WashU prides itself on being connected to the St. Louis region, and part of that means having local restaurants on the Danforth Campus serving unique menus to our students. We’ve already written about Coffeestamp and Corner 17 — two excellent choices on campus. For today’s blog post, we’re highlighting two more excellent on-campus options: Beast Craft BBQ and LaJoy’s Coffee Café, both located at Parkside Café in the Schnuck Pavilion.
Beast Craft BBQ is owned by husband and wife David and Meggan Sandusky. Their Belleville, Ill., location has been serving up delicious barbecue, burgers and sides for ten years, and they’ve had a presence on campus since fall 2023.
I tried their BBQ Burger, a classic backyard burger elevated to a new level of yumminess with a thick beef patty, melty cheddar, tomatoes, pickles and onions. It was everything you could’ve wanted in a burger. I loved it!
Chancellor Martin had the brisket. He said it was excellent barbecue with the right level of tenderness and smokiness. We both tried the potato salad and mac and cheese sides and found them to be a delicious pairing.
Beast Craft BBQ also sells brisket grilled cheese, pulled pork, turkey breast and plenty of other mouth-watering barbecued meats, as well as salads and sides like candied bacon and (highly recommended) french fries.
For those who don’t eat meat, they offer sandwiches made with Harvest Shreds, a soy-based meat alternative made locally in St. Louis!
LaJoy’s Coffee Café at Parkside Café is owned by the wonderful LaJoy Dabney. The café serves coffees and teas, lemonades, smoothies, baked goods and hot sandwiches.
The Chancellor and I both tried Amariyah’s Smoothie, which is named after LaJoy’s daughter. It has strawberries, pineapple, orange, apple juice and local honey. I really liked it! It wasn’t like any smoothie I’ve had before because of how tart and flavorful it is!
We also tried a variety of LaJoy’s pastries, which I had a latte while the Chancellor had a black coffee. It was all to my liking, and I was very impressed! LaJoy’s also serves warm croissant sandwiches with your choice of egg, cheese and meat combinations, as well as breakfast foods like bagels and oatmeal.
Whether you’re a student looking to try new dining options or a guest on our campus, I encourage you to try Beast Craft BBQ, LaJoy’s Coffee Café, and some of the other yummy, local options we have so easily accessible. You can order in person or download GrubHub to order ahead from your phone.