A half is made whole as Mike and Liz Randolph announce the opening date for their second location of Half & Half in Webster Groves on Tuesday, September 5 at 220 W Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, Missouri. The popular breakfast, lunch and brunch concept’s new location joins its Clayton counterpart to offer guests comforting takes on the a.m. meal in a relaxed, approachable environment.
As chef/owner and James Beard semifinalist Mike Randolph explains, “This Webster Groves location is the five-year evolution of the Half & Half brand. We didn’t expect the fanfare that came with the first location. We hoped to do 100 covers in a day, now, we do that before 9 a.m.”
With the design, the Randolphs wanted to evoke a sense of New England-style with an airy, inviting environment in the 3,700 square foot restaurant. After four-months of renovation, longtime design partners, SPACE Architecture & Design, created the contemporary country feel with warm, natural wood floors and tables contrasted against bright, white beadboard walls. Pops of color come into play with Half & Half’s signature navy ampersand coffee mugs on each table.
As with its sister restaurant, guests can watch the barista team at work on six seats around the coffee bar. In addition, the 85-seat restaurant features a mix of tables and booths as well as a large communal table made of a now-extinct, 200-year-old species of pine. An impressive wood pergola draws guests to the center hostess stand, creating a sense of privacy and inclusion at the same time. The check-in area is marked by a large wooden spoon, hand-carved by SPACE’s Tom Niemeier. The spoon gives a preview of the dining experience to come–thoughtful craftsmanship celebrated through perfected simplicity.
“We make everything in-house at Half & Half,” says Chef Randolph. “From Buttonwood Farms local eggs to our monthly-rotating coffee program, our guests appreciate how great ingredients can elevate simple food. We feel that will resonate with the Webster Groves community as well.”
The name Half & Half is not only a literal nod to the much-utilized brunch ingredient, but it showcases the Randolph’s commitment to quality ingredients and coffee–a 50/50 (or half and half) split focus. “You can find some really great breakfast places, but for some reason, very few pay careful consideration to the coffee. It’s equally important to us at Half & Half.”
The coffee menu is curated by Blueprint Coffee (one of the local roaster’s founders, Mike Marquard, helped open the original Half & Half). The Randolphs and the Blueprint team meet monthly to pick a rotating featured roaster from around the country along with offering Blueprint’s traditional drip and pour-over coffees as well as espresso. New to the Webster Groves location, guests will be able to order coffee through a window in the restaurant’s breezeway for a new on-the-go coffee option in the area.
Executive Chef Dale Beauchamp of Half & Half will also oversee the Webster Groves kitchen. With two full lines as well as a back prep area, the new location allows for a significantly larger amount of working space. “We won’t be running into each other as much here,” jokes Beauchamp.
The menu at Half & Half Webster Groves will remain the same as the Clayton location, focusing on Southern-inspired breakfast and lunch fare. The chef team at Half & Half Webster Groves will also run unique weekend brunch specials, independent of the Clayton restaurant (follow Half & Half’s Instagram to see past creations).
Guests will enjoy breakfast favorites such as the Veggie Hash with two sunny eggs, Brussels sprouts, spinach, onion and potatoes and Chorizo & Guacamole Benedict with English muffin, poached eggs and hollandaise. Sweet must-haves include the Clara Cakes, plain pancakes, with raspberry, mascarpone and granola and the Tess’ Toast with whipped butter, lemon curd, fresh berries, powdered sugar–named for their two daughters. Lunch offerings add house-ground burgers, salads and sandwiches such as the Hot Fried Chicken with chili oil, lettuce, aioli on brioche bun w/ house pickles and Taco Salad with tortilla bowl, romaine, avocado, beans, pico de gallo, queso fresco and lime vinaigrette.
Half & Half will be open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Half & Half does not except reservations, but the restaurant will be on the NoWait app to allow guests to get in line for a table.
