Opened during the pandemic in 2020, Edera- which means Ivy in Italian- is the second restaurant from the Koplar Group. After owning and operating Scape for more than a decade, the family decided it was time to update the concept in the Central West End, and bring a different feel to the neighborhood restaurant.

The first person you’ll hear from is Bob Koplar, who along with his brother Sam, has followed in the family tradition of taking big swings and making them work in the city they love.

The Koplars are responsible for a few St. Louis staples, including the building of the Park Plaza Tower in the 1920s, which is known today as the Chase Park Plaza, the founding of the KPLR TV station, and the revitalization of Maryland Plaza.

Bob talks about what that legacy means to him, Edera’s place in that story, and of course, brags about what he says is, hands down, no contest, the best patio in the city.

We end our episode with head chef Andrew Simon, who sat down with us during crunch time to talk about balancing a menu that fits different types of diners, as well as keeping consistent experience while continuing to evolve and elevate the dishes people associate with Italian cuisine.

Edera is open Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. The dining room is open until 9 p.m. during the week and until 10 on the weekends, but they offer late-night pizza and cocktails on their patio until midnight Friday and Saturday.