A new Edwardsville restaurant offers casual elegance, good food and tasty cocktails
If you don’t make it up to the Edwardsville area very often, there’s one restaurant you might want to check out.
Brick + Bramble opened earlier this year near the Orchard Town Center development and offers an elegant setting with a high-end feel.
Ryan High, who owns the business with wife Laura High, said their goal was to create a loungy and comfortable atmosphere where folks can enjoy good food and drinks.
The walls are a dark sage with a faux brick pattern on the lower half. The backsplash of the bar has the same brick pattern.
High said the brick in the interior’s design – as well as in the restaurant’s name – is a nod to Edwardsville’s history in brick manufacturing.
The Highs were able to use photos provided by the Madison County Historical Society to make the canvas prints that hang throughout the restaurant.
The historic photos depict Richards Brick Company and the Banner Clay Company.
Although the building is a new build, the high ceiling with its exposed ductwork gives the place an industrial, old-building feel.
High said the interior design work was done by Heidi Janson, owner of the HJ Design Co., which is based in Edwardsville.
The atmosphere is both classy and casual, said High. They want everyone to feel welcome.
It really is a beautiful setting.
At the same time, the space is versatile.
With the exception of a half wall at the center of the space, everything can be rearranged to accommodate dinner guests and larger groups, according to Food & Beverage Director Jake Koons.
Dining tables and chairs, lounge seating, and even the decorative trees can be moved around.
Koons said they provide different levels of seating for guests.
Folks can enjoy dinner at a regular height or high-top tables.
After dinner, guests can move from a regular dining table to a high-top for drinks, or they can move to the comfy chairs at the front corner of the restaurant and enjoy cocktails (or mocktails).
When the weather’s good, folks can enjoy the patio seating, which is shared with Global Brew Tap House next door.
(Side note: The Highs own this Global Brew location and the one in O’Fallon. The other locations are franchises.)
High said owning both businesses is very convenient. They welcome guests going from Brick + Bramble to Global Brew and vice versa.
Since a variety of beer is available at Global Brew, the beer selection at Brick + Bramble is limited.
But the wine list, cocktails, whiskey and other spirits more than make up for it.
More on that in a bit. Let’s move on to what’s on the menu.
Check out the fare
Now, if your taste buds love an adventure, this may definitely be the place for you.
Brick + Bramble provides a varied menu, for dinner, lunch and brunch.
High describes most of the fare as small or shared plates.
Small plate items include:
Beef Medallions: marinated beef medallions grilled, topped with portobello and veal demiglaze;
Smoked Chicken Wings or Duck Wings: crispy and served with a choice of honey garlic sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce or truffle dry rub and served with a jalapeño ranch dip;
Pork Pot Stickers: pan-fried with honey garlic sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce or soy sauce;
Baked Cheese + Marinara: manchego, cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, marinara, crostini;
Smoked Tomatoes + Burrata: smoked tomatoes with garlic, balsamic glaze, fresh basil, burrata cheese and crostini;
And many other options.
Can’t decide what to order? No problem. Order two or three small plate items per person and share them all.
There are also flatbreads, meaty grilled options (filet mignon, rack of lamb …), shared sides and dessert.
High said the large spreads (the Bramble, seafood and charcuterie spreads) are popular with bigger groups and designed to serve two to four people.
The lunch menu is the most limited and includes sandwiches, flatbreads and salads. This is in addition to the main (dinner) menu, so diners still have many options.
Lunch is available each day until 4 p.m.
Brick + Bramble also offers Sunday brunch with a sizable menu offering breakfasty small plates of omelettes, French toast, crepes and other savory eats.
Diners can also enjoy flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, boards, grilled fare and shared sides.
And the beverages
Part of one’s dining experience may include cocktails, wine or other adult beverages.
Enjoy a cocktail – or a mocktail – before or after dinner. Savor a glass of wine during your meal. Sip a whiskey or grab a cold one.
Brick + Bramble’s cocktails include martinis, margaritas, a cosmo, old fashioned, and The Bramble: gin, lemon, blackberry, champagne simple syrup.
The long wine list includes many red and white wines, as well as a reserve list. There are cognacs, cordials, gins, rums, whiskey (including some pretty nice selections of scotch) and other spirits.
If adult drinks aren’t your thing, or if you are the designated driver, you can still enjoy some tasty libations.
Koons said the NA, or non-alcoholic, crowd is growing, and Brick + Bramble can accommodate that.
The drinks menu includes the mocktails Rose Colored Glasses (rose syrup, orange juice, coconut, lime, ginger beer) and Lavender Limonada (lavender syrup, lemonade, mint, soda).
Athletic NA Golden Ale is on the beer menu, and Koons said that other NA beers are available at Global Brew.
Other offerings and features
In addition to providing food and ambiance to guests, Brick + Bramble will host an event and provide catering services.
Brick + Bramble offers private and semi-private options for events, including event space in the Barrel Room at Global Brew or on the shared patio.
Some events are open to the public, including the upcoming New Year’s Eve party.
This event consists of an all-inclusive party package with a cash bar cocktail hour, open bar access later in the evening, food, music and midnight champagne toast.
Tickets for this event are available online at bit.ly/bbnye23.
Catering for off-site events is available too.
People still have private events, including events at home and at other locations, said Koons. Customers can order food from Brick + Bramble for such events.
High said they’re already booking wedding events for 2024.
And one for 2025, added Koons.
High said their small plate menu works well with these kinds of events and opens the door for other opportunities.
High said they’ve been very fortunate in their staff, including their bartender, C.J. Edwards.
“He’s tremendous,” said High. When customers book parties, they request Edwards by name.
Edwards, who has 11 years of experience, considered stepping back from the industry. He said he’s worked for a lot of people over the years, and working for the Highs is different.
They care about the staff and their happiness, on both a business and a personal level, Edwards said of the Highs.
He treats Brick + Bramble as “Ryan and Laura’s baby” and wants to help take care of and nurture it.
“It’s been a fun ride. I love it,” said Edwards.
Koons also spoke of General Manager Alex Fink.
Fink started in the restaurant industry at age 16 working at Bella Milano, said Koons.
Koons said that Fink was trained as his assistant and is very good at his job. The restaurant is running very well.
High said since opening in April, business is good.
We rolled into the grand opening without a lot of pomp and circumstance, said High, and word of mouth helps build business.
He said the kitchen is well-established with a down-pat routine, the bar staff is “on it,” and they are in a place to really showcase what they do.
There is always something different with each visit, said Koons. Whether it’s weekly food specials or the beverages, there’s “something new each time so it doesn’t get boring.”
Edwardsville is a great foodie community, High said. He feels they now have the services and products that will make Brick + Bramble stand out over other businesses.
About Brick + Bramble
Brick + Bramble is located at 2323 Plum St., Suite 100, in Edwardsville.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, 3-10 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday-Saturday.
To learn more or to make a reservation, call 618-650-9151. Get more info and updates at brickandbramble.co and facebook.com/brickandbramble.
