Annie Gunn's

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family Business Rooted in 1937

Annie Gunn was a real person, and her reputation for hospitality set the tone for everything that followed. What began in 1937 as the Smoke House Market — an unpretentious structure in what was then the middle of Chesterfield cornfields — has grown, under proprietors Thom and Jane Sehnert, into one of the most respected food and wine destinations in the country. More than 36 years of partnership between Thom and Jane transformed their shared vision into a place where, as they put it, locals are treated like celebrities and celebrities are treated like locals.

Thom Sehnert describes it plainly: "We are a family business. Our focus on quality and tradition is passionate." That spirit runs through every layer of the operation, from the long-tenured hospitality managers to Chef Eddie Rickert, who has worked alongside the kitchen for 20 years.

Chef Lou Rook III and a Seasonal American Kitchen

Executive Chef Lou Rook III has led the kitchen since October 1993, joining just after the Great Flood of that year. His cooking is grounded in a guiding concept — foods and wines inspired by the richness of country life — and built on close relationships with local farmers and purveyors. The menu moves with the seasons: spring's first lettuces, summer's abundance of corn and tomatoes from the American Heartland, autumn's fruits and root vegetables, and a December table set for family celebrations. His recipes have been collected in a cookbook, Rook Cooks: Simplicity at Its Finest, and his tenure has brought the restaurant three James Beard Award nominations.

Annie Gunn's American steakhouse cooking is hearty and precise — robust enough to carry a St. Louis winter, refined enough to earn national recognition year after year.

A Wine Program That Speaks for Itself

Wine Director Glenn Bardgett, CS, CSW, has been with Annie Gunn's since 2001, and his program has become a defining feature of the restaurant. The wine list has held the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for 17 consecutive years since 2003 — a mark of consistency that few restaurants anywhere can match. Bardgett's program has also been a two-time James Beard Award national semi-finalist for Best Wine Program, and Wine Enthusiast has recognized Annie Gunn's among America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants with an Award of Unique Distinction. Special wine dinners, such as the recurring Journey Through Burgundy evenings in the Fáilte Room, pair Chef Rook's seasonal courses with wines moving through Chablis, the Côte d'Or, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais.

The Room and the Community

The Fáilte Room and a dedicated Chef's Table offer distinct settings for private dining and special occasions. Beyond its walls, Annie Gunn's directs a portion of its sales to local charities — St. Louis Children's Hospital, Cardinal Glennon, Ronald McDonald House, and many others — treating community investment as an extension of its hospitality rather than a footnote.

For an American steakhouse that has been feeding St. Louis families since 1937, the accolades feel less like decoration and more like confirmation of something the regulars already knew.