The Vegan Butcher of St Louis
A Chef Profile of Chris Bertke
Joe and I usually keep things low-key for our wedding anniversary, so it was quite unexpected when my husband revealed he had a surprise planned for the whole family. Our 23rd year wasn't a milestone, so this caught me completely off guard. I marked it on my calendar, clueless about what was coming. The kids were in cahoots with Joe, dropping hints that whatever it was, I'd never see it coming.
On the day of the event, Joe played it cool, giving cryptic advice to throw me off of my suspicions, telling me to stay hydrated and wear tennis shoes. Thoughts raced through my mind, hoping we weren't gearing up for an unexpected game or sports activity. Hours before the big reveal, our home buzzed with activity as the kids and Joe cleaned our house. Anxiety crept in as I worried about who our guests would be. Joe instructed me to leave for an hour, so he could get the surprise ready. I ran errands with my youngest daughter at Target. As the clock ticked down, nerves tightened in my stomach and I felt more and more sick with anxiety, not knowing what to expect.
Opening the front door, I cautiously stepped into our house. My family sat in the living room, seemingly calm. Confusion lingered, and I remained uncertain about what was unfolding. Amused, Joe urged me to check the kitchen.
Approaching the kitchen with anxiety pressing down upon me, I couldn't fathom what awaited me. As I entered, a familiar face greeted me—one I had only encountered through Instagram, despite being a longtime follower. It was Chris Bertke, a St Louis chef known as the Vegan Butcher. The shock rippled through me. Having admired his culinary skills showcased in various St. Louis kitchens and pop-up events over the years, seeing him in person was surreal. Joe teasingly called me a "super fan." Now, Chris and Joe revealed that he was orchestrating a meal for our family. This evening, we had our very own celebrity chef crafting a private culinary experience in our home. Joe told me that he reached out to Chris after he realized they knew each other through a mutual friend.
Chef Chris Bertke in our kitchen, preparing an anniversary dinner for our family.
Chris gained a following in the vegan food scene when he opened two of his own concepts in St Louis as executive chef, partnering with owners of two spaces: Utah Station in 2019 and Vegan Deli and Butcher in 2020. Bertke distinguishes himself from typical restaurants that rely on fillers such as soy or tofu to craft vegan meats. Instead, he creates his own unique recipes of house-made meat substitutes that closely resemble traditional meat products that taste better than the other alternatives. He became famous for his Jack in the Box-style crack tacos and other vegan junk food. Chris also organized vegan pop-ups, testing out his concepts with the public, as well as selling a line of frozen pizzas and vegan sausages. He brought his ideas to the community to see what worked and what didn’t. Most recently, he briefly moved to California and joined Native Foods as executive chef, until the company changed ownership and changed directions. Chris moved back to St Louis and began building his own brand of vegan cuisine as the Vegan Butcher.
Chris Bertke, owner and chef of Vegan Deli and Butcher in St Louis (Photo credit: Cheryl Baehr of St Louis Magazine)
Chris is passionate about animal welfare and has been vegan for over 30 years. When he first became vegetarian, Chris was in a punk band and was closely connected to the local punk scene in St Louis. He cared deeply for animals and felt like meat-eating didn’t fit with his identity or morals. Punk music and veganism were both rebellious back then, so they seemed to go hand in hand for Chris. He always liked to go against the grain and push expectations and boundaries. He was ahead of his time with plant-based cooking, and the chefs he began working under wanted to learn more about vegan techniques from him. He brought originality and creativity to the table, and he learned alongside chefs that worked with him to fine-tune his craft.
After our introduction in the kitchen of our home, Chris shared a culinary preview of the evening, outlining the details of the Indian-inspired feast. Since Joe and the kids are not vegetarian, Chris had worked with Joe to find dishes that everyone in our family would enjoy. Chris painted a vivid picture of the multi-course, vegan extravaganza he was preparing. Luckily, the vegan chef loved animals because our three dogs wouldn’t leave him alone as worked in the kitchen.
Joe and I enjoying our vegan 23rd anniversary meal, prepared by Chef Chris Bertke.
The dining experience began with a giant bowl filled with lightly grilled and salted peppers, a starter sourced from Chris's morning visit to the Soulard farmer's market. The simplicity of the vegetables highlighted its depth of flavor, a delicate balance of salt and spice. Each subsequent course was even better than the last—potatoes with a mint chutney sauce, a rich and creamy spinach paneer, a fragrant curry chicken and rice, and freshly baked naan, all crafted by Chris from scratch using his signature recipes and fresh ingredients. We found ourselves immersed in a culinary journey of taste and flavors. The best part of the meal, however, was Chris's generosity—he left us with an abundance of leftovers, so our bountiful feast wasn’t over yet.
Vegan Curry Chicken, prepared by Chris Bertke.
The night unfolded not just as a celebration of our anniversary but as a culinary adventure we had never taken part in before. Having a private chef in our home was a uniquely different dining experience from going to a restaurant, much more intimate and individualized. It really made the food taste better, and it felt very special. As the evening drew to a close, I couldn't help but reflect on the thoughtful gift my husband Joe had orchestrated with the culinary artistry of our private chef.
Expressing our gratitude at the end of the night, we engaged in conversation with Chris, learning of his upcoming venture. Finally owning his own space so he could be his “own boss,” his new restaurant was almost ready. “I’m so excited for you to come out and try it.” He worked to create a classic Kosher deli, but vegan. Shortly after our anniversary dinner, Chris officially opened Vegan Deli and Butcher, in the Bevo Mill neighborhood on October 28. On opening day, they sold out of everything in just a few hours.
Although he became known for vegan fast food, Chris Bertke’s newest concept is modeled after the classic East Coast deli with bagels shipped overnight from New York. For the cream cheese and lox, he prepares his own vegan salmon made with carrots brined for 48 hours in kelp powder. Other sandwiches include a French Dip, Hot Salami, Main-style lobster roll made from hearts of palm, a Cuban made with vegan smoked pork, and a Boston Beef topped with cheddar cheese and James River Barbecue sauce, the distinct sauce on the famous roast beef sandwiches from the North Shore of Massachusetts. He also makes cepavi, a grilled Serbian sausage. This is a nod to former owners of the space his restaurant now occupies, J's Pitaria, a Bosnian restaurant known for their cevapi. J’s Pitaria relocated to South County. The sides include chips, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and weekly soup specials. For sweets, he serves vegan brownies and cookies from Gentry’s Treats, vegan candy bars from Sweet Hazel and Company, and vegan custard and jelly-filled donuts from Strange Donuts. His famous frozen pizzas are also available for purchase, and he features special sandwiches each week. Everything is vegan and house-made, and he does not use Impossible or Beyond products. After a couple of months, Chris plans to include a deli case to sell vegan meats and cheeses by the pound, as well as grab-and-go items. He will also continue to hold pop-ups on some days that the deli is closed to offer food that doesn’t fit with the deli theme, such as tacos and toasted ravioli. He is still working on getting the official Kosher certification.
Cevapi at Vegan Deli and Butcher (photo credit: Chris Bertke’s Instagram)
Just a couple of weeks after it opened to the public, I visited Chris’ newest restaurant at the corner of Gravois and Morganford, with a view of Bevo Mill from the front windows. The space is warm and modern with a large exposed brick wall, weathered gray wood floors, and stainless steel hanging industrial light fixtures and exposed ductwork. A gray wall features a large humorous mural of silhouettes of the St Louis arch and a pig chasing humans with a butcher knife, painted by the owner of Terror Tacos, Brian Roash. A small bookshelf with books, plants, and knick-knacks has a portrait of a rabbit wearing a lucky human-foot around its neck. Chris’ dark sense of humor and commitment to animal welfare shine through. Behind the front counter are the kitchen and food prep area, so everything is cooked and prepared by Chris in front of the customers. With a long bench under the front windows and a few black tables with benches, the space can comfortably seat a total of about 20 people.
Vegan Deli and Butcher in the Bevo Mill Neighborhood (photo credit: Cheryl Baehr of St Louis Magazine).
With so many options, I had a difficult time deciding what to choose. My daughter and I ordered the Cevapi and the Cuban, and we shared with each other. The Cuban was toasted, pressed bread filled with pulled pork and ham with dijon, pickles, and cheese. The Cevapi included the Bosnian sausages served in somun, a flatbread similar to pita, with sliced onion, pepperoncini, bas ajvar (a roasted pepper and eggplant spread) and kajmak (a Balkan salted clotted cream). I also had a side of potato salad. Everything was delicious, and the Bosnian Cevapi sandwich was so unique and something that I had never been able to try before. The portion sizes were very big, and we were able to take home leftovers. We can’t wait to go back and try more items from the menu.
The Cuban sandwich at Vegan Deli and Butcher.
Just a few days after our visit, Chris had to be rushed to the ER when his appendix burst. He had to get an emergency appendectomy, so he was forced to close his restaurant for a couple of weeks. If you would like to support his business and help offset the monetary burden while the shop is closed, he will post details of how to purchase gift cards and frozen pizzas on his Instagram page: @vegandeliandbutcher.
Vegan Deli and Butcher is a no-tip establishment, and Chris Bertke prices his menu items so he can pay his workers a fair wage. Vegan Deli and Butcher is available for dine-in or carry-out Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 7pm at 5003 Gravois, 63116. Free parking is available in the bank parking lot next door.