At Downtown Pub and Grill in Warrenton, patrons have been served fresh lunches and dinners at reasonable prices — and now breakfast also is available.Downtown Pub and Grill, located at 101 West Booneslick Road, is owned by Laura Werner and Mike Werner. The couple have been married for about 22 years. Customers see Laura almost every day. She manages the place, cooks, tends bar, serves tables and cleans up. Mike, an auto body technician, helps out when he can, and sings his wife’s praises.“This is not our corner bar anymore. This is a new place in town,” said Mike. “Everything’s homemade. Everything’s fresh.”The couple renovated the space for 10 weeks before opening. The heating and cooling systems were replaced, plumbing repaired, all new floors installed, new bathrooms, a new kitchen. The list goes on.“The only thing that didn’t change was this bar,” Laura said, putting her hand down on the shiny wood surface were she has poured countless drinks since the restaurant opened for business May 2, 2016. She said the bar was installed by a previous owner about a decade ago.The new owners wanted a new look to go with the new menu and new atmosphere they were creating. They didn’t want people to mistake the place with what had been there during all the decades before them.The bar offers craft beers and has eight beers on tap. Bottles are available too. On the menu, they offer casual foods: salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers and pizza. Off the menu, they have daily specials that are advertised on a chalkboard outside the door and on the restaurant’s Facebook page, which also displays the restaurant’s hours for the day. Mike said people rave about the fresh pizzas and the Philly cheese wrap.“Everybody in town loves our wraps,” he said. The menu, overall, has been popular.“Customers are regulars, and we get new ones all the time.” Laura said. “Business has been really good. Everybody seems to have a good time, they like the food and we’re kid- friendly.”After a successful first year, they are adding breakfast that will be served Tuesdays through Saturdays from 6-10:30 a.m.It means more work for Laura, and she’s OK with that.“I love doing this. I love cooking, and you meet a lot of interesting people,” she said.Before the Werners owned the Downtown Pub and Grill, they owned the Outhouse (aka the “old Rooster bar”) in Pendleton.The Downtown Pub and Grill is open daily. Happy hour is from 2-6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 4-8 p.m. Fridays.For more information, call the Downtown Pub and Grill at 636-456-1032 or visit its Facebook page.

Laura Werner, owner of Downtown Pub and Grill in Warrenton tends bar on a Tuesday just before the afternoon rush. After a year of growth, the business is adding hours and offering breakfast. Record photo/Kate Miller.