The Hawthorne Inn, Labadie
May 2023
Tucked into the rolling hills of Missouri’s wine country, The Hawthorne Inn restaurant makes the journey worthwhile. Since its humble beginnings 28 years ago, regular customers have traveled from the surrounding area and St. Louis, about an hour’s drive away. While staying in Augusta, my husband and I navigated winding country backroads laced with wineries to try out the extensive menu and enjoy the laidback vibe.
Owner-chef Chris Hancock enjoys developing new recipes, and produce for the from-scratch menu is often sourced from local farms. Throughout the years, Chris and his wife, Cathy, have made a formidable team alongside their loyal employees. They opened in an 1800s general store before the restaurant moved several doors down to its current location. Above the bar and dining room, artist Bryan Dawes Haynes created a mural depicting Labadie’s history. Dawes, whose gallery is located in nearby Washington, painted it in a similar style to renowned Missouri artist Thomas Hart Benton.
Nearly full, the restaurant was buzzing; on weekends, the wait without reservations can be lengthy. Our waitress highly recommended what she declared “adult cotton candy,” a flash-fried spinach appetizer tossed with a hint of lemon juice and parmesan. Piled high on the plate—thin and crispy, salty and tangy—even veggie avoiders might find it hard to resist. A coconut shrimp appetizer, spiced up by pineapple mango dipping sauce, was also nicely executed. Between courses, we slathered butter on bread from Fazio’s Bakery on “The Hill” in St. Louis.
In the mood for fish, two popular entrees caught our eye. Lightly breaded and charbroiled, the mahi-mahi featured a homemade seafood stuffing of three cheeses, shrimp and crab over wilted spinach, perfectly complimented by a light white wine-butter-lemon sauce. A sweet-spicy twist, charbroiled salmon drizzled with a honey-thyme glaze was finished with a flavorful Cajun roasted red pepper and caramelized shallot cream sauce. Pork chops, steaks, chicken dishes and made-to-order pastas rounded out the menu.
Diners can opt for a cocktail from the full bar or choose from a variety of beers on tap or wine. Catering for groups of up to 70 people is available next door at the Town Hall.
“Every dish and sauce are made to order except the tomato sauce and the fish stuffing, which we make ahead of time,” says Cathy. “And it’s a must to try our house dessert, which is my coconut crème pie recipe using a shortbread cookie crust.”
Visit TheHawthorneInn.net for more information.