x
Breaking News
More () »

This restaurant in Dutchtown is a hidden gem

The head chef at Grbic cooks up dishes from the Balkans and surrounding European countries.

The first time you walk into Grbic in Dutchtown, the co-owner and head chef makes a point to make you feel at home .

"I'll be happy and pleased and make you feel like my family," Ermina Grbic said.

All three of Ermina's kids grew up helping out in the restaurant which led to how she earned this nickname with her customers.

"Everybody call me mama," she said.

Mama Grbic's kids now run Lemmons, one of the hottest new restaurants of 2017 but they learned everything from this lady.

"I'm really proud of my kids," she said.

Grbic has been open since 2002 on Keokuk in Dutchtown, in the Old Bailey Farm building. Mama is here 6 days a week, making dishes like Corba, which dates back to the Ottoman Empire.

"It's comfort soup and will fill you up in a minute," she said.

And when it comes to dessert, she's the best at Baklava.

"I do have customers say they've been all over the world and say, 'Nobody make it just like you, Mama'," she said.

Mama Grbic was born in Northern Bosnia and moved to St. Louis in the early 90s.

"I came here exactly on Thanksgiving day. We do not have that holiday in Bosnia," she said.

So she was confused when she was served turkey several times in a row on her way to St. Louis.

She said, "They serve me turkey on a plane, then I have to stay overnight in a hotel they serve me turkey again. then on my way to Chicago they served me turkey on a plane again,
then I come to my husband's apartment and the big huge turkey sitting at a table and I said, 'Oh my God, does American eat anything else but turkey?"

Now she loves Thanksgiving so much, she does something special for her customers every year.

"I love that holiday since I came here and I told my husband we should open for Thanksgiving," she said.

But back to her cooking. She saved the best for last.
Sac is a customer favorite, that has to be preordered because it's cooked in a fireplace,yes a fireplace, for 4-6 hours.
Now you know why you need to come visit Grbic, and remember, to ask for mama.

Grbic:

grbicrestaurant.com
4071 Keokuk
314-772-3100
Weekday Hours:
MON - CLOSED
TUES-FRI
4-9:30PM
SAT 12PM-10PM
SUN 12PM-8PM

Before You Leave, Check This Out