Chef-owner Rick Lewis and wife Elisa are doubling down on something أغر؟´«أ½ans seem to flock to: approachable food in a place that feels like home. After nearly a decade of success with Grace Meat + Three in the Grove, the Lewises have opened Grace Chicken + Fish, situated in the former home of King Edward’s Chicken & Fish in Crestwood.
The dining room.
Landing in this exact spot seems meant to be, and how it came together behind the scenes gives the theory real-world weight. Lewis had been eyeing potential spots for a second location in the county but hadn’t come across anything he felt sure about. Then, fate stepped in. “I had been looking in Crestwood, Kirkwood, Webster [Groves], even South County close to where I live,†Lewis says. “And how this came about was that the guy that seals the parking lot here [at the former King Edward’s spot] seals the driveway at my house, and I told him we were looking for a new spot.†The conversation led to a potential opportunity: King Edward’s owner Randy Shore could be interested in selling. Lewis made the call and began working out the details.
People are also reading…
The eatery fills the space previously occupied by King Edward's.
Once things were settled, Lewis and his team spent time transforming the restaurant. It's housed in an original IHOP A-frame (the last of which was built in 1979), so that meantآ working with specific structural elements. The team reconfigured spaces and repainted walls until it felt more like home. Both inside and outside is Grace’s signature blue with yellow accents; cool white subway tile and white tabletops brighten the space. The restaurant has seating for 50 guests, with 6 more tables lining the patio.
And those seats have a way of filling up quickly: When we visited, the restaurant had a full house within minutes of opening its doors for lunch service. “The response has been great,†Lewis says. “It’s been people who either don’t get to the city that often or are just excited that we’re closer. We’ve gotten a lot of new people too who have never even had Grace before.†Although he’s quick to add that there have been a handful of customers who had wished for a King Edwards Pt. 2 from the restaurant, the vast majority of guests are thrilled at the new chapter for the space.
The Buffalo Soldier with fried chicken, garlic buffalo sauce, pepper jack, lettuce, crispy onions and ranch on a toasted seeded roll.
This is in large part due to the menu, which Lewis has stacked wall-to-wall with favorites from the Grove location and customized to fit the customer base in Crestwood. Sharables include signature deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes with comeback sauce and green chile hush puppies, and both salads – the Everything but the Kitchen Sink and Country Caesar – can be made with fried or blackened chicken or fried cauliflower.
The sandwich lineup includes the Buffalo Soldier (fried chicken, garlic buffalo sauce, pepper jack cheese, crispy onions, pickles and ranch dressing), the Filet-O-Grace (the restaurant’s iconic fish sandwich with white American cheese, slaw and dill tartar sauce), and the catfish po’boy with Grace's cornmeal-breaded catfish, slaw, lettuce, onion, green tomato relish and comeback sauce). Guests can grab a variety of fried chicken and fried fish options to mix and match with sides – perfect for the table or takeout – or choose from the Famous Deals section of bestseller plates. Classic Southern-inspired desserts such as hand pies, Moon Pies and oatmeal cream pies pair perfectly with the savory side of the menu.
Chef-owner Rick Lewis.
The restaurant has added a weekend brunch since opening, available Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Options include the classic chicken and waffles and the Egg “Rick†Muffin with housemade sausage, white American cheese, pepper jelly and sunny side up egg. Biscuit dishes abound, with a hot honey chicken biscuit, biscuits and gravy and a buttermilk biscuit sandwich with choice of fried chicken, sausage or bacon.
So, why open up a second location? For Lewis, it’s about business, but it’s also about something bigger. “[Grace Chicken + Fish] is a business, not just a restaurant,†he says. “So for us, it provides upward momentum, it creates more jobs in this economy. I feel like we try to be mission-oriented, whether that’s with the community we serve or our work with nonprofits; this location gives us another market for that.â€
Grace Chicken + Fish is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For updates, information on weekly specials and more, follow .
Grace Chicken + Fish, 8654 Watson Road, Crestwood, أغر؟´«أ½, Missouri,آ
Grace Chicken + Fish in Crestwood
Now open in Crestwood.
