Sauce On the Side

Awesome space and delicious, fresh food! I was loving the bottled beer selection too.

Execution makes this simple place GREAT! Only calzones with sauces, that’s it – but done superbly. The calzones take time to prepare and are delivered to you after ordering at counter. You pick your poison, errh calzone, then there is the recommended sauce or whatever sauce you like. Drinks are available and many varieties of beer. Everything is on one floor and tables are spaced apart. The calzone I chose was
«Meat Me in St. Louie» ($ 9 Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Provelone, Mascarpone-​Ricotta Blend, Garlic Oil, Meat Sauce) — calzone super crispy, thin, with fresh tasty ingredients. Companion one had «Roasty Toasty» ($ 10 Pesto Chicken, Arugula, Red Onion, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Garlic Oil, Pesto Sauce) excellently prepared chicken, tasty combination of ingredients. Companion two had Fatty B ($ 10 Pepperoni, Meatballs, White Onions, Roasted Garlic, Provolone, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Garlic Oil, Spicy Red Sauce) She said it was excellent – tasty, not greasy, great complementary sauce. The third companion had another great combination – Roasty Toasty ($ 10 Pesto Chicken, Arugula, Red Onion, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Garlic Oil, Pesto Sauce). Tender chicken, good pesto sauce. All calzones were super crispy and sprinkled with the appropriate cheese. The aroma from these baked beauties was intoxicating. Also the prices were very fair.

Maybe I’m just ordering wrong but I’m just not sure I get all the raving reviews. I have found the calzones I’ve ordered here (Duke, Magic Carpet Ride, Roasty Toasty) to be oddly sweet. The calzones I’ve ordered outside of Sauce on the Side have generally been more savory and I feel like the descriptions on the menu of all of the ones I’ve tried have seemed savory but in every single one there’s a big hit of sweetness that I just don’t really like.
Maybe I just need to custom order a calzone to avoid the sweet but I just haven’t been all that motivated to return.
This style may suit some taste buds, hence all the good reviews, just not mine.

First impressions can be misleading. By all indications, this well reviewed restaurant seemed to be the ideal place to experience while traveling through Clayton on business recently. While the food was great, the same cannot be said of the service. The extremely young staff seemed overwhelmed and in a rush to hurry customers through. I had placed an order for delivery to my hotel and was told it would take an hour to have food delivered. To save time, I offered to walk to the restaurant to pick up my order. When I arrived they had no record of my order. Because it was raining outside, I ordered a beer and asked it I could enjoy my meal when it was ready at the bar. The manager told me that «Normally you can’t order ahead and eat here, but just this time it’s OK.» Not a problem, Mr. Manager; I will keep that in mind next time…

Went here with a party of 7 adults and 4 kids… Not really the place for that kind of party but we finally squeezed in. The calzones were amazing — I split one with my sister and got the Nutella calzone for dessert (best part about the trip).

Sauce on the Side has been a favorite ever since they first opened in downtown, and I am so happy to see them expanding downtown, in Clayton, and soon enough The Grove! However despite the Clayton location being open for a while I haven’t been able to check out the Clayton location until here recently.
As soon as I walked I felt a very familiar vibe, similar to the original downtown location. The friendly staff greeted me with a smile and warm welcome. while I usually stick with the Meet me in St. Louie, I noticed that they had the Cock-​a-​doodle-​noodle calzone on the menu and knew immediately that after missing this calzone in the past that I had to order it. What makes this calzone so unique is that it’s served stuffed with mac&cheese, chicken, pancetta, and provel cheese and served with a buffalo butter sauce which I will admit can be a bit much however its perfection lightly brushed atop your calzone.
The food here is amazing, but I am sure you already figured that out based on all the other reviews. I have had calzones at other places and the dough is always too much or tough, while at Sauce on the Side the dough is perfect, light and fluffy with a great taste. My usual, the Meet Me in St. Louie, is always great. It is served with Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Provel, Mascarpone, and Ricotta and bushed with garlic oil and served with a side of meat sauce. There is something magical about the way the Provel, Mascarpone, and Ricotta all blend together to great an amazing blend. Simply one of the best calzones ever!
Variety is the key here as there are so many ways to make your calzone, that it’s really hard to decide what to get. Needless to say I have a list of calzones on my list, I think the Figgy Piggy is next on my list. Prices are reasonable for the portion size, seriously these are large calzones! This is a great place to grab a quick lunch or even a late dinner, they have a great casual atmosphere here. SOTS also have a rather large beer selection for their size so go ahead and pick one from their 40+ beer list, best off all they are open late!
Overall Sauce on the Side was a great addition to downtown, and now a great addition to Clayton. Glad to see these guys doing so well, can’t wait to try the Grove location later this summer!

Spectacular location, easily accessible whether you’re coming from the airport or from downtown. I understand they also have a similar downtown location, which was on my radar but I’ve not yet tried it. The calzones are gigantic enough to split into two meals. When my other restaurant choice was closing early on a Thursday night, and I saw that this was nearby, this «SOS» saved my night!

I got the Pancho Villa. Absolutely delicious. Stuffed full of fresh veggies. Perfectly baked. Service was super friendly. Impeccably clean.
Sauce on the Side is the epitome of fast casual. Perfect for relaxed dates, a quick lunch or an easy to-​go order.

I have been to the downtown Sauce on the Side many times but today was my first at the Clayton location. It has the same menu and the same décor. My favorite calzone is the Figgy Piggy (Applewood Smoked Bacon, Figs, Balsamic Onions, Boursin, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Garlic Honey Oil, & Red Sauce to Dip.) I ordered it today and, as usual, it was amazing. I love the creaminess of the cheeses, the saltiness of the bacon, and the sweetness of the figs. My lunch date ordered The Duke (BBQ Chicken, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Corn Salsa, Smoked Cheddar, Mozzarella, Smoked Chili Oil, & BBQ Ranch Sauce to dip.) He had never been before and he loved it! They have stayed the same since they opened and they put out a quality product. Of course we will be back but it will probably be downtown as that’s much closer to my usual lunchtime hood.

*****review was for the downtown location… accidentally posted wrong location, but do intend to try the one in Clayton too****
My review is based on carry out and delivery. I must say I am not impressed at all. Maybe dining in would taste better than carry out. I’ve had the magic carpet ride… love all sorts of mushrooms but this was extremely salty for my taste. Only had a couple bites and couldn’t handle it. I also tried both of their desserts… Apple calzone was very doughy. And Nutella banana was very mushy and delivered all mushed up… looked like the box may have dropped a few times before being delivered. Again, maybe dining in would be much better. I will try SOTS again but for dine in only. When that Happens I will update my review.

A great alternative to pizza. Lots of clever, fun names on the menu — «Figgy Piggy» may be my favorite. I tried the Costanza — Pepperoni, Eggplant, Mozzarella, Ricotta, etc. Next time I will have to build my own. The Costanza was good, but I would have preferred more pepperoni and less ricotta. There are plenty of fillers to create your own, along with a great selection for your sauce on the side. You may have to ask for a menu tho — the smaller print on the menu board is difficult to read. Also, a vast beer selection with a lot of local choices. They also carry my favorite local soda — Fitz’s, along with other sodas I’ve never heard of. You get very good portions for the price. Somehow I managed to scarf down the whole ‘zone in one sitting.
Not a ton of seating, so think about carry out or delivery if you are going during a peak time of day. It’s a bit hipster, but not enough to be a turn-​off.
Looking forward to my next visit — hoping to save room for one of the dessert calzones!

Not much of a Calzone person, but these were great! Ordered The Duke and was not disappointed at all. Can’t wait to try something else. $ 10.00 definitely fills you up, but the beers were a bit pricey. Also, I know stores like to support locally, but those wierd soda brands always throw me off too.

Only the best calzones in St Louis! I eat out a lot, usually at least 10 meals a week. I have tried hole in the walls and the very finest in dining. In all my eating out in St Louis, I have never found such large and delicious calzones. I have eaten here three times and every time is better than the last. The calzones are always stuffed full of your toppings. They really stuff them full. The cheese is so fresh and delicious. Their sauces are delicious too. I haven’t found a calzone better than I find here.

I can’t think of anything this place could do better. I came in on my lunch break. I’ve been hearing good things about it for a long time, and I was not disappointed!
It’s a pretty tight space, but there is enough room to sit. My order was taken pretty quickly and I took a seat at the hightop counter. There’s a bit of a hip vibe, sodas i’d never heard of, Schlaflay on tap, trendy setting, but they don’t get pretentious.
This is a calzone place, which is pretty unique. Most of the time a calzone is a dry crusty afterthought to a place’s pizza menu. Not here! It was fresh, the cheese was melty, and the insides were fantastic! The tomato sauce was mild and really let the flavor of the calzone show through.
I’ll say it, I had really high expectations and they knocked it out of the park! Good job guys! Doing it right!

Great place for lunch — will return!
While the menu is limited to salads and calzones, they do them so well you don’t need other options.
I met a friend here for lunch. While the line sometimes got long, the ordering Process was smooth and quick. I ordered a salad and a calzone. I got the Italian salad and I actually can’t remember which calzone I got because they all sounded delicious. I think I got the first one on the menu with. Pepperoni and eggplant. There are a variety of sauces — all of the side (hence the name). My friend got the chicken Caesar salad and judging by the lack of salad left, it seemed delicious.
The staff is friendly, the menu is reasonably priced. There is outside seating as well. Overall, a good lunch option.

Holy calzone. While staying in downtown STL, we were trying to find a place that was within walking distance from the Hilton. We stumbled upon Sauce on the Side and decided to give it a whirl. Not an ideal meal to nurse a hangover but what can you do?
The calzones are absolutely gargantuous and range from $ 9-​$ 11 and of course, comes with a recommended sauce on the side.
Overall, a good, clean and quick stop if you’re hankering for some interesting calzones.

I have to admit something — the main reason I was attracted to this place was because I heard about their desserts. I know that sounds pretty strange. But ever since I’ve given up bread, pizza and calzone type things haven’t really been missed. If I ever have carbs nowadays, they come in the form of brownies, cookies, pancakes or french toast.
But since I was having a cheat day, I figured I might as well have a few bites of the savory calzone my hubby ordered. The Gonzo — salami, dates, spinach, Boursin, mozzarella, marscapone, ricotta and garlic oil inside, served with a side of garlic butter. I thought this sounded pretty friggin’ awesome and unlike any calzone I’ve ever heard of. I don’t know where else you’d find a calzone filled with dates! Despite the fact that all of the dates seemed to be stuck in the corners while the meat was piled high in the middle, this was a pretty delicious calzone!
I have to say that the dessert calzone was not quite as impressive. It was smaller and it was packed full of as much filling as I wanted, especially when it comes to Nutella! Also, while the dough on the outside was crispy, the dough on the inside was quite under-​cooked. I know some people enjoy that kind of text, but can’t say I feel the same.
We will definitely be back to try another savory calzone because every single one on the menu looks fantastic!

I’d only been to the downtown location until recently. And I loooooove this Clayton location just as much, if not more since it’s closer to my :)
The first time at this location, boyfriend and I called ahead with out order for carry out. We shared their smokehouse salad and five-​o calzone. This was perfect if not way filling. The five-​o is my favorite calzone, and this salad is INCREDIBLE.
Most recently, I came with some family visiting from Chicago who had never been before. There were 5 of us adults and my almost 2 year old niece. We were greeted immediately, and the staff quickly put together some tables and brought over a baby chair to accommodate us. We shared the strawberry fields salad and carmen, magic carpet ride, and ‘merica calzones. The ‘Merica was a special they were running which had hamburger meat, pickles, bacon, onions, and maybe some other? It came with an AMAZING bbq sauce! The magic carpet ride had tons of tasty mushrooms and was great even though I am not usually a big mushroom person. The carmen was so so; I thought the prosciutto was way too salty.
Overall wonderful meal and the staff was wonderful! I think the five-​o is still my favorite, and I can’t wait to go back!

When a food establishment makes you crave leftovers… it is TO DIE FOR!
SOTS is hands down– amazing. The food is fresh, innovative, well prepared, and delicious. Portions are large. I only eat half of my calzone so I can relish in delight with leftovers a day or two after a visit.
The salads at SOTS are very good. If I worked closer I could see just having a salad lunch now and then. Fresh, filling ingredients and well paired dressing. SOTS is worth a trip for salad alone.
Now let’s get to the calzones. They have a monthy special, SOTS Creations, and The Fold. The Fold is a Create Your Own Calzone. It comes with two cheeses and you go from there. The sauce is literally ON THE SIDE. Choose carefully from their list of sauces. They have about ten to choose from. The calzones are big enough to share — but I warn you — you will want your own. My fork would be up as a battle weapon to anyone trying to come near my Calzone. I think the Figgy Piggy is my ultimate favorite– but it is hard to say…

I love this place! I’m still thinking of the food I had last night.
We started off sharing the strawberry fields salad. I’m not much of a salad eater so I need to be wow-​Ed and I was. They split it in the back for us.
We had the meat me in St. Louie calzone. I wasn’t sure what to expect because of the meats listed but it was the right combo of pepperoni and Italian sausage. Delicious.
We ended with the Nutella and banana dessert calzone. To. Die. For. Different but hearty– heartier than the crêpe that often has these ingredients.
I will most definitely be back. Often.