Kishimoto Mendo coming soon to the Delmar Loop

by Mabel Suen // April 10, 2026 |

After much anticipation, Menya Rui chef-owner Steven Pursley is preparing to open the sequel to his acclaimed South City restaurant. Slated to open in late April, Kishimoto Mendō (6394 Delmar) in the Delmar Loop will feature the same handmade noodles that Pursley has honed over the years—though this time as part of a menu with an emphasis on tonkotsu-style ramen. Here’s what to know before you go.

Kishimoto is Pursley’s mother’s maiden name (a Japanese family name) and Mendō translates to “noodle hall.”

“When I opened Menya Rui, I was kind of debating between what style to do. I decided to go against the grain to set myself apart with shoyu, and now I’m circling back to do tonkotsu,” says Pursley. By creating a clear separation between both restaurants, he notes, “I’m not stepping on my own toes.”

While lighter, lesser-known shoyu is Pursley’s personal favorite, he wanted to bring his take on the popular tonkotsu style to St. Louis as well. At the University City brick-and-mortar business, fans of Menya Rui will find a “similar system and operation with a new space and new tastes,” Pursley says.