I found my thrill at Mulberry Grill!

The Katy Trail stretches over 200 miles east and west across Missouri, intersecting with a number of trailheads and (mostly) small towns. Bill and Chris carry essential biking food with them–gel packs and other “tasty” “gourmet” energy treats, as well as plenty of water.  Dinner can be eaten wherever we stay, usually a larger town.  But lunch can be interesting, as they like to eat near the trail. Don’t want to lose any time!

The general perception is that the best meals are found in large cities in upscale restaurants.  But the Mulberry Grill and Bakery in Rocheport, Missouri puts paid to that assumption in a big way!  The small building overlooks the trail, and you order at the window.  There are tables on a patio, shade provided by overhanging trees and cooling breezes by large fans.  The day we ate there, it was hot and humid, but the fans moved the air nicely.  Sandwiches used to be on the menu, but Bruce told me he couldn’t figure out a way to make them pay.  The menu consists of a salad option and pizza cooked in wood-burning oven located right next to the eating area, built by Bruce’s dad, a former professor who still puts the pizzas in the oven and who also made the kitchen and the patio.

The pizzas have earned Mulberry great reviews and for good reason.  They were the best I’ve had outside of Italy and compare favorably with any I had there!  The 10″ crust made the pizza.  It was thin but chewy, not brittle, and absolutely delicious.  The ingredients were fresh and ample.  The only bad thing is that I don’t know anywhere near us that makes similar quality pizza for anywhere near the price and Rocheport is too far away for a casual dinner.  Four stars for Mulberry from all three of us!