St. Louis is lighting up Hanukkah with its very first pop-up bar on Dec. 18 from 6 to 11 p.m., where cocktails, food and celebration come together for a night of community and fun.
The event is inspired by the Maccabee bars in New York and organized by United Hebrew Congregation—though you don’t have to be a member to attend—in partnership with Wente’s, an eatery in Chesterfield.
Guests can sip themed cocktails like “The Gelt Digger,” “Nog Sameach” and “The Maccabee Martini,” while enjoying live music from Decedy, a local favorite. According to Marla Conn, 59, who has run Wente’s for the past five years, this is the first time they’re dipping their toes into a pop-up event—and they’re excited to give it a go.
“Wente’s has a diverse customer base and I am excited to bring some Jewishness to it,” she said. “We celebrate Christmas and lots of other things, but we’ve never done this, so it should be fun.”
The menu will feature several of Conn’s recipes, including sweet and sour meatballs, unstuffed cabbage, brisket and of course, latkes. Instead of serving normal jelly doughnuts or sufganiyot, customers will be able to pick between three different jellies and inject their own. Wente’s is not a kosher restaurant.
Although the event is public, Conn and United Hebrew Communications Manager Jen Newmark, said they are trying to cater to an audience that is over 21. If this year’s event is successful, they are thinking about doing more Hanukkah events at Wente’s next year, including some for families with younger kids.
Newmark said the goal is to “create a fun, dynamic Jewish experience outside of a synagogue space.” She described a demographic shift among young people who increasingly tend to not be affiliated with synagogues but are still looking to engage with Judaism. She hopes the pop-up will be an enjoyable event.
“You’re a Jew — no matter where you go,” she said. “It’s been increasingly difficult in the last couple of years to be Jewish in public, and for us to have a space and a time to be together is an incredible thing.”
When asked why someone might hesitate to attend, Conn expressed genuine disbelief. To her the pop-up makes all the sense in the world.
“Why would they be on the fence for not wanting to go?” she wondered.
