I’ve got great news for local bourbon and steak lovers! There’s a new, delicious steakhouse in Mount Vernon—Cask and Cleaver! Bill Constantine, owner of Cask and Cleaver and Il Granaio Italian Restaurant, opened this bourbon-centered steakhouse on Nov. 1, 2025. Constantine found that he wanted to spice things up and take on a new challenge. At the time, he had already been operating Il Granaio for five years.
“By accident, one of my servers was walking her dog by this building…and said, ‘Oh, there’s still a sign here, it’s still for lease,’” says Constantine. “This was like eight months [after it went on the market], and no one had leased the space yet…I called the agent and said, ‘That might be a cool idea. I could have two restaurants close to each other, I can operate them both easier.’”
Photograph by Griffin Ritzo
Little did Constantine know that Cask and Cleaver’s opening would become highly anticipated by the community. A mere couple of weeks after opening, they were so busy that they had to start turning customers away.
“[Last Saturday] we had 210 people. We turned away 40 or 50…There were a few tables that were telling us that there were traffic jams to get into town, and they thought there was a concert or something…but they were all just coming here,” says Constantine.
From the handsome, cozy interior to the deliciously stacked menu, it’s no surprise that this was the case. In fact, the perfected ambience is one of Constantine’s favorite parts of Cask and Cleaver.
Photograph by Griffin Ritzo
“It’s got a very warm and inviting feeling, dim lighting. I love the smell of the smoke that comes from our smoky drinks…we do the bananas foster table size, so there’s fire coming out of that next to your table…with nice music,” says Constantine.
Cask and Cleaver is also set apart by its culinary use of bourbon over other alcohols. Take the bananas foster, for example. Constantine knew that bananas foster is a staple in steakhouses and wanted to include it on the menu, but instead of using dark rum, Constantine uses bourbon. This change has made the bananas foster one of his favorite items on the menu. Bourbon is also used in their compound butter.
Photograph by Griffin Ritzo
While Constantine recognizes the undeniable importance of a unique and intriguing menu, he also knows that without a great staff, the steakhouse would not be running as smoothly as it does today.
“What I love the most about this place is the staff. They’re incredible people, and they’ve worked so hard to get this place going, especially the kitchen crew,” says Constanine. “I invest a lot of …time and money in the people we hire and [in] training them, but it’s also an emotional connection. I feel like my employees are an extension of me and I treat them like family.”
Photograph by Griffin Ritzo
Constantine is very passionate about the hospitality of the job. He wants to ensure that every customer leaves his establishment feeling satiated, like the experience was worth spending their hard-earned money on, and that they would like to come back soon. If you have the privilege to spend an evening dining at Cask and Cleaver, I have no doubt that you will. 416 Myrtle St., Mount Vernon, 360.419.0674, candcsteakhouse.com
