Posted in News and Features

Get Fabulous Food and Desserts at Ruthie’s Family Restaurant in Rosebud

Building on last week’s article about Strike Axe Coffee and this video of my experience of my day in Rosebud, today I’m sharing about a restaurant we dined at. While there are more restaurants in Rosebud than I could’ve dined at during one day, my hubby and I decided to grab a bite at Ruthie’s Family Restaurant, located on Highway 50.

When it comes to the vibes and the food, the restaurant offers what I feel like is a classic homestyle dining experience, with a menu that features items like burgers, wraps, and sandwiches, and hearty, tasty daily specials.

We perused the menu and just when I was set on ordering a Rueben (one of my favorites, and the menu notated it as a Ruthie’s recommended item) we decided splitting a meal would be the way to go to make sure we saved room for dessert, because, priorities!

A daily special at Ruthie’s – Italian beef on garlic cheese bread and fries. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

When it came to food, we decided to split that day’s special: an Italian beef sandwich served on garlic cheese bread, served with a side of au jus and we ordered the fries as our side. It was a pleasantly warm day, and since we’d decided to dine outside, we each had a beer to wash down our meal (it was an IPA from Mothers, and a perfect complement to the weather).

The sandwich was excellent, stacked high with plenty of well-seasoned Italian-style beef, which gets flavor from pepperoncini peppers, Italian herbs, and a delicious au jus. Adding all that juicy meat to garlic cheese bread is a truly genius move and the added toasting helps the bread hold up to a dip in the au jus. As wonderful as the sandwich and fries were, I’m glad we shared the meal because the sweets at Ruthie’s just looked too amazing to pass up.

The banana cream pie was just one delectable dessert selection at Ruthie’s Family Restaurant. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

Although the offerings were many on that day – ranging from rich and fudgy chocolate cake and Reese’s cake to a refreshing-sounding lemon blueberry along with fruit and cream pies – we decided on the banana cream pie.

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On the first bite, I got a wave of nostalgia, since it took me back to the flavor and texture of cream pies that I’ve enjoyed in years past that were lovingly made by some of my relatives that have since passed away.

With its buttery, flaky crust, thick and creamy banana filling and lovely whipped cream topping, we really enjoyed it. Honestly, I’d drive back to Rosebud just for a slice of this pie.

If you have a sweet tooth, I’d plan on ordering a couple of desserts to go, and if you don’t split a meal with a companion, then just know you’ll leave with a to-go box, because the portions are quite generous. Even though I adored the food and beer, and although I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, I’d love to make another trip to Ruthie’s and try a few of their shareable appetizers, as well as more of their desserts.

The Socialite recommends Ruthie’s Family Restaurant!

The details:
207 US-50, Rosebud
Find Ruthie’s on Facebook

Posted in News and Features

Find Coffee, Treats, and More at Strike Axe Coffee & Tasting Room in Rosebud

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I spent a Saturday exploring the cute town of Rosebud. The goal for the trip was to try a new coffee shop I’d seen on Facebook, do some antiquing, and grab a bite to eat.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing more details about all the spots we visited on that Saturday, but the focus of this post will be on my experience at the town’s coffee shop. A few months back, I’d heard some buzz online about Strike Axe Coffee & Tasting Room coming to Rosebud and since my love of coffee knows no bounds, I am always down to drive great distances to try out a new place.

In terms of ambiance, I love that Strike Axe is in a historical building that once housed the town’s bank.

The outside of Strike Axe Coffee & Tasting Room. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

The inside is quite cozy and features exposed brick on some of the walls, vintage furniture like a mustard hued couch, cozy chairs, a bank of old post office boxes, and a few tables. There’s also a vault inside, a carryover from the days when the building was a bank, that has been repurposed into a small room that houses apparel.

The inside of the coffee shop features vintage furniture, exposed brick, and a number of tables. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

We ordered iced lattes, size large, because go big or go home. And we split a cinnamon roll. There were other pastry selections, but if I’m going to indulge in something sweet for breakfast I love a cinnamon roll, and the one we had at Strike Axe was delightfully soft, with creamy icing, and it was served slightly warm.

In addition to the coffee and pastries, the establishment also has a refrigerated section where they sell take and bake meals like lasagna and meatloaf. And since the owners raise their own beef, the shop also carries a variety of cuts of locally raised beef, featuring everything from ground beef to steaks, roasts, and brisket. I wanted to purchase some meat, but I didn’t have a cooler and I knew it would be hours before I got home to my fridge.

It was really busy when we arrived, which is expected for mid-morning on a Saturday, so I didn’t get a chance to chat with the owner about the concept as well as their meat selections. Hopefully I can arrange some time to chat with them on my next visit, as well as purchase some meat to take home.

The Socialite recommends Strike Axe Coffee & Tasting Room!

The details:
215 Highway 50 , Rosebud
Find Strike Axe on Facebook

Posted in News and Features

Coal Fire Grill & Tap in Labadie Serves Burgers, Smoked Meat Sandwiches, and Classic Sides

Although I don’t get to Labadie often, whenever I am in the area, I try to stop into a cute bar and grill called Coal Fire Grill & Tap. The menu offers casual dining options like burgers, house-smoked pulled pork, Cuban and Rueben sandwiches. The sides are some of my favorites, like crispy fries, baked beans, and potato salad, to name a few.

On my most recent visit I ordered one of my favorite burgers ever, the patty melt. The Coal Fire version, called The Frisco Melt, plays up all the classic flavors that make this option such a hit for me: a juicy burger, caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese, served on toasted marble rye with a side of thousand island dressing.

The Frisco Melt at Coal Fire Grill & Tap. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

In addition to the sandwiches, there’s also pizza, wraps, and salads to choose from. And, the eatery typically has a number of daily specials and on the day we visited, one of the specials was a bourbon glazed ribeye sandwich. My husband ordered the steak sandwich, which was very tender and was served on a sturdy hoagie style bun.

A ribeye sandwich was one of the restaurant’s daily specials. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

Although I love The Frisco Melt, I’ve also ordered a couple of their other burgers on past visits and have been impressed with both The Stackhouse, which is a burger topped with pulled pork, bacon, cheese, and onion straws, and the Black & Bleu, which is a burger served with Bleu cheese crumbles.

For drinks, there’s soft drinks like sodas, plus a full bar and a decent selection of beers on tap, and there’s even ice cream for dessert, although I never save room for it! If you get out to Labadie, give the restaurant a try.

The Socialite recommends Coal Fire Grill & Tap!

The details:
120 Front Street, Labadie
Find the restaurant on Facebook

Posted in News and Features

Where to Dine Along the Katy Trail

During the summertime I love to be outside. Yes, this time of year can be hot and muggy, and you may encounter your fair share of insects during a Missouri summer, but you can also hit trails, swim in rivers, creeks, and lakes, and take in nature.  And since Franklin County is near the Katy Trail, it provides the perfect opportunity to walk, jog, or bike on the scenic trail. However, if you’re anything like me, all that fresh air, sunshine, and movement can make you hungry and thirsty. 

If you’ve never ventured off the trail for food or drinks, please find some suggestions of places to visit that are near the Katy Trail trailheads that are in the Warren, Franklin, and St. Charles County areas.

On the Warren County side at the Marthasville Trailhead, you’ll want to make sure you hit Depot Street and stop by Country Grounds Coffee Shop for an iced coffee, tea, energy drink, or pastry.

Country Grounds Coffee Shop in Marthasville serves coffee, energy drinks, and teas. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

And if you’re hungry for an actual meal, then you’ll also want to check out Philly’s Pizza or Mavericks, both of which are also located on Depot Street in Marthasville. Or, head up First Street to Cory’s Twin Gables, at the corner of First Street and Highway 94.

And on the Franklin County side of the Katy Trail check out Dutzow Deli. You can see this eatery from the Dutzow Trailhead, and its menu features breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and a variety of other meal choices.

If you want to adventure further along the trail into St. Charles County, you can venture into the Defiance and Augusta areas. In Defiance, you will find Good News Brewing, located parallel to the trail. The brewery serves craft beer as well as small bites like wood-fired pizza. There’s also Circle 6, serving items like burgers and fries. 

Just a short distance off the Augusta Trailhead, you’ll find a number of choices, like Augusta Winery, Good News Brewing’s Augusta location, Root Food + Wine, and Augusta Bakery & Coffee Shop. 

The Socialite suggests you stop into some of these small locally owned coffee shops and restaurants the next time you’re on the Katy Trail.