That became clear on a recent visit. Free-range Amish chicken thighs were marinated for 24 hours in garlic, onions and soy milk, then simmered for three hours before being stuffed in a grain-free “caulichilada” made from egg, cheese and cauliflower. Yet the meat remained the star, juicy and rich enough to make me wish for a bit less cheese.

The bunless bulgogi burger was even better. Grass-fed chuck from a local farm was ground twice and mixed with apple, garlic, sesame and other Korean spices before being seared in olive oil. On its own, it would have been tasty; with creamy avocado and an oozing sautéed egg, it was downright indulgent. And with organic mesclun replacing the bun, and tart cucumber kimchi subbing for the fries, it was relatively lean.

There is no dessert menu, but fresh-squeezed juice blends like Hugo’s Jugo (watermelon, pineapple, orange and green apple) seem like a reasonable and healthy trade-off.

Not surprisingly, given the fare and Mr. Lusky’s connections, the outfielder Jon Jay and other Cardinals are frequent visitors, Rams players stop by for brunch, and the Blues, who order all their postgame meals from Mr. Lusky, trickle in throughout the week.

But the real promise comes from those outside the world of sports. Mr. Lusky’s brand of athlete-approved food has been so popular with the general public that he plans to open both a larger second location and a food truck this year. It’s enough to make you hope that, even if we don’t exercise like the pros, we may start eating that way.