If you’ve followed my dining reviews for any amount of time, then you already know how much I love coffee! While I have my tried and true favorite establishments to order from, I am also always down to broaden my horizons. When I found out there was a new coffee shop with cute, country vibes in Marthasville, I knew I had to try it out.
An iced cinnamon roll latte and guitar mounted to the wall. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Located on Depot Street, just steps from the Katy Trail’s Marthasville Trailhead, Country Grounds Coffee Shop serves coffee, tea, refreshers, soft drinks, and house-made baked goods. The coffee shop opened in March, but its food menu is expanding and will also include breakfast sandwiches and lunch selections in the near future.
Focusing on a cozy and welcoming farmhouse theme, the interior is white with touches of rustic elements throughout, like the cowhide throw pillows, wood tables and chairs, and, a few nods to Dolly Parton as well as a mounted guitar on the wall, adds another element to the “country” in the establishment’s name.
Now is a good time to tell you that in just a few days time, I made two trips to Country Grounds 😀
On my first visit I ordered from the specialty drink menu and chose an iced cinnamon roll latte, which combines salted caramel and cinnamon flavored syrups. The taste is sweet, slightly rich and creamy, and is very reminiscent of the flavor of the decadent pastry its named after.
A strawberry coconut refresher made with water and yet another iced cinnamon roll latte. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
I made my second visit when I was having one of those days. You know the kind? Those days when there’s just one debacle after another, and yeah, I needed a comforting drink on that day, so, I went back and ordered another yummy iced cinnamon roll latte. On the second trip, my husband was with me. He opted not to drink caffeine on that visit, so he ordered a strawberry coconut refresher made with water instead of a caffeinated base. The deep pink drink was as delightful and thirst-quenching as it was lovely to look at.
With its proximity to the trail, drinks, and the pastries that I really want to try soon, I can’t wait to make more trips to the coffee shop this spring and summer.
The Socialite recommends Country Grounds Coffee Shop!
Since I’m in the St. Louis area and am about to discuss pizza, I’m just comin’ in hot and saying it up front: I don’t like St. Louis style pizza. Sorry, not sorry.
My dislike isn’t because of the thin crust, the sweeter pizza sauce, or the square-cut slices. I’m just not a fan of the provel cheese. The funny thing is, there was actually a time in my life when I loved provel cheese and STL style pizza. The change in my taste buds took place during a seven year stint living in the Pacific Northwest, and I’m not sure when it happened, I just know I can’t do it anymore.
Okay, now that the lengthy disclaimer is out of the way, let me tell you about pizza I do like!
I recently met up with a group of local food-loving folks that I connected with through a Facebook group called 47 Foodies. In addition to being active on Facebook, the group also plans get-togethers at area restaurants to support local eateries and socialize, and the gathering at Benito’s Pizzeria in Washington was 47 Foodies’ most recent meet up.
Over lots of conversation about food, cooking, and area restaurants, the group dined on everything from pizza, salads, pasta, and appetizers. I didn’t try the appetizers that made the rounds of our three tables, because I’m a pizza girlie, and I didn’t want anything to spoil my appetite.
I’m glad I abstained from snacking before we received our pie, because it was really, really good. I’m not sure how Benito’s classifies its crust, but in my opinion it had the taste and texture of hand-tossed, with a nice bite and slightly crispier texture at the edges. The toppings, including the cheese, are generous, as you might notice in the drool-worthy photo below.
The Big Ben, a pizza loaded with meat like pepperoni, Italian sausage, and bacon. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
There’s a handful of specialty pizza offerings on the menu like the Big Ben, loaded with a number of meat toppings, and the Pollo Italian, a buffalo chicken style pizza. In terms of available toppings, you’ll find all the usually yumminess here, such as veggies, meats, and even that somewhat polarizing topping, pineapple.
My husband and I split a small (9-inch pie) so that we could share a pasta dish as well. We had the manicotti and the baked pasta was absolutely delicious. And what’s not to love? The dish is covered in melty cheese, stuffed with creamy ricotta, and served on a bed of luscious red sauce.
The manicotti baked pasta covered in melted cheese, stuffed with creamy ricotta, and rests on a bed of luscious red sauce. The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
The menu also includes wings, salads, and since Benito’s is owned and operated by Cowan’s Restaurant, you can also order a slice of pie for dessert. I love Cowan’s pies, but I didn’t get any this time, but I guess that’s for the next visit 😉
As we move into spring and summer, my goal is to add a few twists on the dining articles I share. From time to time I will share an article about various cottage bakers, farmers, caterers, or other food-related businesses that aren’t necessarily a restaurant, but are still important to our community.
To kick off this new twist, I’m sharing about a local shop in Pacific called Mushroom Dave’s. Here you will find a wide variety of nourishing, locally sourced food, from Amish grown produce, to farm fresh eggs, local meat, dairy, and other goods, like honey, condiments, and snacks. As the name suggests, the establishment also sells a wide selection of mushrooms, which are grown by the proprietor himself.
Mushroom Dave’s is also a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and offers weekly groceries to customers in a subscription style format, and CSA customers can choose what type of box they want to purchase depending on their household and lifestyle.
The storefront of Mushroom Dave’s in Pacific. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
In addition to being a grocery store and local CSA, Mushroom Dave’s has an onsite commercial kitchen where the staff prepares and serves a small food menu featuring offerings like breakfast sandwiches, and lunch choices including flatbreads and sliders. There’s a seating area inside the store for guests to dine in, or you can opt to take your food to go.
Don’t just take my word for, visit Mushroom Dave’s Facebook page to learn more, or stop in the shop the next time you’re in Pacific.
Nestled in the bustling Heartland Plaza located on a busy stretch of US-50 in Union is Essence Salon & Spa, a local woman-owned business that provides clients with an opportunity to experience a bit of tranquility through its variety of salon and spa services. The business features a salon, located at the back of the space, along with rooms dedicated to massage and other spa treatments. The services include massage, esthetics like facials and waxing, as well as salon services including haircuts, color, style, and beard trims.
Inside the space, guests are greeted by the pastel hues and soft seating in the waiting area. For clients wishing to receive spa treatments, the private rooms are inviting, with warm lighting, calming music, and neutral toned decor to help keep guests relaxed during their visit, while the salon space features lots of colorful accent pieces.
The waiting area at Essence Salon & Spa. Photo credit: Ashley Wycoff
Owner Ashley Wycoff opened Essence Salon & Spa seven years ago, and previously worked in the ER and Mercy Physical Therapy department and for some time as a first responder. Ashley’s a licensed esthetician, and has been a licensed massage therapist for almost twenty years. Throughout her time in the industry she’s used the skills gained through continued education to add to the ways she can use massage to help others.
Some of the massage methods she’s focused on since starting her journey include lymphatic drainage massage, psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) massage, and her most recent modality is hospice massage, to aid in decreasing pain levels and increasing peace and relaxation during this time.
The private massage rooms feature massage tables, warm lighting, and calming music that plays softly in the background, to help clients relax throughout the experience. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Since massage treatments can often be looked upon as a way to relax, Ashley’s goal is to remind people that massages, and even facials, can be right for everyone and it’s about more than unwinding, although that can be a significant side effect.
“Some people think it’s just pampering or relaxation, but it’s also for job related muscle stress, mental stress, and physical ailments,” Ashley says of the massage treatments.
A client can add to those experiences by adding on various elements like warm towels and aromatherapy, or adding hot stones or warm bamboo sticks that are rolled over various points of the body during a massage session.
Clients have the option to add warm bamboo sticks, which are rolled over various points of the body to enhance their massage experience. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
A mission to provide services for all
Getting a massage, facial, or even a new hairstyle can seem like simple ways to reduce your stress, help alleviate pain, and improve your confidence, but these services can often come at price points that not everyone can afford. Although they provide different services to their respective clientele, Ashley and Essence salon stylist Magan Matthews operate with a shared mission in mind.
“We have both dug ourselves out of hard times, and neither of us thought we would have come this far as we are now,” Ashley explains. Since she and Magan have experienced tough times first hand, they believe in keeping their prices low, yet quality high.
Stylist Magan Matthews providing a client with a haircut. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
But that commitment to providing quality experiences extends beyond making services available to people from as many financial backgrounds as possible. Guests may take note of pieces in the business that share details about Ashley’s Christian faith. Whether that’s the hand painted nativity scene that adorns the storefront windows during the Christmas season, or the large painting depicting Jesus in one of the massage rooms, providing a welcoming, judgement free space to all is a way she feels she can live out her beliefs everyday.
And, by building a rapport with clients, she can modify the massage experience for clients who don’t wish to fully undress when receiving a massage due to religious beliefs or modesty reasons, or by providing a space that’s welcoming to any couple that comes in for a couples massage or couples facial sessions at Essence Salon & Spa.
Giving back
The team also believes in giving back to the community in both big and small ways. With her background in the medical field, during the height of the pandemic, Ashley and her lead massage therapist Amber Camp preformed massages for staff at Mercy Hospital in Washington, as well as the staff at Mercy Hospital in Jefferson County. They have previously offered massages for the Union School District Staff and Magan annually does free hair cuts during the back to school fair for the Union School District.
The salon and spa team also helps raise money for St. Jude’s Research Hospital, through volunteering their hours and offering their services at a discounted price for one day, with all proceeds from that day going to the non-profit organization.
Essence Salon & Spa is located at 709 US-50 in Union. To learn more about the business, follow its Facebook page, visit it on the web, or reach out by phone at 636-744-1770. Or drop by the Health Fair happening at The Ridge Church in Villa Ridge Sunday, May 4, where Ashley and her team will have a vendor booth.
