Lorenzoz opens in Downtown West with dry-aged steaks and a dual-zone lounge

Downtown St. Louis dining options have expanded with the opening of Lorenzoz Restaurant & Lounge. The venue occupies the former Pepper Lounge space at 2005 Locust in the Downtown West neighborhood.

The 3,800-square-foot facility underwent substantial remodeling to create two distinct environments. Operations director Mo Ali describes the main dining area as chic and low-lit, filled with greenery and 17 tables. Lo-fi jazz plays in this room, which Ali says offers an intimate setting for couples. The dress code is formal but does not require a suit and tie.

A corridor leads past a kitchen window to a more casual lounge. This back room features a Miami Versace-inspired design with statuettes and backlit banquettes. Curated playlists and live DJs often provide the soundtrack in this space. Ali notes that guests frequently move between the two areas, allowing them to choose their preferred level of ambiance.

Chef Jevon Brewer, 26, leads the kitchen with a menu focused on technical American steakhouse classics. The offerings include dry-aged USDA Prime cuts, seafood, and various sides. Starters feature steak tartare, roasted bone marrow, and a platter with oysters, jumbo shrimp, king crab, and chilled lobster. Brewer’s signature preparations include an 8-ounce filet mignon with a truffle-shallot marinade and a 14-ounce New York strip dry-aged for 28 days with a soy-honey marinade.

Entrées also include cold water lobster tail with drawn lemon butter and miso-glazed salmon with fermented miso glaze. Brewer’s personal favorite is a half chicken brined for 16 hours and brick-pressed on the stove. The dish features crispy skin topped with maitake mushrooms sautéed with sherry vinegar and red pepper flakes.

Coleman Franklin manages the beverage program, which includes beers, wines by the glass or bottle, and signature cocktails. Franklin highlights The Butcher’s Old Fashioned, which is made by rendering A5 wagyu beef fat with Buffalo Trace whiskey. He describes the drink as having butter and caramel notes. Franklin says the program is designed to be super-approachable for a classic cocktail bar and upscale steakhouse.

The team previously worked together under Umoja Food Group, where Ali served as operations director for Rated Test Kitchen. Ali, a St. Louis native, spent years in restaurant management in Colorado, California, and Georgia before returning home. Brewer trained at L’Écoline Culinaire and worked at several local establishments. Franklin began his career in Chicago before moving back to St. Louis to work at Esca and Videira Wine Bar.

Lorenzoz Restaurant & Lounge is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday. The phone number is 314-920-1905.