Destination
Dessert

Monica Lee, a former public relations executive turned restaurateur, fell in love with travel as an undergraduate student at Kenyon College. After studying abroad six months each in Spain and China, she immediately moved to Beijing upon earning her degree. There, she embarked on a corporate job and a life of globe-trotting, exploring countries across Asia such as Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand, as well as European cities like London and Paris.  

The St. Louis native was vacationing in the United States during the onset of the 2020 global health crisis when she was locked out of China. This set off a chain of events that led her to leave behind the life she had built and undertake a new adventure: opening a Korean café in her hometown. Today, she is the founder and owner of Spoonful Desserts, a highly successful business with two locations in Creve Coeur and Edwardsville, Illinois, launched in 2022 and 2024, respectively. By introducing guests to the epicurean pleasures she grew up with as a Korean American and came to love as a world traveler, she brings a taste of South Korea — and Asia more broadly — back to her fellow St. Louisans. 

“It always helped me get over my fears to talk to locals about their food,” Lee says. “When they took the time to explain it to me, it broke down a barrier. That’s what I strive to do at Spoonful. I love introducing people to Korean desserts and seeing what they like and don’t like. It’s me bringing my travels home in a way, sharing that with people.”

Spoonful centers on two signature sweet treats. First, bingsu: Korean shaved ice cream made with milk and condensed milk and served with a range of possible toppings, from house-made fruit sauces to candy or cereal. A second and complementary item is taiyaki, a popular street food in both Korea and Japan. It is akin to a stuffed waffle and traditionally baked in the shape of a fish. The café also hosts a substantial beverage menu, from bubble teas to iced and hot coffees sourced from St. Louis’ Blueprint Coffee. 

The venture is driven by Lee’s fixation with flavor. Naturally picky, she obsessively sought out variations of bingsu throughout her travels and, upon returning to St. Louis during the pandemic, was disappointed to discover its absence from the local food scene. After taking on a temporary gig as manager of JooJoo Restaurant & Karaoke — a popular mom-and-pop joint owned by a relative — she started market testing bingsu alongside JooJoo’s mix of authentic Korean dinner cuisine. It was such a hit that customers lingered, and the restaurant had trouble turning over tables in time with demand. Such fervor inspired the name and concept for Spoonful, which eventually would become JooJoo’s neighbor in Creve Coeur. “I was like, what’s the process of eating bingsu?” Lee recalls. “It’s always one more bite, one more bite, aka ‘spoonful.’” 

With its offering of something fun and new — enhanced by an inviting atmosphere and earnest customer service — Spoonful immediately hit its stride in the St. Louis community. “During my opening, I was blown away by the amount of people from my past who showed up,” says Lee, who grew up in Creve Coeur and Olivette. “Word of mouth is unbelievably strong here. There’s such a willingness to support local institutions and newer local people. I’m so grateful for how St. Louisans want to support each other and build St. Louis up.”

After only one year of business, Lee was approached by Nadeem Hosseini, the owner of Poke Munch, a counter-service restaurant that serves healthy burritos and bowls centered around poke, a traditional Hawaiian dish. Hosseini asked Lee to join his new space in Edwardsville, and she embraced the chance to open a second location alongside an industry veteran who had steadfastly supported her with candid, practical feedback. Today, their partnership is thriving. 

“We’ve become friends with the Poke Munch workers,” she says. “It’s great to talk shop with them, to see what is happening in other parts of the industry and share resources, information, equipment … It adds to a community feel.” 

Indeed, Lee’s other main goal is to build community through food. Spoonful’s official mission statement is “to create a space that’s welcoming for everyone,” and so far, the company is making good on that commitment by cultivating a distinct café culture that draws specifically from South Korea. There, dessert cafés typically stay open later, revolve around specific themes or foods, and generally function as vital communal spaces beyond the home and workplace.

“Koreans will drink coffee at any time of day. It’s insane,” says Lee, who set Spoonful’s operating hours from 12 to 9 p.m. This attracts large groups of students while also providing a friendly space for families with children in tow. “I think we all share that passion for good food. By introducing people to great Korean desserts, it helps strengthen those bonds for everybody.”

When asked about her most popular items, Lee recommends Spoonful’s “Blueberry Fields” bingsu topped with chunks of cheesecake, and all fruit options flavored with strawberry, mango, or both. Young or new palates also enjoy “Cookies ‘n Dreams” and “Fruity Pebbles,” she says, literally made with the cereal. Whatever the order, customers can expect a fluffy, snow-like consistency and house-made sauces whose recipes were personally crafted by Lee in her parents’ home kitchen. 

Taiyaki is less ethereal, richer in carbs. It arrived in Korea by way of Japan. “Taiyaki is winter street food,” Lee says. “There’s an app where people can see the nearest taiyaki stall in the winter. It’s a nostalgic part of Korean culture.” At Spoonful, when it comes to fillings, sweet red bean paste is the most traditional choice, but it’s even better when paired with cream cheese, she says. Nutella also is a crowd-pleaser, while the Oreo taiyaki tastes like a fried Oreo.

But many of Spoonful’s most-loved sweets come in liquid form. All bubble teas consist of iced black tea mixed with various flavorings, such as milk, fruit juice, tapioca pearls, or pieces of fresh fruit. The extensive menu contains a bubble tea for all tastes — from traditional “tiger sugar,” with a milk base and smoky brown sugar, to fruit variations combining oolong black tea, fresh strawberries, peaches, or grapefruit, and chia seeds. And coffee is not to be forgotten. “The mint Irish cream has my heart right now,” Lee says.

Lee and her team plan to soon roll out a new line of fruit bubble teas infused with banana and orange flavors, in addition to a line of sparkling water drinks. Indeed, the menu is constantly expanding. Her group of roughly 15 employees offer real-time inspiration through a group chat, a physical binder of notes, as well as a standing meeting known as “Test Kitchen Tuesdays” to try out new recipes. 

“We allow spontaneity and creativity in our cafés,” she says. “This keeps things interesting.” She upholds a rule that everyone in the company must sample a new recipe before launching it for the public. “Even when we make something bad, it becomes a dare for everyone to try it,” she explains. “At some point, we all just get sugar high and go crazy.”

It also builds community within the young company, which is entirely run by women and comprises a majority of staff members who identify as queer. “Something I’m really proud of, which was not conscious on my part, is that most of our team is queer,” Lee says. “It makes me so proud to create that space for our team.”

As Spoonful develops, Lee continues to build meaningful relationships with local industry mentors. Blueprint’s Mike Marquard and Nora Brady have contributed knowledge and education on everything from coffee and espresso to sourcing machines. Munsok So, who leads So Hospitality Group, including the hit St. Louis restaurants Drunken Fish, Kimchi Guys, and the 612 North catering company, also has served as a guide. And Rachel Burns of Bold Spoon Creamery has shared with Lee her personal story of launching and scaling an ice cream business.

But the supportive energy is perhaps most strongly felt among Spoonful’s loyal customer base. For Lee, it comes down to the “one more bite, one more bite” ethos, which is alive and well in St. Louis. “St. Louisans have such a hunger for good things,” she says. “Whether it’s good food, a good park, a good market, a good restaurant, there’s such an appetite for trying new stuff.” 

Lee’s own appetite includes a taste for more travel, but for now, she is content with doing a local deep dive, including preparations to purchase her own home in University City. “I happen to be a café owner and entrepreneur,” she says. “But I count myself as one of many St. Louisans who wants the best for St. Louis and more.”