Sitting just across the street from CHS, an upbeat, fast-casual restaurant is separated from the campus only by way of Ladue Road. At a young age of about five months, this restaurant, as described by its General Manager, David Clark, “[is just] like an Italian-style Chipotle.”

Cini, short for ‘arancini’, comes from the name of the restaurant’s signature dish, originating in Italy: small rice balls filled with an assortment of meats, vegetables and seasonings usually either sold on the streets or served as an entree in restaurants. Along with these cinis, the restaurant also serves a variety of pastas and salads, both of which are completely customizable and made within the restaurant.

“Very few things do we get in are pre-made,” Clark said of Cini’s ingredients.  “All of our dressings, all of our sauces … everything is all made fresh, [by] ourselves.”

A relatively new company, only found in the St. Louis area, Cini has been up-and-running since January of this year, while the doors of Cini’s Ladue location have only been open for about five months.

As you walk through the front doors of the restaurant, you are immediately greeted by vibrant, colorful wallpaper and lively music. The eatery is outfitted with a stylish, appealing modern look.

As a Cini customer, you will also indeed have an “Italian-style Chipotle” experience, as Clark suggested, in that the customer has the power to create their own dish.

Firstly, you select your type of dish — a choice of either miniature arancinis, pasta, or salad. If, for example, you select pasta, you then proceed to select your sauce, as well a variety of toppings to complete your meal.

“I guess the easiest way to describe [Cini] to somebody would just be to tell them that you just come in, have three entrees to choose from, and you go from there,” Clark said. “That’s what’s unique about [Cini]. You don’t have to have the same thing every time.  You can mix and match, try different things, different flavors.  I think that’s [a good] way to describe it, you create your own dish.”

At a reasonable price, the customer is able to customize their meal, as well as see their dish quickly created before their eyes.

The idea for the store was conceived by two brothers, who are also the owners of another set of restaurants, such as the local Buffalo Wild Wings and Giovanni’s on The Hill in St. Louis.

Cini’s introductory location in our area opened within the City of St. Louis. “We opened our first [restaurant] … down on Grand, by the SLU campus,” Clark said.

That’s also the location, according to Clark, that Cini sees the most business.

Being one of only two Cinis in existence, the company has already made plans to expand its growing business in the St. Louis area, and possibly even to other parts of the United States.

“[It’s] just this [location] and SLU right now,” Clark said. “But we [have plans] to expand. Right now, we’re focusing on St. Louis, and we’re hoping to get about five or six here, established, up-and-running, doing well, and then, we’re probably going to venture outside of St. Louis, into other cities.”

    Before Cini can expand its reach beyond St. Louis, Clark says there is one main thing the company must accomplish first. “It takes some time to get the name out,” Clark said.  “I would say, 95 percent of the people here in St. Louis, don’t even know that we’re here. We’re that new.  It’s just going to take some time and patience … and I envision, a couple years from now, everybody in St. Louis is going to know who we are.”

According to Clark, most of the customers Cini sees are people working in downtown Clayton on weekdays, looking for a place to break for lunch.

“I know they like this area,” Clark said. “Being next to the [Clayton] business district, I would imagine that had a lot to do with this particular location.”

After asked if he believed Cini would be a good place for CHS students to come for lunch, Clark responded, “I had no clue that you guys were allowed off-campus during lunch,” he said. “…but I think it would be great. I’d love to see more of you guys, for sure.”