B&I Eatery opened its doors in the fall of last year, and owner Nicole Isabell says that the folks just keep coming to get a taste of her down-home cooking.
“I wasn’t even thinking about if we could survive the pandemic, I just knew we were opening a restaurant,” said the owner.
Isabell says that she wasn’t concerned about other restaurants closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She knew she wanted to open her restaurant, so she went for it.
B&I Eatery is serving good old fashioned soul food, Sundays are made for the soul. B&I dishes out fresh picked collard greens, yams, baked mac & cheese. The restaurant also serves shrimp and grits, smothered chicken and gravy. You can’t forget about her famous chicken and dumplings For those who want something a little lighter, her honey hot sauce wings are for those looking to grab something quick.
But for those who want something different definitely try her oxtail philly sandwich. The family-owned restaurant comes together to create the menu. Isabell says her customers travel from as far as O’fallon, Illinois for B&I Eatery.
“When I found out she was coming from O’fallon that really warmed my heart, I was so excited. She passed so many soul food restaurants to get to little old me,” said Isabell.
Angel Bradley who frequents the restaurant often said, “B&I food reminds me of food I had growing up. And I come here to kick back and to have good food.”
She says seeing the older generation enjoying the food at B&I, is confirmation that they are doing something right. They are passing along the traditions her mother taught her when she was a kid. Isabell was reminiscing about her mother and how she would help her out in the kitchen growing up but she said she still would try everything to be able to get outside to play with her friends.
She learned from the best though, her mother was a chef.
“I never thought I would follow in her footsteps,” said Isabell. “I just do what she taught me.”
Laughing she says one time during their time in the kitchen Isabell was complaining about cooking and her mom said to her, “girl what you gonna do when you have kids.”
Isabell said she was getting a maid and a cook. Isabell proudly said, “Look mama I’m the cook.” Her mom’s legacy has been passed down to Isabell and now she passes down those same recipes to her children at the restaurant.
Opening a restaurant with her family wasn’t always a part of the plan. In the beginning, Isabell’s husband wanted the family to open a barber- shop. However, over time the family decided that opening a restaurant was more appropriate for their plans.
Isabell worked in the health field at United Health Care for 17 years in the complaints department for Medicare. Her everyday life changed dramatically. She went from working from home to cooking seven days a week, standing on her feet for 12 hours a day.
“I worked nine months straight when we first opened, but I love to cook, it’s like I’m cooking for my family,” said Isabell.
The family wants B&I to be a place of gathering, where family and friends can come together and share a good meal. She says food brings us all together, we can sit and talk and catch up with each other.
Next year B&I will be adding a French toast burger to their menu, the burger comes with three slices of French toast, two burgers, and four slices of bacon. The burger is topped with maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Ashley Winters is the Report for America Reporter for The St. Louis American.
