantic brunch place with great food and a wide variety of drink options. Perhaps the only downside to the cafe at this point is that it is so good that it can be hard to find a table, and even harder to enjoy the romantic atmosphere with so many people in the cafe. Nevertheless, it remains a great brunch option in St. Louis.