Brother Mark introduced me to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on the old Route 66 in St. Louis many years ago. It was only natural that I drag Curator Jessica there before she had to fly back to Ohio. (You can click on the photos to make them larger.)
The official Ted Drewes website says that Drewes has been making frozen custard since 1929, after getting his start in Florida. The Chippewa location where we ate opened in 1941. With St. Louis’ westward expansion and changes in dining habits, this store is open all year except January.
Something I didn’t know was that Ted Jr. (his dad died three decades ago) goes to Nova Scotia every fall to personally select the best Canadian balsam fir Christmas trees to bring back to St. Louis for sale.
“What’s a Concrete?”
“What’s a Concrete?” she asked.
“Think ‘Better Blizzard.”
She wisely suggested we order “mini” sized Concretes. A “regular” would have been too much and a “large” would have killed me. I don’t remember what she had, but I enjoyed the Hawaiian.
She couldn’t understand why the server inverted the cup when she handed them to us.
“That’s to demonstrate how thick the custard is and why it is called a Concrete. Try that with a DQ Blizzard some time and see what happens.”
What a place, what a road.
mmmm…great place to stop. Even better on motorcycle when it is 100 degrees in the shade and you have be riding since Chicago! Sitting in the shade eating a concrete, one of life’s big pluses.
Love Ted Drewes – ever been to Crown Candy Kitchen for a milkshake, malt or some of their fantastic chocolates? Another St. Louis institution.
My brother Mark introduced me to Ted Drewes Custard many years ago. It is so yummy. It seemed strange in a good way that this little ice cream joint was able to quickly serve so many people without seeming to be in a hurry. There were huge tour buses in the parking lot and I thought we were in for a long wait but the wait was actually very short. The kids didn’t even have time to get in a fight 🙂
The pistachio concrete is a “must try”, but then so are the chocolate chip Heath and many other combo’s I’ve tried over the years. I can also testify from personal experience that living in a neighborhood that is geographically desirable as it relates to Ted Drewe’s (purely subjective) can be an issue for a pregnant wife. On the positive side, however, they sell outstanding Christmas trees.
We lived four miles from Ted Drewes for eight years before we ever went there. My secretary at work offered to bring a concrete back to work for me and after I tasted it I had the whole family there that night. We were so addicted that when we moved to Virginia our oldest son had concretes express mailed to us. Many times when I was TDY to St. Louis, I’d have them hard-freeze several and I’d bring them home on the plane (think of boarding carrying a styrofoam cooler with dry ice leaving trails of CO2 vapors behind you nowdays!).
south grand closes as it always did..on labor day..opens on memorial day? the chippewa place stays open i think and sell christmas trees. sad the area on south grand is on the downward spiral…that used to be a solid section of town. merb’s chocolate is still in operation
this is off the topic ..but what was the name of the cafe in the galleria in cape? we celebrated my nephew willaim zickfield’s first birthday party there..and last month william got married..where did the time go..then i saw the galleria had been torn down..so if any one remembers the name of that place in the galleria i would appreciate it.
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Hey Steve wasn’t it Rutherfords. Also enjoy hitting the old local eateries in St. Louis. There are some gems.
South Grand, just south of the Drewes location, has gone downhill somewhat, but the area north of the Drewes Grand location heading to Tower Grove Park is thriving. There’s some really nice restaurants, including Pho Grand, and a wonderful gelato/coffee shop at Grand and Wyoming called the Gelateria Del Leone. It’s almost as good as custard, but without the calories and guilt.
When Ted Jr. passes, that’s the last of the Drewes name, as Ted Jr. had no brothers, and he and wife Dottie had only girls, two of which survive. One of the girls, Christy married Travis Dillon, and he manages both of the stores today. Rest assured however, that the Ted Drewes name will live on forever in the marvelous custard they make. And no one can tell me there’s anything better in the world than the Chocolate Chip Concrete!
The corner of Chippewa at Ted Drews was my 1st patrol boy corner in 1955. My family was regular customers until I left St Louis in 1995. My parents were regulars at South Grand location as they lived on Gasconade and Grand in the 1920’s.
I have run into many residents of St Louis in my 78 years and although most are not familier with St Louis Hills ,every one knows exactly where Ted Drews is located.
Greg Smith
My first Patrol Boy corner was on Chippewa at the Ted Drews corner which was 3 blocks from Nottingham grade school.
Chippewa is also highway 66 which was very busy but only a few students lived north of chippewa so no pressure to due my patrol
boy duties which would have interupted eating my ice cream cone.
Last in ST Louis in 2011 and it felt like not a thing had changed.
Greg Smith