× Expand Courtesy of Spiegelglass Construction Company

A café will soon open at the Gateway Arch, becoming the first onsite restaurant since its completion over 50 years ago.

St. Louis–based Spiegeglass Construction Company will begin construction this week on The Arch Café, which will be located at the base of the Gateway Arch. The café will seat 28 (plus an additional 60 in the common area) and offer a farm-to-table menu, along with vending machines, box lunches, and a coffee bar. It's expected to open July 4, just in time for Fair St. Louis, which returns to the Arch grounds this year.

The café also plans to be environmentally friendly. It's instituted a zero-waste program, and nearly all waste from the café will either be recyclable or compostable. Furthermore, the restaurant will educate visitors on environmental practices to help improve the planet.

“Spiegelglass Construction has strong roots in St. Louis—our business began here in 1904, the year of the World’s Fair,” said the company's co-owner Barry Spiegelglass in a statement. “It’s an incredible honor to now be constructing The Arch Café at the Gateway Arch more than 110 years after my grandfather opened Spiegelglass Construction nearby in downtown St. Louis.”

At The Arch Café, which will be 1,600 square feet, expect such items as ribs, hamburgers, paninis, and toasted ravioli, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options.

The café will operate under Evelyn Hill Inc., which oversees concessions at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore. Owner and president Bradford Hill said in a statement, “When we saw the bid opportunity for a concession stand at the Gateway Arch, we jumped at the chance.”

× Expand Courtesy of Spiegelglass Construction Company