Celebrations Restaurant & Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Celebrating Dining Since 1997

Celebrations Restaurant has been a fixture of fine dining in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, since 1997, when James and Pat Allen opened its doors in a distinctive building parts of which date to the 1850s. In January 2018, longtime executive chef DeWayne Schaaf and his wife April Schaaf took ownership, bringing a clear culinary vision and a commitment to the kind of personable, unhurried hospitality that defines the place today.

The Kitchen's Philosophy

Chef DeWayne Schaaf built his menu from scratch, drawing on a network of local farmers alongside seafood and game meats sourced from around the country. The result is a seasonal American menu that shifts with what's freshest and most interesting — creative without being restless, reliable without being static. Dishes from the kitchen reflect that balance: cornmeal crusted grouper with grilled okra and arroz verde, grilled lamb loin with pepper marmalade and chèvre, braised lamb shank with mushroom pan sauce and housemade gnocchi, and a beet salad built around whipped buttermilk panna cotta and spiced pecans. The cooking is rooted in technique and quality product rather than novelty for its own sake.

The Room and the Bar

The setting — a relaxed, elegant space with an enclosed courtyard available in good weather — matches the food's tone. It's a place that takes dinner seriously without making guests feel they need to as well. Feast Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch have all taken notice, and the restaurant's wine program earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects genuine depth. The bar goes well beyond the wine list: artisanal craft cocktails, a barrel-aging program, an extensive craft and imported beer selection, and a wines-by-the-glass program that includes a Quartino list for guests who want to explore without committing to a bottle. The wine list itself surveys most major regions of the world, with particular attention to small, artisan producers from California and the Pacific Northwest.

Events and Popup Programs

Tuesdays at Celebrations take on a different character — popup dinners and special programs that range from a classic Steak Diane evening with Caesar salad and crème brûlée paired to a lineup of red wines, to the restaurant's "Grudge Match" format, a five-course, ten-wine head-to-head pairing competition between Chef DeWayne and a featured wine professional. These events reflect a kitchen and team that find genuine enjoyment in the table — and want guests to as well.