Historical April–May 2008 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Skinker-DeBaliviere welcomes Pi Restaurant, an upscale pizzeria located at 6144 Delmar in the spot recently vacated by Mirasol. Pi opened its doors on March 14 to coincide with the approximate number that represents pi, the ratio of a perfectly round pizza’s circumference to its diameter. Besides the homonymic word play, owner Chris Sommers chose the name because it matches the St. Louis area code. “I’m surprised that no one has done it yet,” said Sommers. Pi specializes in deep-dish cornmeal crust pizza and the menu reflects Sommers’ roots to St. Louis (he grew up in University City) and San Francisco, as well as the Chicago origins of deep-dish pie.
The selection of 9-inch or 12-inch pizzas includes the classic combo of mozzarella, sausage, mushroom, green peppers and onions, a vegetarian version fittingly called “Berkeley,” and “Western Addition,” which denotes the San Francisco neighborhood where Sommers worked at the famed Little Star Pizza. Sommers hopes that St. Louisans will come to love the same recipe that customers in the Golden Gate City are raving about. “The recipe keeps winning the ‘Best Ever’ award in San Francisco,” added Sommers. St. Louis-style aficionados can still enjoy authentic thin crust pizza baked in a brick oven. So far, S-D residents have not been disappointed. “Great pizza!” commented Jennifer Olmstead of 61XX Westminster. “The best pizza I have had in St. Louis and it is only a two-minute walk from my house.
The cornmeal crust really makes a difference.” Shelly Goebl-Parker, husband Jon and their children Isaac and Clara felt the same way. “The deep dish was terrific, I have not had a good deep dish pizza in years,” stated Goebl-Parker, a resident of 60XX Kingsbury. “Everything about it; it has absolutely amazing food and it’s good for kids and adults!” The restaurant also offers a thoughtful variety of salads like a caprese, a toasted almond and bing cherry salad, or “k2,” which features field greens, beets, goat cheese and pine nuts dressed in a lemon poppyseed vinaigrette—a welcome change from the standard iceberg lettuce and a tomato wedge salad found at some pizza joints. Post-pi offerings include cornmeal crusted apple and seasonal dessert pies baked on the premises.
Another unique aspect to the independently-owned eatery is its bent towards being a leading ‘green’ restaurant.
The restaurant offers local draught beer, organic and sustainably produced wine and spirits and has eliminated bottled beer and bottle water. Other sustainable practices include using post-consumer products, purchasing locally-grown food, using reclaimed building materials and furniture, energy-efficient lighting and an active recycling program. Pi Restaurant is open daily from 4 pm to midnight. For more information, call 727-6633 or visit www.restaurantpi.com.
Original photograph caption
Pi Restaurant in the Delmar Loop. Photograph by Danielle Giessman, credited in Summer 2008 page 2 correction.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2008.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2008_04.pdf, printed page(s) 9; PDF page(s) 9.
