Winslow’s Home is the closest you can get to your grandmother’s kitchen without leaving the neighborhood.  When I arrived at the organic-oriented restaurant at the corner of Delmar and Midland, I had the odd sensation of traveling backwards in time.  The pleasingly cluttered interior – walls lined with wooden shelves, marble tables scattered about and the warm aroma of delicious food- is comfortingly reminiscent of a family-owned general store from the golden days of old.

In fact, that’s exactly what it is.

The University City restaurant is based on a simple idea.  “Seasonable, minimally manipulated food,” Chef Cary McDowell said.  Most of the food on the menu originates primarily on Winslow’s Farm, an organic farm located only 35 miles away in Augusta, Missouri.  In an age where most food is grown and packaged in a chemical cocktail thousands of miles away, the proximity between Winslow’s Home and its food source is refreshing.

The menu is simple: There are usually only four dinner entrees at a time, and all of them consist of basic, organic ingredients.  When I visited, they were offering cornbread stuffed with poblano peppers and spaghetti squash, braised beef stew with carrots and parsnips and crispy roasted chicken with cheesy grits and collard greens.

None of these options sound like the experimental concoctions that are popular in most current avant-garde restaurants. However, the simplicity of the food did not detract from its taste. Rather, it allows you to more fully enjoy each individual ingredient.

Standing at the marble counter with a friendly employee looking at me expectantly, I realized I was in a predicament.  The description of each choice on the menu tempted me equally, but out of pity for the pair of Wash. U. students standing behind me, I chose the chicken pot pie, the brisket sandwich and the enticing but mysterious “steamer” beverage.

The brisket.  Oh, the brisket.  The smoky sweet meat piled on sourdough with brie and horseradish is mouth watering enough to put vegetarians to shame.  It is, for good reason, the most popular item on the menu.  The brisket and all other lunch fare is accompanied by a salad of leafy greens with a splash of dressing.  This delicious addition challenged my expectations of just how good a salad could taste.

The chicken potpie had a buttery crust and a wonderfully gooey interior, but it wasn’t nearly as impressive as the brisket.  That said, the fresh vegetables and crust made the pie a decent alternative.

Lastly, the steamer.  My first impression was that is was comparable to drinking a cloud of vanilla.  The frothy milk and vanilla mixture was warm and subtly sweet, and it came in a huge mug that could sate anyone’s desire for a hot drink on a blustery day.  It is the perfect autumnal beverage.

Another remarkable aspect of Winslow’s Home is the selection of goods. The walls are lined with shelves of books, cooking materials, take-home meals and an assortment of puzzling gadgets. It is the only place in Clayton that offers children’s books alongside a California Conundrum white wine and a La Cama Albariño 2011.  The store’s almost puzzling variety provides a source of perusing entertainment for any visitor.

Above all else, it is the friendly atmosphere of Winslow’s Home that makes it special.  Every member of the staff was eager to stop and talk with me, acting as if I was a regular customer or a close cousin of the Winslow family tree.

So as the temperature drops and the cold winter wind becomes increasingly hostile, make a visit to Winslow’s Home.  Order a delicious meal and indulge in their assortment of cookies and cakes. Or you might prefer to just relax, sit back, sip on a glass of spiced apple cider, and observe the eclectic crowd of customers that passes through the door.  You’ll feel right at home.