Look inside River Market Hotel as it nears completion
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They'll be getting a new mural on the side soon. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
The River Market's only hotel, along with its outdoor bistro and spritz bar, is nearing completion.
The big picture: Built from a warehouse and a literal hole in the ground, owners hope the boutique hotel on Delaware Street will elevate the surrounding neighborhood.
- Axios was invited to tour the space ahead of its early 2027 opening.
What's inside: River Market Hotel is going all in on its Italian theme, with midcentury Milan design aesthetics — rich colored wood and arches and pops of color — pulled from when owners Paetra and Gino Serra lived there.
- The first floor will have an Italian coffee shop that will transition to an aperitivo bar during happy hour.
- The restaurant will serve an array of pastas by Michelin-starred chef Luciano Monosilio, and the bar will bring in every available Amaro in the state of Missouri — currently over 90 selections.
- The outdoor area will have covered heated seating. The basement will become a lounge and formal dining area with shareable rustic plates and a speakeasy vibe playing into the building's 1880s origins.
Catch up quick: Developers in 2021 first wanted to build a hotel on the lot north of the building, digging out a hole in the ground that never saw vertical construction.
- The ditch turned into two patios, and developers bought the building next door, which has since received updates including brickwork, windows, and cornices.
What they're saying: "We're going to be taking things to a higher scale" than the surrounding neighborhood, Gino Serra tells Axios. "There's nothing else like it in the River Market, this level of finish."
- "Why do you need another coffee shop? Well, you may need an Italian coffee shop, a higher-end coffee shop," he says.
💭 Travis' thought bubble: Even under construction, the space is beautiful. It's a great location, and I'm drooling over the idea of pasta and spritzes.
- Local demand for its upscale offerings remains unclear, though Serra is confident it exists.
Between the lines: The hotel's east-facing views of the City Market may be blocked soon by a 13-story apartment high-rise called The Bellwether, which is aiming for a 2028 opening.
What's next: The hotel is currently taking reservations starting Feb. 14.
- The owners plan to build a spa in the staging area and parking lot south of the building.