LOCAL EATS
LATTE LOUNGE + HG EATERY By Mabel Suen
L
atte Lounge + HG Eatery, which opened in downtown St. Louis in November, features a menu of brunch offerings and specialty beverages like split-cup drinks and a latte flight. Nyshaun Harvey and her father, Larry Green, conceived the restaurant. Harvey opened the original Latte Lounge in November 2020 in Florissant, where she also owns a child care facility two doors away. Green, meanwhile, owns a construction company and events space, and when the 5,400-square-foot space next to his HG Events became available, the father-daughter duo combined forces to bring their first full-service restaurant to fruition. “This was a dream for us, and watching people come in and enjoy our space and the vibe here has been really rewarding for our family,” Harvey says. “It’s a great feeling.” While the Florissant Latte Lounge imparts an intimate neighborhood café vibe, the downtown location, which is nine times larger, was created
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with group gatherings in mind. It features a modern interior with refurbished wood tables, booth and lounge seating, swings at the bar and even a game room with a pool table. From the food menu, guests can choose from entrées including Cajun shrimp and grits, as well as chicken and waffles comprising three mini Belgian waffles with chicken on a stick, all drizzled with chile-infused Mike’s Hot Honey sauce. Additional highlights include avocado toast topped with strawberries, pomegranate seeds and hemp seeds. To drink, guests can choose from specialty drinks based on St. Louis’ own Kaldi’s Coffee, such as the Owner’s Favorite – an oat milk-vanilla latte topped with cinnamon. For the indecisive or adventurous, a split cup is available, featuring two 12-ounce beverages side by side. A latte flight also gives guests the unique opportunity to try a sampler of five different flavors in one sitting: latte, turtle, caramel macchiato, cinnamon and white mocha. Latte Lounge + HG Eatery, 2617 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-833-3087, llhgstl.com
