Union Loafers halts pizza service in Botanical Heights
The St. Louis restaurant suspended its evening pizzeria operations on Saturday, citing the need to take a step back, while maintaining all other locations.
By Alexei Brooks ·
Union Loafers paused its pizza operations effective immediately on November 7, 2026. The Botanical Heights restaurant, located at 1629 Tower Grove, announced the suspension in an Instagram post on Monday afternoon. A note on the company website confirmed that the decision applies to pizza service only, while Loafers Lunch, bread sales, and other locations maintain their standard hours.
The restaurant stated that the move was a difficult decision. “This is a tough one to share but we have to let you all know that we’ve made the tough call to pause pizza service effective immediately,” the social media post read. The owners added that keeping the pizza program running required substantial effort and that the team needed to take a step back, despite their strong affection for the product.
Ted Wilson and Sean Netzer established Union Loafers in 2015 as an artisan bread bakery and cafe. Wilson expanded the business in 2016 by introducing evening pizzeria service. The menu featured hybrid New York-Neapolitan pies, including options topped with pepperoni, Calabrian chiles, and fresh herbs. The venue also offered a St. Louis-style Provel pie with sausage and jalapenos. The pizzas quickly gained a reputation as among the best in the city, contributing to the restaurant's overall success.
The pause coincides with an ongoing labor dispute. Employees voted to unionize in October by a margin of 51-6. Ownership initially declined to voluntarily recognize the union, but the National Labor Relations Board certified the election. As of November 9, no public confirmation exists that collective bargaining sessions have begun or that a first contract has been reached. No specific reason was provided for the pizza suspension, though the labor context is prominent in recent coverage.
The restaurant confirmed that its other operations remain unaffected. Bagel Union, Union Bakehouse, and The Station at Thurman will continue as normal. “Nothing else will be affected,” the post stated. “Loafers lunch, Bagel [Bagel Union], the Bakehouse [Union Bakehouse and Cafe], and the Station [The Station at Thurman] will continue as normal.”
St. Louis Magazine has reached out to co-founders Netzer and Wilson for comment. The outlet plans to update its reporting as additional information becomes available. The pizza service remains suspended pending further notice from the management team.
