Madison County restaurant reopens as burger joint with new name, same homemade baked goods

Granite City’s Down Home Cooking is now Steel Town Burgers & Bakery Co., and the family-owned and operated restaurant is again open for business.

When I visited #3 American Village back in early March, the space that would open as Down Home Cookin was not quite ready.

Owners Tori and Brandon Raines were kind enough to let me pay an early visit.

Construction was finishing up, and the decorative elements that would provide character were not yet in place.

But this week, I paid another visit as Steel Town Burgers reopened for business under its new name.

And there was quite the difference since last time.

A black and white checkerboard pattern now lines the walls throughout the main entry space and the dining area.

Fun beer-themed signage, vintage-style signs and historical Granite City photos hang throughout the space.

I think the best new addition to the décor is the Big Boy statue that stands inside, greeting folks as they come in for a good meal.

Tori Raines said she found the statue at a thrift store.

Still got the (baked) goods

The display case featuring made-from-scratch baked goods is still there. And it’s still filled with gorgeous goodies made by Darlene Griffin, Brandon Raines’ mom.

These goodies included a salted caramel cake, peach pie, apple crumb pie, caramel monkey bread, pieces of applesauce spice cake and chocolate cream puffs.

Fresh-baked desserts are made daily and differ from day to day. In addition to cakes and pies, you might find cookies, turnovers, cupcakes, cannoli and brownies too.

And custom ordering is still available.

Photos of the decadent desserts are often posted in the restaurant’s Facebook page. (Try not to drool on your keyboard or phone when you see them.)

The head baker herself was in front of the bakery display, cutting a beautiful white cake with cherry filling and handing out free pieces to everyone.

This included those in attendance for the morning’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and the customers who were already waiting outside for the doors to open at 11 a.m.

First day open (again)

Upon opening, a few tables were quickly occupied by customers as others came in to place to-go orders.

From the get go, Tori Raines was greeting and seating customers, taking lunch orders and chatting with people (myself included) in between.

A few of the folks from the grand reopening festivities were still there, including Brian Fine, owner of Manhattan’s Coffee & Socialhouse, and Rosemarie Brown, executive director of The Chamber of Commerce Southwestern Madison County.

Fine was there as a fellow business owner to offer his support to the Raineses. He also said he stops in now and then for a meal.

“We have a great business community,” said Brown.

That’s just how things work in Granite City, according to Fine. The businesses don’t see each other as competition but as a community where they support each other.

“Burgers will do well here,” said Fine.

Why the change?

Raines said she went to the restaurant’s investors and told them they weren’t making any money with the way Down Home Cookin was set up.

With so many menu options available, they were wasting money on food that wasn’t being ordered.

Something needed to change.

Raines said they sold around 800 burgers a week as Down Home Cookin, adding that was the low-end figure.

It was decided to focus on the best-sellers: the burgers.

The announcement was made July 12 on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Down Home Cookin’s last day was Sunday, July 16. From there, the business became Steel Town Burgers.

New to the menu

If you’ve been to Down Home Cookin to enjoy the variety of meals, you might now wonder what’s on the menu at Steel Town Burgers.

Well, burgers, of course.

(I can’t get that old “Saturday Night Live” sketch – cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, … – out of my head.)

Familiar favorites include:

• Classic Burger

• Double Decker

• Triple Smash

• Steel Town Burger (formerly known as the Down Home Cookin burger)

• Garlic Buttery Burger

• Mushroom Swiss Burger

• PonyShoe

• Fried Chicken Sandwich

• Philly Cheesesteak

• Cod Fish with Cheese

The new offerings include:

• Bourbon Mushroom Swiss

• Jalapeño Burger

• Patty Melt

• Grilled Cheese Burger

• Chili Cheese Burger

• Western Burger

• HorseShoe

• Mac n Cheese Burger

• French Onion Burger

• Pizza Burger

• Turkey Burger

• Veggie Burger (contains black beans, corn, egg …)

• Fry Burger

• Beef Bratwurst

And all burgers come with fries. I saw some meals being dropped off at tables. We’re talking about a good-sized portion of fries here, people.

Then there are the appetizers, many of them the same as before. New additions are fried cauliflower, mac n cheese bites, pretzel bites with beer cheese and sweet potato fries.

I should also mention that breakfast is served on Saturdays and Sundays until 11 a.m.

Big and sunrise breakfasts, omelets, pancakes, French toast and biscuits & gravy are all on the menu.

Then there are the beverages.

Steel Town Burgers continues to offer soft drinks, juice and tea.

Available adult beverages include bottled beers (most of the usual domestics and Corona Extra), Bud Light seltzers, Smirnoff, Cayman Jack margaritas and Mad Dog 20/20 Tangy Orange.

New to that list are craft beers – IPAs, pale ales – and hard ciders.

A little background

Down Home Cookin originally opened in September 2022 at 57 W. Edwardsville Road in Wood River.

By the end of the year, the Raineses decided to move and secured the former site of Ravanelli’s in Granite City.

Earlier this year, Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson told me in a phone interview that Granite City was open for business and needed a new sit-down restaurant.

At that time, Brandon Raines said that Parkinson was always willing to take his calls and work with them to open their restaurant.

After some work on the building, Down Home Cookin opened the doors to its new home in late March.

The Raineses decided to refocus the business and became Steel Town Burgers in July.

The restaurant reopened Wednesday, Aug. 2.

About Steel Town Burgers & Bakery Co.

Steel Town Burgers & Bakery Co. is located at #3 American Village in Granite City.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Breakfast is served from 9-11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hours are subject to change and may be extended in the future.

For more info, call 618-823-5055 or follow the Facebook page.