From its iconic Gateway Arch, the tallest manmade monument in the Western hemisphere, to its rich blues music history, St. Louis can be easy nationally to miss. After Kansas City, Missouri’s second-largest city sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. This truly Midwestern city is both gritty and blue collar as it is pushing into the 21st century with inspired food and drink industry creatives taking it into new territory.
There is plenty of mediocrity on the food front, to be sure, and some of my recommendations here come with a mixed bag or certain dishes to order over others. But over two visits in 2022, I visited over 40 STL restaurants, food stops and bars, with these 13 holding the strongest highlights. My top 10 St. Louis cocktail bars are in my Distiller Magazine article, some of which overlap with restaurants here in my food guide:
MID-RANGE NEW AMERICAN RESTAURANTS
One of STL’s Best: Little Fox
One of the most consistent and nationally current restaurants I’ve been to out of over 40 last year in STL is James Beard semi-finalist Little Fox. They also boast one of the tightest natural and small producer wine lists in STL (besides at natural wine shop/bar Grand Spirits Bottle Company) — including 12 natural orange wines by the bottle — with good cocktails, too.
From meaty ‘nduja croquetas or funky-spicy Calabrian chili-Italian fish sauce short ribs, husband-wife Mowgli and chef Craig Rivard excel with modern day comfort food. Housemade herb cavatelli pasta laced with fennel, roasted cauliflower, parmesan, toasted breadcrumbs and a gremolata sauce reminds me of New American pastas that proliferate at home in SF. Bone marrow and onion soup packed with caramelized onions, fontina cheese and breadcrumbs in an apple brandy-laced beef broth is a smart twist on French onion soup. The space evokes retro-1980s in soft blues, peaches and pinks with friendly staff and a cozy bar.
// 2800 Shenandoah Avenue, St. Louis; www.littlefoxstl.com
Sunny California/Hawaiian-Inspired Food: Yellowbelly and Lazy Tiger
Opened by Travis Howard and Tim Wiggins (of Retreat Gastropub) in September 2018, Yellowbelly’s sunny Hawaii-meets-California inspiration is singular in STL, serving exceptional, balanced Cali-born Tiki drinks. Hidden in the back of Yellowbelly is Lazy Tiger, with a darker, India-meets-Africa vibe and totally different but also exceptional cocktails leaning more spirituous, funky, rum and agave-forward. The surprise is that Yellowbelly’s food keeps up with its delightful drinks — and the food menu is also available in Lazy Tiger.
Oysters are playfully briny-zippy in pineapple tepache, aleppo pepper and lime, Nashville hot fried oysters sing with pickles while Faroe Islands salmon tostadas are silky and fresh. But I also dig carrots in chimichurri, macadamia nuts and eel sauce or rum-battered fried cod on a Hawaiian sesame bun with creole tartar sauce and slaw. Paired with lead bartender Sam’s Linehan cocktails (like a creamy, balanced Creole Colada, or Frio Fresco of J. Rieger Midwestern Dry Gin, pandan leaf, aloe vera, coconut, lemon, nutmeg), this is one happy meal — and a great brunch spot, too (I dined for both dinner and brunch).
// 4659 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis; https://yellowbellystl.com; www.lazytigerstl.com
Cozy Modern Asian with Hospitable Chef: Akar
Like Indo below, Akar — opened June 2019 in Clayton, a short drive from STL — is tiny and all about modern, non-traditional Asian cuisine. But thanks to chef Bernie Lee, my experience at Akar was warmer and even when inconsistent, still fun. Rangoon lobster “ravioli” in sweet mango dipping sauce exemplifies the fun, even if mapo tofu with mushroom “mincemeat” is so far from hundreds of favorite versions of the dish in my deep Chinese community at home or in Sichuan region of China, where it hails from.
Tempura soft shell crab was accompanied by a sweet corn medley and Singaporean chili sauce, very different from the chili crab I had in Singapore but calling on Lee’s neighboring (to Singapore) Malaysian roots. A short but sweet by-the-glass list offers merely a couple cocktails, but the one I tried, Serai (lemongrass-infused tequila, lime, Thai chile simple syrup, cilantro liqueur), was well-balanced and crushable. With creative Asian a rarity in the Midwest, this is a local treasure, especially thanks to Lee’s engaging hospitality.
// 7641 Wydown Blvd., Clayton; https://akarstl.com
Top Gin Bar with Modern Italian Food: Salve Osteria/The Gin Room
Natasha Bahrami and husband Mike Fricker’s (who also runs neighboring, delightful natural wine shop/bar Grand Spirits Bottle Company) the Gin Room is not just one of the Midwest’s best bars but one of the U.S.’ best gin bars, renowned for its gin selection, martini flights, ever-growing amari and vermouth selection and impeccable cocktails since 2013. In the same space was Bahrami’s parents’ beloved Persian restaurant, Cafe Natasha (yes, named after her), a local treasure for decades. As her parents retired spring 2022, Gin Room remains but the restaurant/food concept reopened as Salve Osteria, helmed by chef Matt Wynn of NYC’s Hearth and Craft Steak, and STL’s Niche, Sardella and Taste.
Dishes like bacon fat carrots in mustard, shallots, bacon and blue cheese crema or savory shrimp cannoli with a peach and corn relish forge a new modern Italian direction. Pastas varied (like a tough orecchiette, which easily could have been to the industry mobs descended on the place during a major distilling conference when I visited). But their handmade pasta room is a central focus, with ricotta ravioli stuffing with chicken, braised escarole and dried tomatoes being the most realized and delicious of four pastas I tried. Standouts were when chef Wynn wove in Persian nods to the Bahrami family roots, like classic Sicilian mozzarella and zucchini-stuffed arancini with a date agrodolce sauce. More of that could really set this place apart. Accompanied by a perfect, silky (with lime cordial) Mad Men Gimlet or Tomato of My Eye martini (Moletto tomato gin, manzanilla sherry, Rockwell dry vermouth, sea salt, onion), it’s a convivial night out.
// 3200 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis; www.salveosteria.com
Equally Great Food & Cocktails: Lucky Accomplice
Lucky Accomplice is one of the more standout spots to eat and drink over both my 2022 visits, thanks to chef/owner Logan Ely and chef Justin Bell’s food (Ely cooked in notable spots like Blue Hill in NYC and Shift in STL). Their east-meets-west play makes me feel at home (a California standard). Standout dishes included fluffy quark dumplings accented with peppercorn in an au poivre-esque sauce and shaved ricotta salata, or seared scallops bright in green tomato cream with tonburi seeds and chives. Wakame financiers were a playful take on the little cakes, savory in gooseberry koshu broth with aged lonza (cured pork loin) draped over. Even an apple pudding dessert wins with popcorn accents. I appreciate the chefs’ creativity and current vision. Couplde with well-balanced cocktails from Corey Moszer and team, Lucky Accomplice is one of STL’s best.
// 2501 S. Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis; www.theluckyaccomplice.com
Inconsistent but Ambitious Modern Asian Cuisine: Indo
A rarity in the Midwest like Akar above, Indo’s modern Asian food and drink menus stand out, as its accolades show (a James Beard Rising Star Chef semifinalist nod). Is it remotely on par with the best creative, modern Asian restaurants in the nation or the dime-a-dozen spots of its ilk in my own city? Honestly, no. There is a lot of inconsistency and weird, off notes, like double nori sheets around temaki (sushi handrolls) making it easier to pick up, but too thick to bite (had to do a hard pull, spilling out the insides). Marring texture and flavor balance, it’s something I’ve never seen in any handroll from Japan to California.
But I appreciate classic hotate (scallop) temaki perked up with kewpie mayo and puffed rice. Bland tomatoes and peaches were a letdown in an heirloom tomato salad with puffed rice and Thai basil, while oversalted sake yaki king salon drowns in tom kha coconut broth and chive oil. Faring better, a very non-traditional take on shrimp toast goes lively with mango sweet chili and cucumber salad, while a kanpachi (amberjack) handroll holds nice surprises like candied buckwheat. The sake list may be the norm at home, but again a rare a win for STL. Cocktails likewise sound more exciting than their imbalance actually offers, but in experienced hands, their creative vision could be just what I want to see more of (like the Genki Tenki cocktail with carrot-infused aquavit, Sotol, lime, mirin-prickly pear syrup, dill Salers Gentian aperitif and Bittermens Scarborough bitters — oh, to taste the more savory, dill and aquavit spice and sotol’s minerality).
// 1641D Tower Grove Avenue, St. Louis; www.indo-stl.com
Solid Modern Italian: Louie
Since opening late 2017 in the nearby suburb of Clayton (like Akar above), Louie is an ever-packed STL darling. Owner Matt McGuire’s menu of Italian Neapolitan-style pizzas and modern pasta has not only been ubiquitous in my home city of SF a good 20 years, but at least on the wood-fired pizza side, common across the nation. Packed with industry folk, straightforward cocktails and an Italian-heavy wine list, this James Beard semi-finalist is certainly fun.
Even if the pizza is not among few hundred bests I’ve had in U.S. alone, pastas and small plates are maybe a stronger way to go, though still pretty straightforward (compared to, as one example, the creativity and exquisite perfection of similarly mid-range places like SF’s Flour+Water or even their more casual sister, Penny Roma). Expect the likes of a comforting charred eggplant dip with puffed house bread, straightforward but good broccolini in Calabrian vinaigrette or grilled Spanish octopus marked by potato, chickpeas, soppressata and Calabrian chiles. While pappardelle Bolognese and Roman gnocco in pork ragu and bechamel sauce may not wow, it’s all a solid night out with friends.
// 706 De Mun Avenue, Clayton; www.louiedemun.com
SANDWICHES
Unforgettable Sandwiches: Blues City Deli
By far my favorite affordable meal — and maybe even my favorite overall meal — in STL was unexpectedly Blues City Deli drawing crowds since 2004. I trekked through unplowed streets after an intense snowstorm to visit… and did not regret it. Many of my favorite blues musicians on the walls, blues streaming through the intimate shop and the smell of roasting pork and happiness reached pushed its pinnacle when I took a bite of their original roast beef on a warm seeded French roll, loaded with tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion and mayo. Damn. Ditto their killer garlic-peppered pork roast, which is available in two different sandwiches… it tasted like childhood (I did live in Kansas City, MO, ages 1–6, after all) on a melt–in-the-mouth bun. Sheer comfort, unctuous goodness, happiness. Maybe my favorite edible memory of STL.
// 2438 McNair Avenue, St. Louis; www.bluescitydeli.com
American-Italian Sandwich Classic: Gioia’s Deli
The original location of Gioia’s Deli — with three locations and a third on its way this Spring — is located in St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood, The Hill. This STL legend since 1918 was named a James Beard America’s Classic in 2017. Their hot salami sandwiches on Fazio’s Bakery bread are legendary, loaded with Volpi Salumeria meats. It’s one hearty, massive, gratifying sandwich. While it may be far from my favorite hearty sandwich, more about being loaded than nuanced, it’s a local classic necessary for your STL initiation.
// 1934 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis; www.gioiasdeli.com
BARBECUE
Local BBQ Legend: Pappy’s Smokehouse
In 2008, Mike Emerson opened Pappy’s Smokehouse, which has become St. Louis’ definitive barbecue joint. While STL may live in Kansas City’s shadow when it comes to ‘que, Pappy’s is visited by celebs and long lines of locals. I must say I was a bit disappointed, as a barbecue fanatic who has road tripped across the Deep South, Texas and Missouri the past 17 years, studying my BBQ styles. Their Memphis-style ribs are fatty, unctuous with a nice caramelized rub crust, but my veered gristly in bites. Adding on burnt ends (one of my faves) was just sheer gristle, a real bummer. I tried some solid sides and wish I had room for Frito Pie.
// 3106 Olive Street, St. Louis; www.pappyssmokehouse.com
Local BBQ Chain: Salt + Smoke: BBQ, Bourbon, Beer
With six locations, it may not be popular for me to say, but Salt + Smoke was my favorite of my local BBQ meals over both visits to St. Louis. Pitmaster/chef Haley Riley does a nice mix between St. Louis cut ribs, burnt ends, brisket, and my pick of the combo platter I tried: fried jalapeno cheddar bologna. A true Midwestern treat. I hoped for more melting-goodness from the somewhat dry bacon cheddar popover, but some of the sides worked: namely sweet pepper potato salad, less so the bland coleslaw. With their bourbon and beer selection, it can be the whole package.
BARS WITH COMFORT FOOD
One of STL’s Best Cocktail Bars with Comfort Food: Planter’s House
Ted and Jamie Kilgore are St. Louis bar pioneers in the modern day cocktail renaissance, opening Planter’s House with business partner Ted Charak in 2013, housed in a historic STL building also home to the more intimate Bullock Room bar and an expansive patio. Cocktails are among STL’s very best, really the top two alongside the Gin Room above (think a balanced, nuanced Someone Stole My Car: aquavit, Tapatio 110° Blanco Tequila, carrot juice, lemon sriracha). But the food comforts with vegetarian options like grilled celery root, Swiss chard and caramelized onion in red curry sauce or mushroom pancit, alongside meaty heartiness, like seared duck breast carbonara with pancetta, mushrooms, egg, thyme and pecorino romano cheese.
// 1000 Mississippi Avenue, St. Louis; www.plantershousestl.com
Super Fun Hangout with Burgers: Golden Hoosier
Open in pandemic in May 2021, Golden Hoosier is one seriously fun place. There are paintings of people like Redd Foxx, taxidermied heads of animals from turtles to turkeys, “Home Alone” on the TVs during my visit (I’m anti-TVs in restaurants/bars, but movies can enhance atmosphere) and a performance stage in the upstairs bar, all make it an ideal place to linger. The back garden “campground” is the most fun of all, from a campfire surrounded by tree stump seats to an outdoor bar marked “Pastor Dave’s Shelter.” It feels like being at summer church camp… but with burgers and cocktails. This is more about comfort than gourmet destination. Think veggie chili, tomato soup enhanced with white wine, fennel, herbs and cream, or burgers with varying toppings like Hoosier sharp cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato and 1000 island dressing.
// 3707 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis; www.thegoldenhoosier.com