“Mmh, duhlishush” I mumbled back to him through a mouthful of egg, cheese and ham sandwich. Do all servers have such impeccable timing, or is that just my luck?
He smiled warmly back at me before grabbing my empty soup cup from the table. He tossed it into a busser’s bin, where it clanked against coffee mugs. Like the rest of the staff, he moved swiftly to keep the front of house running smoothly.
Metal spoons lightly clink against mugs as fresh brews are stirred. The bell chimes repeatedly from the kitchen to indicate an order up.
Fingers tap on keyboards, shoes squeak on hardwood floors, and there’s a constant undertone of chatter all while light acoustic music plays overhead.
This cozy restaurant on the corner of Cherokee Street and Illinois Avenue sits just 10 minutes slightly southwest of the city. They can make every claim that they’re a ‘laid back’ coffeehouse. But the truth is that this place can get loud.
Like a cup of your favorite coffee, The Mud House is meant to be a shared, social experience, in an environment you can savor.
If you’re looking for a quiet place to think or study, you might want to try bringing your coffee to the local library.
Breakfast is served all day. So naturally, I ordered the egg, cheese and ham on ciabatta with a sweet maple-mustard sauce that I didn’t know would pair so perfectly with my palette until I tried it. Between that and the broccoli cheddar soup-of-the-day, I felt comfortably stuffed sitting there at the community table.
And it’s all just as delicious as the first time I discovered it. In the summertime, patio seating opens up for a backyard-style experience. It’s the same casual feeling that a lot of places on Cherokee Street evoke.
That’s why it’s a must-eat location for the likes of Pokey LaFarge, Leon Bridges, and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. Looks like they want to live like locals, too!
Seeing as we’re in St. Louis and the weather is downright unpredictable, as soon as I hit the pavement again, I ducked right into a downpour.
Next time for your famous Mud Slinger and a rosemary and honey latte!
But first I’ll be taking a little detour, stopping at a couple of my favorite shops on Cherokee Street, filling my bags with vintage books and belongings. Stay tuned.
This post in the Live like a Local series was written after a local ate her fill of ciabatta bread and read 3 intriguing chapters in Life of Pi.
