New York hospitality group associated with Delmonico's advances plans for a 9,676-square-foot steakhouse at 105 Carondelet Plaza following unanimous City Council approval.

CLAYTON, MO - October 28, 2026 (StLouisRestaurantReview) A new upscale steakhouse planned for the former Tony's restaurant location in downtown Clayton has cleared an important development milestone, with the Clayton City Council unanimously approving a conditional use permit for Citadel Prime at 105 Carondelet Plaza.

The council approved Resolution No. 2026-31 on October 13, 2026, following a public hearing concerning the proposed restaurant. The motion passed 7–0, according to the meeting transcript.

Citadel Prime is associated with a New York-based hospitality group connected to the historic Delmonico's restaurant. The St. Louis Business Journal first reported the proposed expansion on September 15, identifying the Clayton project as a reservation-driven steakhouse and the group's first restaurant outside New York City.

The proposed restaurant would occupy approximately 9,676 square feet in Centene Tower C, according to the City of Clayton's published public-hearing notice.

The location previously housed Tony's, one of the St. Louis region's most recognizable fine-dining establishments, which closed in February 2025.

The City Council's approval advances the proposed restaurant but does not mean the establishment is ready to open. Additional development, licensing, inspection, and operational requirements may apply before the restaurant can serve customers.

For Clayton's restaurant community, the decision marks a significant step toward returning restaurant activity to a property long associated with upscale dining.


Clayton City Council Approves Citadel Prime


The City of Clayton scheduled a public hearing for October 13 to consider a conditional use permit for Citadel Prime.

The city's published notice identified the proposed restaurant at 105 Carondelet Plaza in Centene Tower C and specified a planned area of 9,676 square feet.

The City Council considered the proposal at the October 13 meeting.

According to the publicly available meeting transcript, a council member moved to approve Resolution No. 2026-31, granting a conditional use permit for Citadel Prime at the specified address.

The motion received a second.

Following the vote, the meeting record confirms that the resolution passed 7–0.

The approval matters because conditional use permits are part of the local land-use process that governs certain commercial activities.

A restaurant may be permitted within a particular zoning district only after satisfying requirements established by the municipality.

The conditional use process allows city officials to review the proposed activity and consider whether operational conditions are necessary.

For Citadel Prime, the approval establishes that the City Council authorized the proposed restaurant use under the conditional permit process.

It does not establish that the restaurant has completed construction, obtained a certificate of occupancy, or satisfied every requirement necessary to begin operations.

These distinctions matter when reporting on restaurant developments.

An approved restaurant proposal is not the same as an operating restaurant.

Citadel Prime remains a planned establishment, with additional development milestones expected before the city can confirm an opening.


Outdoor Music Discussed During Council Meeting


The October 13 council discussion also addressed outdoor music and potential effects on nearby residential properties.

According to the meeting transcript, city staff explained that Clayton's noise ordinance restricts outdoor music within 500 feet of a residential district.

The discussion specifically addressed a 10 p.m. limitation.

Council members considered whether an earlier cutoff would be appropriate because of nearby condominium residents.

One member raised the possibility of a 9 p.m. limit, while others supported retaining the 10 p.m. provision.

The council ultimately approved the conditional use permit with the proposed 10 p.m. limitation.

The discussion illustrates the planning considerations that can accompany new restaurant developments in mixed-use business districts.

Downtown Clayton includes office buildings, residential properties, restaurants, and other commercial establishments.

Restaurant operators must balance customer service and hospitality activities with applicable local regulations and the interests of surrounding properties.

The discussion does not establish that Citadel Prime will offer regular outdoor entertainment.

It also does not confirm the restaurant's final operating hours or entertainment schedule.

Those details will depend on the operator's plans and applicable municipal requirements.


New York Restaurant Group Plans Clayton Expansion


Citadel Prime is connected to the New York-based hospitality group associated with Delmonico's, a historic name in American fine dining.

The St. Louis Business Journal reported in September that the proposed Clayton steakhouse would represent the group's first restaurant outside New York City.

That connection makes the project particularly noteworthy in St. Louis' restaurant market.

Delmonico's is widely associated with developing upscale restaurant dining in the United States.

Its history dates back to the nineteenth century, when New York was becoming a key center of American restaurant culture.

The Delmonico's name has become closely associated with traditional steakhouse cuisine, formal service, and classic American fine dining.

However, the Clayton project is being developed as Citadel Prime.

It should not be confused with a Delmonico's-branded restaurant that has been announced.

The proposed establishment is a separate concept associated with the hospitality group behind the New York restaurant.

The available reporting identifies Citadel Prime as an upscale, reservation-driven steakhouse.

Public information reviewed for this article has not established its full menu, culinary leadership, pricing structure, or service details.

Those elements will ultimately determine how the restaurant distinguishes itself in the Clayton market.

The operator's New York background provides context for the project, but it does not establish that Citadel Prime will reproduce Delmonico's menu or dining experience.

For now, the confirmed development is the hospitality group's proposed expansion into the St. Louis metropolitan area through a new steakhouse concept.


Former Tony's Location Carries Significant History


The planned restaurant would occupy the former Tony's location at 105 Carondelet Plaza.

Tony's was one of the St. Louis region's most established fine-dining restaurants, with a multi-generational history.

The restaurant was known for formal service, Italian-influenced cuisine, tableside preparations, and an extensive wine program.

For decades, Tony's operated in downtown St. Louis before relocating to Clayton in 2021.

Its move brought the restaurant's established dining tradition to a modern commercial development in Clayton's central business district.

Tony's closed in February 2025.

The closure ended an important chapter in St. Louis restaurant history and left the Clayton location available for another operator.

Citadel Prime's proposed arrival would introduce a new restaurant identity to the property.

Although the two restaurants are unrelated operations, the shared address creates an obvious connection for customers familiar with Tony's.

The location has already been associated with premium dining and special occasions.

A new steakhouse at the same address would enter a market with an established restaurant history.

However, the available information does not establish how much of Tony's former interior configuration, kitchen equipment, or other improvements would be retained.

The proposed restaurant should therefore be described as a new concept planned for the former Tony's space rather than a continuation of the previous business.

The new operator will have the opportunity to establish its own identity at a familiar Clayton dining address.


Nearly 9,700 Square Feet Planned for Citadel Prime


The proposed size of Citadel Prime is included in the public development notice.

The City of Clayton identified the project as a 9,676-square-foot restaurant within Centene Tower C.

That is a substantial amount of commercial restaurant space.

A restaurant of that size must accommodate food preparation, service operations, customer circulation, equipment, storage, and other functions.

However, the published notice does not establish the final seating capacity.

It also does not confirm the number of dining rooms, bar seating arrangements, private event spaces, or other specific amenities.

Those details should not be assumed without supporting plans or announcements.

The restaurant's reported reservation-driven approach suggests that advance dining arrangements will be part of its operating model.

Nevertheless, the reporting reviewed has not announced the final reservation policies and booking procedures.

The proposed restaurant's size is significant because it reflects the scale of the planned operation.

A restaurant occupying nearly 10,000 square feet requires substantial preparation before opening.

Construction or remodeling, kitchen installation, inspections, staffing, and training may all be necessary.

The conditional use permit is one step in that broader process.

It does not confirm that all remaining development work is complete.


Citadel Prime Would Enter Clayton's Upscale Dining Market


Clayton has long been an important destination for business dining and upscale restaurants in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Its central business district contains corporate offices, professional services firms, residential properties, hotels, and a concentration of restaurants.

These characteristics create opportunities for establishments that serve business dinners, celebrations, and other dining occasions.

Citadel Prime's proposed steakhouse concept would enter an established market rather than create an entirely new restaurant category for Clayton.

Premium steakhouses typically compete on food quality, service, atmosphere, wine selections, and consistency.

Customers may also consider location, parking, reservation availability, and the overall dining experience.

Citadel Prime's eventual competitive position will depend on the details of its final concept.

Those details have not yet been fully disclosed.

The restaurant's association with a New York hospitality group may generate interest, but the development announcement alone cannot determine its long-term performance.

An established operator's experience does not guarantee a new location's success.

Similarly, a large restaurant space does not automatically establish future customer demand or profitability.

Those outcomes will depend on post-opening operations.

For Clayton, the immediate significance is the proposed return of restaurant activity to a prominent commercial property.

If development proceeds to completion, the project could provide another dining option within the city's established hospitality market.


Conditional Approval Is Not an Opening Announcement


The October 13 council vote is an important milestone, but it should not be interpreted as confirmation that Citadel Prime is ready to welcome customers.

Conditional use approval addresses the proposed restaurant use under the city's land-use process.

A restaurant may still need to meet additional requirements before opening.

Depending on the project's scope, those requirements can include building permits, inspections, occupancy approvals, and applicable business or food-service licensing.

The available public information does not establish that those steps have been completed.

It also does not establish that construction or remodeling has reached a particular stage.

The distinction matters because restaurant development schedules can change.

A project may receive local land-use approval well before the operator announces a confirmed opening date.

Customers should therefore avoid treating the approval date as an indication that reservations are immediately available.

The September St. Louis Business Journal report established the proposed restaurant concept and the New York operator's involvement.

The October City Council proceedings show the project has since advanced through a local approval stage.

The next meaningful developments will involve the operator's preparations to open.


Opening Date and Menu Details Remain Unconfirmed


Published reporting has identified spring 2027 as a proposed opening period for Citadel Prime.

However, the available information does not confirm an opening date.

The operator's complete menu has also not been verified.

The sources reviewed for this article did not confirm an executive chef, final seating capacity, menu pricing, or reservation launch date.

Those details should remain unreported as facts until an official announcement or other reliable documentation supports them.

The restaurant's reported upscale steakhouse positioning provides a general description of the concept.

It does not establish specific cuts of beef, seafood selections, wine offerings, or signature dishes.

Similarly, the Delmonico's connection should not be interpreted as confirmation that the Clayton restaurant will serve the same dishes as the historic New York establishment.

The operator may release additional information as the project approaches completion.

Until then, the confirmed facts concern the restaurant's proposed name, location, size, development approval, and reported hospitality-group connection.


A New Chapter for a Familiar Clayton Restaurant Address


The proposed Citadel Prime steakhouse represents a notable development for Clayton's dining community.

The project would bring a New York-based hospitality group associated with Delmonico's to the former Tony's restaurant location.

The City of Clayton's public-hearing notice establishes the proposed 9,676-square-foot restaurant at 105 Carondelet Plaza.

The October 13 City Council meeting transcript confirms that the Council approved Resolution No. 2026-31 by a unanimous 7–0 vote.

That approval represents a meaningful step forward for the proposed restaurant.

The former Tony's location carries a substantial history in St. Louis fine dining, and its planned reuse creates an opportunity for a new hospitality concept to establish itself at a familiar address.

However, Citadel Prime remains under development.

Available records do not show that the restaurant has completed construction, obtained all required operational approvals, or announced a firm opening date.

The final menu, culinary leadership, and reservation arrangements also remain unconfirmed.

For now, the key development is that the Clayton City Council has approved the proposed restaurant use, allowing the project to move into the next stages of preparation.

Citadel Prime is not yet open, but its unanimous conditional-use approval marks a verified milestone in plans to bring a new upscale steakhouse to the former Tony's location in downtown Clayton.

Sources: City of Clayton public-hearing notice for 105 Carondelet Plaza, September 28, 2026; Clayton City Council meeting transcript, October 13, 2026, including the motion and 7–0 approval of Resolution No. 2026-31; St. Louis Business Journal, September 15, 2026, reporting on Citadel Prime and the New York hospitality group associated with Delmonico's; and Clayton Ledger, October 15, 2026, coverage of the City Council proceedings. https://stlouisrestaurantreview.com/clayton-approves-citadel-prime/