Gallatin Street Grille

This year, Gallatin Street Grille celebrates its 25th anniversary in downtown Vandalia. Angie Rhodes has owned the 62-seat restaurant since 2012, and since then, she’s kept the integrity of the Grille while incorporating her own personal touch.

Previously, the restaurant skewed fancy – it was the spot you’d visit for anniversaries, birthdays or marriage proposals. Rhodes wanted to keep that same vibe but make it feel more family-friendly, too. Today, you’ll find the same well-dressed tables, but also an abundance of crayons and high chairs.

“I’ve watched kids (grow up here), and now they’re starting to bring their dates for prom and homecoming,” she says.

See more: Midwest Food Bank Volunteers Feed the Hungry Year-Round

Shopping Local

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

When it comes to the menu, Rhodes is all about supporting local farmers. Gallatin Street Grille is best known for its beef medallions made from corn-fed butcher-block beef. The beef on its own is second to none, but the restaurant’s cognac sauce really takes it over the top. The recipe is a well-kept secret: It’s made with brandy, cognac, cream and a few mystery ingredients.

When beef prices increased, Rhodes started bringing in pork steak from Behrmann Meats & Processing in nearby Albers; it’s been such a hit, she’s kept it on the menu, in addition to pork loin with a grape confit.

“It surprised me because pork steak is something you can buy at a store and cook yourself,” Rhodes says. “Most of our food isn’t something you can make at home.”

Another item you can’t get at home: the Grille’s famous flowerpot bread. The kitchen bakes between 20 to 30 pots of the sweet yeast bread (in actual flowerpots) each day. It’s served warm, tableside, with homemade honey butter.

“We have people who come in just for it,” Rhodes says.

As a sweet ending, there’s the famous salted caramel pie. Rhodes spent six months perfecting the recipe: a cream pie with a graham cracker crust, pretzels, pecans and caramel sauce. Guests get a free slice for events like birthdays or anniversaries.

“When you’re celebrating something,” Rhodes says, “I want to give you my pie.”

See more: Good Eats at E-Town River Restaurant

If You Go

Gallatin Street Grille

Location: 524 W. Gallatin St., Vandalia

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Phone: (618) 283-0023

Website: gallatinstgrille.com

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *