Inside Vicia: A James Beard–Nominated, Farm-To-Table Masterpiece in St. Louis
- Christianne Klein
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 17
Weeks after our visit to James Beard–nominated Vicia in St. Louis, I’m still thinking about two very different bites: the bright, almost electric acidity of the grilled octopus, and the deep, savory umami of crispy chicken-skin butter melting into warm focaccia. One lifted by citrus and herbs so perfectly it practically sparkled in your mouth and on your plate; the other was rich, indulgent, and impossibly satisfying.
And then there’s the twist: the restaurant responsible for both of those unforgettable bites is, at its heart, vegetable-forward.
At Vicia, vegetables aren’t an afterthought or a side dish, they’re the main event. The kitchen builds its menu around seasonal produce, layering acidity, smoke, spice, and umami so thoughtfully that even the most devoted meat-eater won’t feel like anything is missing.
It’s a complex tapestry of flavors: richness and brightness, smoke and citrus, sweetness and acid, so that even the simplest ingredients feel extraordinary.
The kitchen is led by Chef Michael Gallina, who, along with his wife and business partner Tara Gallina, has built Vicia into one of the country’s most respected restaurants. Just before our visit, the restaurant was nominated for a national James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant, while Gallina himself was nominated as Best Chef: Midwest.
Even Gordon Ramsay has taken notice. After dining here, he praised the experience as “exceptional”, “delicious”, and described the meal as “really stunning.” After one dinner here, it’s easy to see why. It was our favorite meal of our trip.
Many of our dishes were served family style and immediately made me think about new bites to create a different flavor combination. Sweet potato with the salmon. Octopus with the chicory salad. It’s very clear that the kitchen knows this, and it’s one of my favorite parts of our meal. Each dish stands out on its own, but put them together, and you can make two notes harmonize into a beautiful counterpoint. It’s very rare to find this type of composition in any restaurant. It shows structure, flow, and awareness of how each dish plays with others on the plates.
You cannot go wrong on this menu, but some highlights stood out.
The Vicia Focaccia with crispy chicken-skin butter, thyme, and honey arrived warm and impossibly soft. The crispy chicken skin butter is served on the side, and as soon as we spread it on our bread, it immediately melted into the warm focaccia. The crispy, salty bits of chicken combined with the sweetness of honey and the aromatic lift of thyme created perfect contrast. We kept the crispy chicken butter long after the focaccia was gone. I have no idea what we thought we may do with it, but it was too good to give back to the kitchen.
Then came the Duck Liver Mousse, silky and luxurious, served with smoked date, nutmeg, bourbon molasses, and marbled rye. It had that perfect sweet-savory tension that makes great mousse irresistible- rich but nuanced, indulgent without feeling heavy.
A Chicory and Citrus Salad followed, bright with grapefruit and fennel, refreshing enough to reset the palate before the next wave of dishes.
And then came the one you absolutely cannot skip: the Grilled Octopus.
Order it.
Tender and beautifully charred, the octopus was layered with green chermoula and saffron, each bite with just the right amount of acidity to keep the flavors vivid and lively. It quickly became the favorite dish at the table- including for our eight-year-old foodie, who happily kept reaching back for another bite. If you’ve had octopus before, you know how difficult it is to serve it perfectly and nail the cook, yet here we are, tender, grilled, complex. It’s bold to lead with acid and that perfectly layered bite. I will dream about that octopus until I can have it again.
That same vibrant balance appeared again in one of the most memorable vegetable dishes of the evening: the Sweet Potato with yogurt, lime, and citrus.
Calling it “next level” barely covers it. Creamy and deeply flavorful, the dish was lifted by a brightness that made every bite feel fresh and perfectly balanced. Like the octopus, it carried that signature Vicia touch- acid used not as garnish, but as structure.
It’s the kind of dish that makes you rethink what a sweet potato can be.
Even among all those vegetable standouts, the proteins held their own.
The Braised Beef Short Rib arrived meltingly tender with caramelized shallots, potato mousse, and a red beet bordelaise that added just enough depth and sweetness to round everything out.
The Ora King Salmon was delicately cooked and paired with daikon radish, red cabbage, trout roe, horseradish butter, dill, and buckwheat. The combination felt precise and elegant, each element
contributing texture and brightness. I loved it with the sweet potato.
Of course, no meal like this is complete without a cocktail.
The standout for us was The Dirty, a martini with smoked celery root, olive brine, and blue cheese-stuffed olives, delivering a savory punch alongside the richer dishes. The carrot cocktail was another highlight, bright, earthy, perfectly spiced, and delightfully refreshing.
By the end of the evening, what stood out most wasn’t just the kitchen’s technical skill or creativity. It was the balance and connection.
At many restaurants, vegetables play a supporting role. At Vicia, they lead the conversation, and do so with confidence, intensity, and imagination. The ingredients at Vicia are deeply seasonal, which makes the experience feel an urgency of the moment to experience that specific dish. The menu shifts, the flavors evolve, and the combinations change with what the farms bring in. It’s the kind of restaurant that demands a return visit, because you know the next meal will be different, but just as thoughtful.
I cannot wait to see what Chef Michael Gallina and the team at Vicia create next. What bold layered flavors, beautiful harmony, and incredible dishes will stay with us long after the table is cleared.
Christianne Klein is an Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning TV Host, journalist, travel and lifestyle expert, and founder of FoodFamilyTravel.com.
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