If you’ve spent any time in City Market, you’re familiar with the line flowing out onto the sidewalk at City Market Coffee Roasters on Saturdays and Sundays. This small-batch roastery has been a staple in the historic market since 1996.
So, when we found out they had taken over the space next door to expand their operations, we were looking forward to seeing the new concept.
Our anticipation had time to grow – they first teased the new concept in March of 2024. With each visit to City Market, we would walk by and try to sneak a look at the progress made so far.
On their social media, they shared peeks into the build out, hinting at the work it took to transform this space that has been many, many concepts over the years. If you didn’t already know, City Market dates back to 1857!
On one post, the caption read, “Digging into history.” It seems that they literally did this. The beautiful teal and pink floor that they spent hours sanding down is actually from a previous tenant, but you wouldn’t know it with how perfectly it fits in with the rest of the new look.
Our patience was rewarded this week when they had their soft opening on March 19th.
We stopped in the next morning and were happy to see it pretty busy for just their second day being open.
We had wrongly assumed that it would be a separate space from the coffee shop. Instead, it is all connected.
We placed our order at the City Market Coffee Roasters counter. The orders – whether dining in or taking out – are picked up at the Murmuration counter. Of course, this may eventually change as they work out any kinks from these first weeks of being open. For today, this system worked out great.
The space was open and welcoming with teal accents. We loved the beautiful bird-themed mural on the wall, comprised of native Missouri birds, and other subtle aviary touches.
The name “Murmuration” is fitting with the overall bird-theme; the word means a flock of birds and is a nod to the community-centered mindset behind City Market Coffee Roasters and this new sister concept.
The menu noted that they would be adding more to it, but the selection was already pretty expansive.
There were several breakfast options – the avocado toast topped with a generous portion of fresh tomatoes, basil oil, and balsamic glaze was a highlight.
Also available are traditional breakfast staples: breakfast burrito, omelettes, customizable breakfast sandwiches, and biscuits and gravy, to name a few.
If you arrive later in the day, they have great lunch options, mostly sandwiches and salads.
We were happy to see that the prices were incredibly reasonable, especially because several of the other breakfast restaurants in the area tend to be more pricey.
Murmuration also features an impressive cocktail menu. We didn’t imbibe in a drink on this visit, but we’re sure to be back to try their espresso martini flight.
As locals, we have learned over the years to visit City Market either earlier in the mornings or later in the afternoons on the weekends because it gets so busy, especially during market season. While Murmuration did add additional seating both inside and out on the sidewalk, it may be difficult to get a table during the busiest times of the day. Based on our experience, though, it’ll be worth the wait!
Congratulations to City Market Coffee Roasters on this new sister concept – we love seeing more locally owned businesses opening in the River Market neighborhood!
