Welcome to Funnel Cake Factory St. Louis and Turkey Leg Factory St. Louis, the two name restaurant in downtown St. Louis. The carnival themed restaurant offers sweet and savory treats, and a helping hand to some of the area’s most vulnerable citizens, the unhoused.
“I want people to have the ambiance of pure fun. Our motto is ‘Big Top Eats, Where Batter, Sugar and Carnival Meet,” said owner Brandy Clay.
The restaurant opened its doors in 2018 in Brentwood near the area’s shopping district. While in a high foot traffic area, Clay wanted her restaurant to be part of the rejuvenation of downtown St. Louis.
“When I designed all the sauces in the restaurant it was designed to touch every taste bud on your palate.”
So in 2019, she packed up her ‘tent’ and headed toward the Arch.
“The ultimate goal was to contribute to the rehabilitation of downtown,” she said.
“And to be closer to the underserved community.”
Clay says her mission is two fold. A carnival brings fun, rides, and sugar and that’s the atmosphere she has created for her restaurant. Both children and adults love it.
“I love the whimsy people get when they visit,” she said.
Clays says in the middle of winter with six inches of snow outside, St. Louisans get the feeling of summer and the carnival. People support her restaurant because it offers almost everything a carnival does without standing in four different lines to get it.
The restaurant’s number one seller is, of course, the turkey leg. It’s the size of a forearm, smoked and braised with seasoning.
“It is a fall off the bone turkey leg,” said Clay.
Clay is a chemist by education, and graduated from St. Louis University. There is a science behind the food she makes, she says.
“When I designed all the sauces in the restaurant it was designed to touch every taste bud on your palate,” Clay said.
Her batter for fried sweet treats is made in her house, which means fried twinkies and oreos have a special taste that other restaurants can’t replicate. Not only is she offering good food, but it’s affordable too.
“I think it’s imperative to keep things affordable so people can enjoy it without feeling guilty,” Clay said.
Clay says she has always strived to help others, and being a downtown resident gave her first-hand knowledge of the struggles of the unhoused.
She says it began with a friendly conversation with an unhoused man. Before I knew it, I started donating food to him. Then, more unhoused residents started asking for her help.
“I was very happy because I was in a position to be able to feed them,” Clay said.
Her mission grew and she reached out to her circle of family and friends and asked them if they could donate a variety of toiletries to meet other needs the unhoused community may have.
Clay has received winter hats and hand warmers for the colder months, and cooler bags to keep bottled water and refrigerated medicine cool. Surrounding hotels have pitched in too, donating toothpaste, soap, and shampoo.
“There are so many needs and I’ve had so many people come by and donate so that I can continue to give,” said Clay.
Rather you are stopping by to dine in or donate the ‘Big Top’ is bringing good food and humanity to the downtown area.
Ashley Winters is The St. Louis American Report for America reporter.
