Riverfront Times Food Lover's Guide 2022 by Chava Communications

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

TA B L E OF Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Rosalind Early Food Lover’s Guide Editor Cheryl Baehr EDITORIAL Managing Editor Daniel Hill Digital Content Editors Jaime Lees, Jenna Jones Food Editor Cheryl Baehr Contributors Cheryl Baehr, Rosalind Early, Sarah Fenske, Daniel Hill, Jenna Jones, Ryan Krull, Jaime Lees, Monica Obradovic, Jessica Rogen, Benjamin Simon Photographers Mabel Suen, Phuong Bui, Vu Phong Proofreader Evie Hemphill Editorial Interns Julian McCall, Carlos Mendoza, Lulu Nix, Kasey Noss, Olivia Poolos ART & PRODUCTION Art Director Evan Sult Creative Director Haimanti Germain Production Manager Sean Bieri Graphic Designer Aspen Smit MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Colin Bell Account Manager Jennifer Samuel Directors of Business Development Rachel Hoppman, Chelsea Nazaruk Directors of Sponsorship Sales Deanna Schmidt MARKETING Director of Marketing & Events Christina Kimerle Marketing Coordinator Sydney Schaefer Social Media Coordinator Jamila Jackson BUSINESS Regional Operations Director Emily Fear CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers EUCLID MEDIA GROUP Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner Editor at Large Jessica Rogen VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein VP of Marketing Emily Tintera, Cassandra Yardeni www.euclidmediagroup.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING VMG Advertising 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Send address changes to Riverfront Times, 5257 Shaw Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $78/6 months (MO add $4.74 sales tax) and $156/year (MO add $9.48 sales tax) for first class. Allow 6-10 days for standard delivery. www.riverfronttimes.com The Riverfront Times is published weekly by Euclid Media Group | Verified Audit Member Riverfront Times PO Box 179456, St. Louis, MO, 63117 www.riverfronttimes.com General information: 314-754-5966 Founded by Ray Hartmann in 1977

Riverfront Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1.00 plus postage, payable in advance at the Riverfront Times office. Riverfront Times may be distributed only by Riverfront Times authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Riverfront Times, take more than one copy of each Riverfront Times weekly issue. The entire contents of Riverfront Times are copyright 2018 by Riverfront Times, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the expressed written permission of the Publisher, Riverfront Times, 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103. Please call the Riverfront Times office for back-issue information, 314-754-5966.

CONTENTS

ST. LOUIS CIT Y

Downtown

Lafayette Square/Soulard

Benton Park & Its Neighbors

Central West End/Cortex

Midtown/Grand Center

The Grove

Shaw/Botanical Heights

Dogtown

Tower Grove South & East

The Hill & Its Neighbors

North Hampton, Southampton, Crown District

Cherokee Street

South of Meramec

North City

ST. LOUIS COUNTY

South County

Maryland Heights

Ferguson, Florissant, Hazelwood

Overland /St. Ann

Maplewood

Kirkwood/Webster Groves

Richmond Heights/Brentwood

Clayton/Ladue

The Loop/University City/Olivette

West County

St. Charles County

METRO EAST

Cover photo of Kimchi Guys by Mabel Suen. RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

Authentic Hong Kong Style Cuisine

VOTED ST. LOUIS’ #1 CHINESE CUISINE! FRESH & HEALTHY.

WE CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT!

OPEN DAILY

DIM SUM

EVERYDAY 11AM-3PM

11AM-10PM 8116 OLIVE BLVD. • (314) 567-9997 • WONTONKINGSTL.COM 6

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

A FOOD SCENE WITH DEPTH

ver the past few years, the St. Louis restaurant scene has been thrust into the national dining spotlight, with tastemakers from far and wide eager to crown the city an emerging food destination. The New York Times has taken a look; so has Food & Wine, Esquire, Eater and the James Beard Foundation, each touting a crop of thrilling new restaurants that have helped St. Louis — at least in culinary terms transcend its yover city status. They’re right. In the last couple of years, St. Louis has been blessed with one restaurant opening after another that adds layers of complexity to our city’s food conversation. Bosnian cuisine has finally made its way into the mainstream conversation; Filipino food, too. Second-generation Americans are embracing their traditions in the form of stunning takes on Thai, Japanese and Chinese dishes, elegant eateries are rethinking what goes on the center of the plate, and trendy corner spots are redefining what it means to be a neighborhood restaurant.

However, the St. Louis restaurant scene did not begin when others started to take notice. From mom-and-pop diners and south-city dives to world-class fine-dining and genre-defining seasonal spots, St. Louis has been blessed with an abundance of restaurants that created a foundation for the new kids to build upon. That they remain relevant, integral parts of our city’s culinary fabric is not only a testament to their quality but a living, breathing reminder of how we got to where we are. The 2022 Food Lover’s Guide is a celebration of both the past and the present — of the established restaurants that laid the groundwork for what we have become and the up-and-comers who are building culinary skyscrapers upon that solid foundation. Sorted by neighborhood and personally vetted, this curated list of the area’s essential dining spots will give you a comprehensive picture of the exciting local dining scene that shows how we got here and where we are headed. If the past is prologue, it’s a bright future indeed. —Cheryl Baehr

Please check restaurant websites for opening and closing hours as these are subject to change.

Tacos La Jefa.

MABE L SU E N

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

The City DOWNTOWN Cinder House

At Cinder House (999 North Second Street, 314881-5759), acclaimed chef Gerard Craft has created a menu of dazzling South American-style dishes inspired by Craft’s Brazilian “Dia.” Small plates such as crab ceviche or crispy shrimp and squid evoke a Brazilian beachside barbecue, while entrees are one masterpiece after another. he five-star rendition of feijoada is a must-try, and meats grilled over a wood fire are as good as the offerings at any steakhouse in town. The food is made more thrilling by the stunning setting; the view from the eighth oor of the our easons is simply awe-inspiring. $$$-$$$$. Opens daily at 8 a.m. Rooftop patio open daily from 2 p.m. to close.

Kimchi Guys

Located in Laclede’s Landing, the fast-casual Kimchi Guys (612 North Second Street, 314-7664456) serves Korean fried chicken, along with dumplings, sandwiches, Korean BBQ bowls and a host of Korean/Mexican fusion items like the Korrito a burrito stuffed with kimchi fried rice plus your choice of protein). Vegans aren’t ignored, with both bowls and “takos” available with spicy, marinated plant-based chicken. Thirsty? Kimchi Guys serves not only soda and water but the Korean beer Hite and soju, the vodka of Korea. $. Opens at 11 a.m. daily, with service until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday until 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

Rooster

In a small move with a big impact, Rooster (1025 Washington Street, 314-241-8118) is now around the corner from its original location. Settle in for a bountiful brunch at an eye-catching and practical community table that creates a beautiful centerpiece in the serene space. Since the move, acclaimed chef

Cassy Vires has come onboard the restaurant’s agship group, Baileys’ estaurants. dhering to their farm-to-table model and sourcing local ingredients, ooster’s menu offers a modern take on breakfast. Crepes, scrambles and breakfast sandwiches are available with many variations including vegan options. Enjoy traditional coffee beverages, or branch out with a matcha mint latte or a Dreamsicle smoothie. If you need a little something spicy with your scrambled eggs, opt for a cocktail. Look for new menu items at the original ooster, as well as their South Grand location in the future. $$. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE/ SOULARD The Bellwether

The main dining room at the Bellwether (1419 Carroll Street, 314-380-3086) is downright sexy with luxe velvet seating, brocade tapestries and Moroccan-inspired hanging lanterns. It might put you in the mood for indulgence, which is perfect, because you’ll never want to stop eating hef homas utrell’s dishes. ere, the humble pork steak gets elevated to fine dining as utrell cooks the meat sous vide for hours and finishes it off on the grill to make a mouthwatering, succulent feast. It’s served with a erman potato salad and topped off with a sweet and tangy Carolina barbecue sauce. Also on offer is a list of delectable-sounding cocktails. Order one for yourself or your date and see where the night takes you. $$$. Open daily from 5 to 9 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch Saturday and Sunday. Outdoor patio.

Hamilton’s Urban Steakhouse and Bourbon Bar

Hamilton’s (2101 Chouteau Avenue, 314-241-2333) is a high-caliber steakhouse, but it has a cozy,

neighborhood feel to it — the sort of place you’d go with business partners to celebrate closing a deal rather than the pretentious place you’d take a new client to seal it. Still, the menu hews to the template, with a show-stopping dry-aged ribeye and a terrific Kansas ity strip. Unlike the corporate steakhouse chains, Hamilton’s includes your choice of side dish with each steak. Get the roasted-garlic mashed potatoes. When the juice and rendered fat of that ribeye mingle with these garlic-laden beauties, you hear the angels sing. $$$. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Jack Nolen’s

or some top-notch smash burgers, look no further than Jack Nolen’s (2501 South Ninth Street), which serves the crispy-on-the-edge, melty-inthe-middle patties on potato buns. It is clear that owner im rindstaff has been studying burgers for a while — even blogging about them — and has perfected a blend of chuck, short rib and brisket to create a quintessential burger patty. You can stack it up with a triple cheeseburger or get it spicy with a firecracker burger complete with jalapeño relish. Not into meat? Check out the pesto grilled cheese or plant-based chicken nuggets. Or just order the fries, which are meals in their own right. We recommend the Bluetine ries, a play on anadian-style poutine. hese are still covered with brown gravy, but instead of cheese curds, you get blue cheese crumbles on top. The no-frills Soulard establishment doesn’t have a phone, but you can still order takeout online or dine in person. $. Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub and Garden

or years, John D. McGurk’s (1200 Russell Boulevard, 314-776-8309) has been giving local bargoers an authentic taste of Ireland in the

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

midst of St. Louis’ French quarter. Dimly lit and filled with e posed brick and dark wood, c urk’s sprawling interior offers the preeminent place to e perience a pint this side of the merald sle unless it’s a lovely autumn day, in which case you should enjoy that pint ne t to the fountain in the stunning courtyard. t’s no wonder s uire named c urk’s one of the best bars in merica. full menu of stickto-your-ribs food offerings pairs perfectly with the environment. $-$$. Gigantic patio. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

acclaimed mi ologist ed Kilgore has parlayed his e pertise into the gold standard for bars in t. ouis friendly staff serving up absolutely terrific cocktails in two of the handsomest rooms in town. he kitchen, captained by chef am Boettler, makes it possible to go to Planter’s ouse for a dinner of coffee- and peppercorn-rubbed rack of lamb or seared trout and leave satisfied even without having a cocktail. But this is Planter’s ouse why on earth would you want to do that $$. Patio. Opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Planter’s House

Polite Society

Planter’s House (1000 Mississippi Avenue, 314696-2603) is t. ouis’ temple to the cocktail. ogether with his wife and fellow bartender amie Kilgore and their partner ed harak,

t Polite Society’s (1923 Park Avenue, 314-3252553) attractive bar and dining space, you’ll feel like an invited guest in someone’s stylish afayette Square home. The menu has as much to

•G

offer someone looking for a cocktail and uick bite as someone looking for a multi-course dinner. dd to the mi a thoughtful beverage list and servers who provide easy hospitality and, well, let’s just say that if the world was more like Polite ociety, we’d all be the happier for it. $$$. Open daily for dinner, with brunch Saturday and Sunday.

Tucker’s Place

n its four decades in business, Tucker’s Place (2117 South 12th Street, 314-772-5977) has grown to three locations, but the oulard original is a particularly huge draw for its affordable steaks in an unpretentious and historic setting. iners can e pect choices from filets, sirloins and strips, and unlike the national chains, ucker’s includes a dinner salad, baked potato and even

old Standard•

P H U ON G BU I

uilt in the 1840s, the narrow brick building that sits in the shadow of a train trestle at 736 South Broadway has been many things throughout its storied past — a boarding house, a record store, a laundry and a house of prostitution — but for the past 44 years, it’s lit up the area as the iconic Broadway Oyster Bar (736 South Broaway Street, 314-621-8811). This bastion of food, music and merriment may have been founded by Soulard nightlife legend Bob Burkhardt as a quirky, low-key place to enjoy zydeco over raw

Broadway Oyster Bar oysters, canned sardines and hard-boiled eggs, but over the years, it has transformed under various owners into the city’s essential Cajun restaurant and vibrant live music venue. When current owner Steve Sullivan and his business partner bought Broadway Oyster Bar a few years ago, he knew he was not simply taking over a drinking establishment; he was becoming the steward of an institution. Sullivan realized this on his initial walkthrough; when he noticed a sizable crack in the door of one of the restaurant’s ancient bathrooms,

12 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

he was promptly scolded by one of the former owners for suggesting he’d replace it. Instead, he ended up putting a poster over it. “I take pride in telling people I didn’t screw it up,” Sullivan says. “I haven’t changed anything. If I did anything to modify it or make it modern, I’d hear from regular customers in about 30 seconds. You just don’t change things here. There’s just not much head room to make it better than it is.” $$. Kitchen is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bar open till 3 a.m. daily.

Polite Society.

dinner rolls along with your cut of meat. The lemon-pepper salad dressing is so famous, people buy it by the bottle. $$-$$$. Opens weekdays at 11 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 4 p.m. Patio.

The Wood Shack

Chef Chris Delgado has imbued his quick-service restaurant with the sort of swagger typically reserved for more upscale establishments. From a cozy space on a tree-lined Soulard street, he’s smoking his own meats and serving top-notch sandwiches including the Soulard Primer, a prime-rib sandwich that puts to shame every roast-beef sandwich that came before it. Meanwhile, the Wood Shack’s (1862 South 10th Street, 314-833-4770) Three Cheesy Pigs is a pork-lover’s dream, pairing peppery, thick-sliced bacon with pulled pork and smoked ham on a French baguette with luscious comte cheese, pickled okra and pungent Champagne mustard. The standout side is the mac and cheese, a velvety concoction of corkscrew noodles and three-cheese sauce, its richness cut with crushed black peppercorns. $. Open daily. Limited seating inside; picnic tables out front.

BENTON PARK & ITS NEIGHBORS Blues City Deli

Since 2004, owner Vince Valenza has been the

MABE L SU E N

de facto ambassador of Benton Park, serving his impossibly good sandwiches to a crowd that turns this little stretch of south city into an impromptu street party any time the weather is good. Blues City Deli (2438 McNair Avenue, 314-773-8225) prides itself on having the feel of a “big old house party,” one where you’re likely to find yourself out back playing washers. Beer only. $. Open 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sidewalk seating.

Frazer’s Restaurant & Lounge

Chef/owner Frazer Cameron’s cooking strikes a balance between contemporary style, market freshness and good ol’ American comfort. The regular menu features steak, salmon and other popular dishes, but regulars know to check the chalkboards outside the kitchen for the specials: multiple catches of the day, a king crab boil, pork schnitzel — who knows, really? The cocktail list, too, is endlessly changing, with four seasons’ worth of selections in addition to a roster of classics. And few places are more fun to drink than Frazer’s (1811 Pestalozzi Street, 314-773-8646) bar, which has not only excellent cocktails but a snazzy mid-century modern vibe. $$-$$$. Opens at 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Little Fox

When Craig and Mowgli Rivard moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Craig’s hometown of St. Louis in 2019, they imagined themselves open-

ing a modern interpretation of the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. They found the perfect space in Fox Park; partnered with a prominent architecture and design firm and put together a vibrant menu, exciting beverage program and a hospitality ethos that would become the lovely Little Fox (2800 Shenandoah Avenue, 314-553-9456). The pandemic blew up their ideas about what Little Fox could be, though the husband-and-wife team have clawed their way back up the cliff through innovation, adaptation and a refusal to cede their dream. The result of their tenacity is a Little Fox that feels even more vital to the neighborhood than it did before. $$-$$$. Open Tuesday through Thursday 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m.

Lona’s Lil Eats

Owner Lona Lao hails from the remote southwestern part of China — closer to Laos and Burma than Beijing — and her mother is Thai (her father is part of the ethnic Lao Lao tribe, which boasts a rich barbecue culture). Lona’s Lil Eats (2199 California Avenue, 314-925-8938) draws its inspiration from her paternal heritage, but those other in uences are woven into its fabric as well. Lao and her husband Pierce Powers opened their fast-casual restaurant in 2014 and have been wowing diners ever since. The menu is simple: dumplings, wraps and plates. But ao’s avor combinations are so unique and multi-layered, your mouth will be dancing long after you finish your meal.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

14 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

$-$$. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sidewalk seating.

Lucky Accomplice

When Logan Ely announced the opening of Lucky Accomplice South efferson enue, 314-354-6100) in 2020, he said he wanted a friendly neighborhood gathering place that his then-restaurant, Shift, could not fully be. He achieved that, and then some, with Lucky Accomplice. Yet, he did so without dimming the luster he first brought to hift. ining at ucky ccomplice will make you think differently about food but without the pomp and circumstance of fine dining. pect something soulful yet refined, like the smoked chili mafalda served in a pancetta parmesan brodo with hon-shimeiji mushrooms, toasted yeast and a soft egg. $$$. Open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner and cocktails. Catch brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. Street parking only.

Milque Toast Bar

More an open-faced sandwich shop than a fancy toast spot, this cozy McKinley Heights gem will make a believer out of even the most trend-averse skeptic. Milque Toast’s (2212 South efferson enue - “topped toasts” — slathered with an ever-changing roster of toppings like goat cheese covered with tru ed mushrooms, or a luscious blue cheese version, spiked with Louisiana hot sauce — are simply delicious, with soups, stews and a few sides completing the menu. Smoothies, malts and fun drinks like a hibiscus fizz change with the seasons. . pens at a. . with hours until 4 p.m. daily.

Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.

or his sophomore effort, idney treet afe e ecutive chef Kevin ashan transformed the former iche space in Benton Park into a whitewashed beach shack with the freshest seafood in town. iners can feast on everything from lobster and crab boils to oyster po’boys to freshly shucked oysters and peeland-eat shrimp. The signature dish at Peacemaker Sidney Street - is its lobster roll. erved either onnecticut style, with drawn butter, or Maine style, with mayonnaise, the shockingly fresh meat is wrapped in a bun that is half brioche, half e as toast. eat eaters should not shy away from Peacemaker; its brisket sandwich rivals those served at the town’s best smokehouses. Boozy slushies add to the summer vacation vibe. $$$. Open for lunch and dinner daily.

Sidney Street Cafe

hef Kevin ashan’s cuisine is defined less by a particular genre than by a feeling — a sort of refinement of te ture and avor that comes from the hand of a master (is there a better seafood chef in town?). It’s no wonder that he’s achieved national recognition for his work, including the ames Beard ward for Best hef idwest in . Sidney Street’s

Sidney Street - vibe is more romantic than some of its peers in the city’s top echelons, with e posed brick walls, a dark bar and knowledgeable servers who know their way around a wine list. You can get adventurous with an sian-in ected appetizer from the ever-changing chalkboard list or order a steak with béarnaise. Either way, rest assured it’s been given ashan’s idas touch. $$$-$$$$. Opens daily at 5 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday.

CENTRAL WEST END/ CORTEX Bowood by Niche

n , Bowood arms set up shop in the entral West nd as an urban outpost of its rural operation in larksville. he result was an urban oasis, complete with a charming cafe that celebrated the farm’s bounty. Last year, acclaimed chef erard raft took over the shuttered cafe, turning it into a culinary destination with food as stunning as its environs. The new eatery, Bowood by Niche li e Street - , is a gorgeous sight to behold, set amidst the foliage and botanical decor of the surrounding nursery. But it’s not just the setting that makes it so magnificent. ecutive chef akota Williams has created a delicious menu of elegant breakfast and lunch fare – think cacio e pepe eggs and best-in-class egg salad – that has turned the restaurant into an essential neighborhood restaurant. is nighttime pri fi e menu, too, celebrates the season’s bounty with an ever-changing selection of flawlessly prepared dishes that are elevated, yet somehow feel like a warm hug. $$-$$$ Open for brunch Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursday through Monday for dinner from 5-9 p.m.

Brasserie by Niche

erard raft’s take on a classic Parisian brasserie has become a mecca for St. Louis’ favorite French dishes, from a cheese-crusted crock of onion soup to a killer cassoulet. The emphasis at Brasserie a lede enue - is on good ingredients prepared with skill and care, and while that doesn’t come cheaply, the payoff is worth it. he roasted chicken, served with shiitakes and dripping jus on its thick-cut bread base, is a masterpiece. And don’t even think of starting dinner without an order of gougeres. $$$. Dinner daily; brunch on Sunday. Sidewalk seating.

Juniper

unday. ight. ried. hicken. upper. avor the last moments of the weekend with this crowd favorite. Add a pitcher of cocktails or Busch beer, and onday morning will seem like a distant problem. Stop in earlier on Sunday for a brunch with biscuits aplenty and a Southern slant to other breakfast favorites.

uring the week, Juniper a lede enue - offers sophisticated, Southern cuisine ranging from the more traditional shrimp and grits to the upscale petite tender serving of beef. Sides are a must, and you’ll struggle to choose among the mac and cheese, collard greens and cornbread. A variety of bright cocktails accompanies the inspired menu. . Seated dinner ser i e to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday supper 5 to 9 p.m.

Retreat Gastropub

Retreat orth Sarah Street - hits that sweet spot between an upscale bar that serves food and a full-fledged restaurant. It’s a trendy place that somehow never feels like it’s trying too hard. redit goes to co-owners Travis Howard and Tim Wiggins, who hit all the right notes in a menu that includes everything from a top-notch burger to lamb gnocchi to smoked salmon dip. The cocktails are e ceptional. $$. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday; opens at 4 p.m. all other days. Screened-in sunroom.

Scottish Arms

Scottish Arms South Sarah Street - 0551) owner lly isbet, a native cot, has created an invitingly dark and welcoming pub, perfect for downing pints or attempting to down haggis (which really isn’t bad!). The fish and chips are the best in town; the bangers and mash will warm your belly. But it’s not all classics; the restaurant’s take on seasonal, modern cuisine shows an equally deft hand. There’s a great scotch and whiskey list and also a superior draft beer selection. $$-$$$. Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Patio.

Pi Pizzeria

he entral West nd outlet of pizza powerhouse Pi orth u lid enue - 4300) offers an upscale setting with dimmer lighting than its sister locations, a classy vibe and a large bar, perfect for sampling those great cocktails. As with its siblings, the menu here lets you choose between thin- or deep-dish-crust pizzas with a large array of toppings including fontina cheese or fresh basil. r try the namesake pizza, the entral West End, which includes mozzarella, Volpi prosciutto, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, red onions and arugula. Gluten-free crust, vegan meat substitutes and vegan cheese are available on all pies. $$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily. Sidewalk seating.

Vicia

Vicia orest ar enue - feels like a contemporary farmhouse, with whitewashed e posed brick, pale wooden tables and white-framed windows that separate the bar from the dining room. A large wood-fired hearth is where much of the cooking takes place — it’s absolutely

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

transcendent. Chef Michael Gallina’s “vegetable-forward” dishes are stunningly composed and imbued with intention. His Berkshire pork may have you wondering whether you’ve ever eaten pig before. No wonder the national press named Vicia one of the best new restaurants in the nation. $$-$$$. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Enclosed patio.

Yellowbelly

Located in the ultra-sleek Citizen Park building on the corner of Lindell and Euclid, Yellowbelly (4659 Lindell Boulevard, 314499-1509) has the feel of a boutique hotel in present-day Waikiki. You could call it “mod-

ern Hawaiian chic,” but Yellowbelly is not a Hawaiian restaurant. Instead, it takes the 50th state as a jumping-off point for dishes including spam fried rice or Hawaiian roll sandwiches. Other offerings have a broader seafood focus, though the burger is also divine. However, the real star of Yellowbelly is mixologist (and co-owner) Tim Wiggins, whose beautiful, modern tiki cocktails anchor the concept. The menu also includes world-class renditions of such quintessential rum-based concoctions as painkillers and daiquiris. You’ll be pleased with Yellowbelly’s food; you’ll be blown away by its drinks. $$$. Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, with additional hours on Saturday.

•N

MIDTOWN/ GRAND CENTER BLK MKT Eats

his hip counter-service spot was the first in t. ouis to offer the sushi burrito. But that’s not all it’s serving. Like Chipotle and its many imitators, BLK MKT Eats’ (9 South Vandeventer Avenue, 314-391-5100) various proteins can be prepared in a few different styles a sushi burrito, wrapped in nori and packed with sticky rice; a poke bowl, with white or brown rice; an arugula-based salad; or nachos, which rely on crispy fried wonton triangles as a base and are garnished with a variety of toppings that

ew Classic•

MABE L SU E N

hen Rob Connoley opened Bulrush (3307 Washington Avenue, 314-4491208) in 2019, he envisioned the restaurant to be a foraged-focused celebration of the region’s bounty. Then the emails started coming in. “We just thought it would be a quirky little project where we could do some fun stuff that hadn’t been done before,” Connoley says. “Then we started hearing from people in the Ozarks… saying no one had ever given them their dues.” These emails sparked in Connoley and his team a desire to learn more about what Ozark

Bulrush cuisine — a traditionally disparaged and underexplored culinary heritage — meant; as they dug into their research, they found that one question led to another, turning what they originally conceived of as a restaurant into a living, breathing research project. Connoley and his team have taken things to levels they never anticipated going. As their research progressed, it evolved to include conversations about the role that enslaved and indigenous peoples played in creating Ozark cuisine and how, as enjoyers of this food in 2022, what our responsibility is when it comes

16 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

to paying respect to this historical narrative. It’s heavy work for a restaurant; Connoley admits that people come into Bulrush for a thrilling tasting menu experience that has redefined how we think about our regional food. However, in doing so, he feels it is his duty to have an honest conversation and forge an inclusive, equitable and restorative path forward in the format he so deftly works. “Restaurants don’t do this sort of work,” Connolly says. “It doesn’t make sense, but I don’t know of any way of doing this without it.” $$$. Open 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Saucy Porka.

include avocados, arugula, sesame seeds, shallots, scallions, tempura crunchies and the signature OG Fire sauce. It’s a messy masterpiece. $. Open Monday through Saturday from noon until evening.

Commonwealth

Commonwealth’s (634 North Grand Boulevard, 314-405-3399) signature dessert, Starry Night, is a work of art. A tempered chocolate dome that shimmers with metallic hues hides a delicious chocolate cake adorned with blueberry compote and chocolate creme patisserie. Cracking the dome open is a delight but done with some hesitancy at breaking something so beautiful. Commonwealth is located in Angad Arts Hotel, so one expects artistry from the kitchen and gets it in spades. The menu changes with the season, but everything is guaranteed to be exquisite. An equally inventive cocktail menu and a well-selected wine list ensure that no matter what you order, it’ll be a masterpiece. $$$. Open for breakfast daily 7 to 11 a.m. and on Sunday 7 a.m. to noon. Open for dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Food Hall at City Foundry

After years of anticipation, the long-awaited Food Hall at City Foundry (3730 Foundry Way) finally opened its doors on ugust to

MABE L SU E N

great fanfare and long lines. The excitement is understandable: After all, why go out to eat at just one restaurant when you could visit more than a dozen in one shot? The Food Hall is the home to different t. ouis dining establishments, including such gems as Kalbi Taco Shack, Hello Poke, Fordo’s Killer Pizza, Chicken Scratch Rotisserie and the recently opened t-rav spot oasted. isagreements over where to dine out become a thing of the past and picky eaters pose no problem here, as cuisines from around the world are on offer all under one roof. With its elevated food court vibes and chic industrial styling, the Food Hall truly has something for everyone. $-$$$. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Fountain on Locust

ong before the city’s nouveau ice cream shops started offering boozy avors and ice cream cocktails, Fountain on Locust (3037 Locust Street, 314-535-7800) was on the scene, blending ice cream with alcohol for a cool dose of yum. The city’s OG ice cream parlor offers a voluminous menu of ice cream martinis, which go down smooth but also carry quite a kick. A roster of well-executed retro cocktails, from the rusty nail to the Sazerac, also feels just right in the high-spirited, Art

eco environs. Because dessert isn’t everything, ountain on ocust also offers downhome entrees, including a meatball sub and an addictive dill-pickle soup that is much better than you’d ever dream it could be. lthough recently purchased by anni and Marcus Eickenhorst, regular diners won’t see many differences in its vibe or menu. $. Opens at 11 a.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Pappy’s Smokehouse

Since opening in 2008, this Midtown counter -service eatery has set the standard for ’cue in the ou, thrusting t. ouis into the conversation as one of the best barbecue cities in the country and attracting visits from just about every rock star and pro athlete passing through the city. Credit goes to cofounder and pitmaster emeritus Mike Emerson, who as the face of Pappy’s, turned what he anticipated would be a simple smokehouse into a place that regularly sees its lines snake around the block. Pappy’s (3106 Olive Street, 314-535-4340) has become such a phenomenon that you might wonder if the fanfare is nothing but hype. Quite the contrary. Pappy’s delectable smoked meats, in particular the dry-rubbed apple and cherry wood smoked ribs, leave you with little doubt that this is the real deal. $$. Opens at 11 a.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. Frequently sells out. No alcohol.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Saucy Porka

t first, when news broke that hicago-based Saucy Porka (3900 Laclede Avenue, 314-818-2700) planned to open a location in idtown, t. ouisans didn’t uite know what to think. ur melting pot of a city boasts several culinary niches but sian atin merican fusion aucy Porka showed us what’s up. Porka’s menu is a thrilling blend of culinary traditions that somehow makes sense. he restaurant first launched in hicago in after chef my e and then-collaborator afael opez discovered their respective cuisines hers sian and his Puerto ican had similar and complementary avors. opez has since pursued a career outside of the industry, though e opened a third aucy Porka location in t. ouis this anuary with her brother, Phil e. hank the culinary gods they did. Where would we be without chorizo egg rolls and utella doughnut bites $$ Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Small Batch

estaurateur avid Bailey takes the whiskey-bar trend in an une pected direction with his vegetarian eatery Small Batch (3001 Locust Street, 314-380-2040). Bailey doesn’t bill the place as a crunchy vegetarian spot instead, he hopes diners will enjoy the vegetable-focused concept so much that they fail to miss the meat. he igatoni lla orma, which features eggplant, tomato, seitan, ricotta salata, basil and chili oil, proves that is not an impossible dream. mall Batch’s bourbon selection and creative cocktails are also impressive, and the gorgeous vintage setting provides an ideal spot to indulge in Prohibition-era-style drinking. $$. Open 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

Southern

Southern (3108 Olive Street, 314-531-4668) is the undisputed champion of the hot-chicken genre in t. ouis if not anywhere shhh, don’t tell the folks in ashville , a reputation solidified by its impossibly juicy, so hot it will make you hiccup, deep-fried bird. t’s so good it’s almost masochistic the heat stings your throat and makes your eyes water, but the chicken is so damn avorful you don’t want to stop. nd it’s only part of outhern’s story. atfish, biscuits, mac-and-cheese casserole and a B with bacon so thick it could be called a ham steak make this wonderful idtown spot much more than just a hot-chicken restaurant. $. Opens at 11 a.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. No alcohol.

Turn

former , urn’s chef owner avid Kirkland says cooking is a lot like spinning music the physical movements, the energy, the constant pressure to be on top of what comes ne t. t his delightful rand enter cafe, Turn (3224 Locust Street, 314-240-5157), Kirkland may as well be Beethoven, concocting a symphony of avors that has us dancing in our seats. n e pert at infusing his dishes with local, seasonal ingredients, Kirkland shows a restrained hand on even traditionally heavy offerings like

biscuits and gravy and chorizo-covered arepas. is avors are refined and impeccably presented in a light, airy eatery that looks like a modern museum cafe. t’s a fitting setting for such artful food. $$. Opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

a.m. Thursday through Sunday.

DuckBill at Platypus

or their sophomore effort, owners avid and eggan andusky opened BEAST Butcher & Block (4156 Manchester Avenue, 314-944-6003) to push the idea of what barbecue can be. uch more than a ’cue joint, this rove spot is a multifaceted celebration of grilled and smoked meats, including a traditional barbecue menu, a livefire theater and whole-animal butcher shop. f course, the pair did not forget to include the favorites that put them on the map, like fork-tender Wagyu brisket, succulent ompart arm pulled pork, beer cheesesteak, mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts and that mind-blowing pork steak. $$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily.

What do you get when you cross two of t. ouis’ top cocktail artists with one of the city’s hottest up-and-coming chefs Why, it’s Platypus (4501 Manchester Avenue, 314-448-1622) of course, the rove hotspot for sophisticated drinks, live music and, through its uckBill food concept, some of the tastiest small bites in town. cclaimed bartenders eredith Barry and ony aputo opened Platypus last ovember, with the integrated uckBill concept coming via chef rant eman. pect a rotating selection of craft cocktails from some of the brightest minds in the business, as well as delicious dishes including crispy tofu, caramelized Brussels sprouts and popcorn chicken served with your choice of sauce. his dream team group manages to deliver a food-and-beverage e perience that is wholly unpretentious and one that already feels like a vital part of the neighborhood despite only having been around for a short time. $-$$. Kitchen open from 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily. Bar closes at 1:30 a.m.

Chao Baan

Everest Cafe & Bar

THE GROVE BEAST Butcher & Block

here’s such a diversity of regional cuisines on Chao Baan’s (4087 Chouteau Avenue #5, 314-925-8250) menu that it’s hard to believe such a restaurant could e ist. t’s owned by the Prapaisilp family, and the menu showcases the food that the family cooked and ate at home, a fusion of northern and southern hai representing the lesser-known regional avors of the country’s diverse culinary heritage. ishes here dazzle with avor, such as the appetizer mieng kham green leaf wraps with avors of toasted coconut, dried shrimp, lime and fiery chile. here also the smoky take on gaeng kiew, a green curry featuring tender chicken, mushrooms, green bamboo and green tomatoes bobbing in a lemongrass-scented coconut and green chile broth. n a modern but welcoming space in the rove neighborhood, hao Baan is one of the most thrilling and unlikely hai e periences in town. $$. Opens at 4 p.m. daily.

Confluence Kombucha

Confluence Kombucha (4507 Manchester Avenue, 314-833-3059) sits on the western edge of the rove, a plant-based serenade in a neighborhood known for its pulsing beat. hough the restaurant is primarily a kombucha bar, its dishes offer funk, tang, sweet, crunch, chew a comple symphony of avor, te ture and color that are so unlike anything you’ve previously e perienced they fill the mind as fully as the stomach. he commitment to vegetable-forward cuisine does not limit what is offered at on uence but rather delivers innovation, whether through transcendent tempeh, a simple platter of tomatoes rolled in sherry crumbles, bright gazpacho or the eight kombucha avors, which feature everything from local issouri paw paw to sian pear. iners don’t need to be hippies or vegetarians to thoroughly enjoy their e periences. $$$. Opens at 11

At Everest (4145 Manchester Avenue, 314-5314800), you’ll find a mi of epalese, Korean and ndian dishes prepared with fresh, healthy ingredients. hef owner evi urung tates earned his doctorate in public health, and the menu is chock-full of organic vegetables, with no processed foods or butter or heavy creams. hoose from the simple pleasures of momos steamed pork dumplings from ibet or the comple interplays of meat, vegetables and spices that fill daal bhat tarkari, a complete epalese meal with lentil soup, rice, meat, vegetables and spicy achars. $-$$. Closed Tuesdays, the restaurant is open Wednesday through Monday or dinner with a lun h buffet ro a. . to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Grace Meat + Three

glance of the menu of good ol’ country cooking at Grace Meat + Three (4270 Manchester Avenue, 314-533-2700) might lead you to believe that chef owner ick ewis cut his teeth in the kitchen of a homestyle cafeteria not in some of the city’s finest white-tablecloth establishments. owever, when you taste ewis’ cooking, you’ll uickly realize that behind his self-described blue-collar dishes lie the refinement and skill of a great culinary talent. t’s a marriage of haute blue-plate specials and down- outh after-church fare wrapped in bacon and sopped up with a biscuit. Counter service. $$. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The Gramophone

When the Gramophone (4243 Manchester Avenue, 314-531-5700) announced it was switching gears from being a music club to a sandwich pub, music fans were seriously bummed out but they shouldn’t have been. he sandwiches here are simply spectacular, with

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

creative combinations of quality ingredients piled high. Add a side of loaded mashed potatoes or broccoli salad, and you’ve got a solid base to soak up no small amount of booze. Which is a good thing, since the vibe here remains distinctly conducive to drinking. It’s a great combo. $. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Patio.

Layla

Layla (4317 Manchester Avenue, 314-553-9252) began as a Lebanese restaurant, and that heritage is evident in its top-notch hummus, addictive falafel fries and excellent shawarma. These days, though, Layla is equally proud of its gourmet burgers and craft cocktails. It sounds like a lot, but the concept works; it’s the kind of hip neighborhood spot you wish your neighborhood had. Add in a good kids’ menu and milkshakes (both boozy and not), and you’ve got a place for the whole family. $-$$. Opens at 11 a.m. Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesday). Limited sidewalk seating.

•G

Pie Guy Pizza

Pie Guy Pizza (4189 Manchester Avenue, 314899-0444), attached to Gezellig Bottle Shop, isn’t much bigger than a garage, with one metal communal table in the center and a counter separating the kitchen from the rest of the restaurant. It serves pizza and pretty much only pizza. Co-owner Mitch Frost uses sourdough bread that’s been cold-fermented for three days. The thin crust is crispy and full of flavor, with big slices that can be folded in the classic New York style. Beer available from Gezellig. $. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Sanctuaria

Sanctuaria’s (4198 Manchester Avenue, 314-5359700) tapas-style menu now includes not just panish in uences but also a strong e ican component as well, with everything from bacon-wrapped dates to a grilled steak fajita platter. Whatever you order, wash it down with a cocktail; Sanctuaria was a pioneer in the art of mixology, and the cocktails remain expert-

old Standard•

ly crafted. The art here comes from churches around the world, but in this sexy environment it seems more goth than spiritual. $$. Open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and for lunch Saturday and Sunday. Patio seating centered around a striking metal-and-glass conservatory.

SweetArt

For thirteen years, owner and baker Reine Keis has been sharing her culinary talents with guests at her beloved Shaw neighborhood cafe, SweetArt (2203 South 39th Street, 314-7714278), in the form of some of the area’s most delicious and artfully presented baked goods and daytime fare. Originally envisioned as a pastry shop only, SweetArt has evolved over the years into a full-blown breakfast and lunch spot; now completely vegan, it appeals to plantbased eaters and omnivores equally, in part because of the food that buffalo cauli ower but also because of the warm, welcoming environment her guests feel the moment they walk through the front doors. $-$$ Open Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Sultan Mediterranean

Kurdish immigrants Akram Saeed and Jenar Mohammed are serving the food of their homeland in a striking space, with large windows overlooking Manchester and charming accents that reference the family’s heritage. The colorful chandeliers are from Turkey; the golden-hued tea sets displayed on a shelf near the dessert counter came directly from Kurdistan. House specialties include the Sultan Pilau, a Kurdish puff pastry that wraps lamb, rice, almonds and chickpeas in layers of phyllo dough. nstead of just the stuffed grape leaves known to American diners, Sultan (4200 Manchester Avenue, 314-390-2020) stuffs zucchini, tomato and even eggplant. $-$$. Open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday. No alcohol.

Tempus

VU PH O N G

The Piccadilly at Manhattan

hough restaurant records and recollections have gotten fuzzy over the years, St. Louis lore says that the Piccadilly at Manhattan (7201 Piccadilly Avenue, 314-646-0016) is the city’s oldest, continuously operating restaurant. What is certain is that Nicolo Collida, a Sicilian immigrant who found himself with a one-way ticket to St. Louis, after seeing something he shouldn’t have, signed a liquor license in 1934 for a restaurant called the Piccadilly Buffet. Originally envisioned as a cafeteria-style lunch and supper counter serving up homestyle dishes, the restaurant cemented its reputation as the place to eat for workers at the nearby industrial yards and factories. The restaurant has seen its share of change

over the years, even as it has remained in the Collida family. In 1983, it transitioned into more of a traditional bar and billiards room after several of the factories in the neighborhood shuttered. A shell of its former self but still hanging on, the restaurant would find new life thanks to Nicolo’s grandson, Nick Collida, and his wife, Maggie. The pair spent six years doing a full-gut renovation of the space, restoring it to a vibrant neighborhood restaurant that serves the sort of food you’d find around grandma’s Sunday dinner table. People pack the house for the fried chicken, pot pies and smoked meats, but if you ask the Collida family, they are really coming in for a connection to St. Louis restaurant history. $$. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.

20 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Tempus (4370 Manchester Avenue, 314-3492878), Ben Grupe’s stunning New American restaurant, succeeds by paying attention to every detail. Entrees change regularly but have included short ribs served with hunks of au gratin potato, salmon accented with verdant dill and placed atop funky sauerkraut and a chicken breast encrusted in breadcrumbs with just a little bit of mustard for the most haute Shake ’n Bake known to man. Tempus delivers a quality of cuisine usually associated with fine dining but without any of the pretension. In 2021, the spot was named the sixth best new restaurant in the country by USA Today. $$$. Open Wednesday through Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m.

SHAW/BOTANICAL HEIGHTS Elaia

In November 2012, Ben Poremba descended

upon a forgotten swath of the city called McRee own and opened a small, fiercely ambitious restaurant in a former drug house. With a menu of elegant, editerranean-in ected cuisine, a world-class wine list and impeccable service standards, Elaia (1634 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-932-1088) quickly landed in the pantheon of the city’s best restaurants. ince then, Poremba has launched a mini-empire of restaurants that represents the best of the city’s dining scene, and McRee Town (now called Botanical eights has become a major dining destination. But through it all, Elaia has remained his agship, a gallery of culinary elegance. The new à la carte menu (now an option alongside the restaurant’s traditional tasting menu only serves to make that elegance more approachable. $$$. Opens at 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Indo

eaded by ames Beard ward semifinalist Nick Bognar, Indo (1641D Tower Grove Avenue, 314-899-9333) combines his stunning command of sushi with the Thai cuisine that is his heritage as the son of ippon ei owners nn and ike Bognar. ffering ot and ool astings, larger shareable plates and an impressive nigiri selection, Indo’s menu respects tradition without being married to it. nstead, Bognar uses classic techni ues and recipes as a jumping-off point for exploration, whether with candied pine nuts in lamb laarb or a rice our and water lace that lies atop two awlessly cooked gyoza. Though there’s an indulgent omakase offered, ndo as a whole is not a fine-dining restaurant, despite being thoroughly lu urious. ather, it’s a revolution. $$$$. Opens at 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Nixta

Nixta (1621 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-899-9000) has seen significant change since its debut, switching chefs a few times as well as regional focuses. But the restaurant still remains true to its original vision to be a forum for e ploring upscale e ican cuisine that causes merican diners to check their preconceptions. n ethos like that transcends individual plates and results in transcendent food. Don’t miss the crispy octopus, which has become i ta’s signature dish. mezcal focus keeps the cocktail list as smokily se y as the low-lit bar area. $$$. Opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Patio.

Olio

t’s no surprise that Ben Poremba’s sraeli-inected wine bar Olio (1634 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-932-1088) serves up great food. Poremba, after all, is one of the city’s most acclaimed chefs. What might be surprising to first-time visitors, though, is just how much it retains its bar feel, even though the menu items it’s serving are good enough to carry a restaurant. Located in a renovated tandard il filling station, the uarters are close, lending an intimate vibe. Poremba’s food is a stunning re ection of his Israeli-Moroccan heritage, like hummus stud-

ded with almonds, pine nuts and braised lamb shoulder, and egg salad that has become legendary in the metro area. $$-$$$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily.

Union Loafers

Union Loafers’ (1629 Tower Grove Avenue, 314833-6111) lunch menu is simple a ham-andcheddar sandwich, chicken-and-rice soup, even a humble PB but it’s the best version of simple food you will ever have. hen there is what may be the best salad known to man, the ittle em, a mi of lettuces, herbs, breadcrumbs and buttermilk dressing that is so transcendent you’ll wake up in the middle of the night craving it. ndeed, once you’ve ordered it, this salad will be the first thing that comes to mind anytime someone mentions Union Loafers the city’s best bread shop. his doesn’t just say a lot about the ittle em it speaks volumes to just how much care head baker ed Wilson and company put into everything they do. $-$$. Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with an entirely different pizza-based menu from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Patio.

DOGTOWN Hi-Pointe Drive-In

ike ohnson made his name with the ugarfire chain, but Hi-Pointe Drive-In (1033 McCausland Avenue, 314-349-2720, and other locations) proves he’s much more than a one-trick pony. his modern counter-service diner offers a mouthwatering mi of burgers, shakes boozy and un- , sandwiches and salads. While you could order a salad, this is no place for restraint. he burgers here are over-the-top decadent and also over-the-top good, with a perfect mi of brisket, chuck and short rib that glistens with rendered fat, served on a soft potato bun. Why not order a double or get one piled high with bacon $. Opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Sizable patio.

Mac’s Local Eats

Mac’s (5656 Oakland Avenue, 314-393-7713) won’t let you eat any old cow or pig . iving up to its name, the restaurant works with local farms that humanely pasture raise their animals. Then ac’s uses the whole cow for its food, not just off-cuts, and dry-ages its beef for days. he result is in the tasting, with lacy thin patties that pack a wallop of hearty avor. Before, in order to get the beefy burgers or the ip ries, which are fries seasoned with ed ot iplets avoring, you had to go to Bluewood Brewing ompany or, before that, amm venue Bar, where Mac’s had a window. But Mac’s and Bluewood had a public and confusing breakup in , and now ac’s has its own agship location in the former Brew ub ap oom. he new digs doubled the restaurant’s kitchen space and included an outdoor patio. fitting home for an iconic t. ouis burger joint. $. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11

a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Michael’s Bar & Grill

an favorites at Michael’s Bar & Grill (7101 Manchester Avenue, 314-644-2240) include the gyro salad and the wings. That’s right, it’s a reek and merican food tavern where you can get saganaki, dolmades and spanakopita alongside ew ork strip steak, a burger or steak fries. he concept began in , when Greek immigrant Michael Malliotakis bought a place called ick’s ittle Pebble. t had belonged to his then-father-in-law, who had just found out he had cancer and needed to step away from the business. ick’s was “rough,” according to Katina Malliotakis, the current proprietor of ichael’s Bar rill. But through four decades of careful stewardship (and a name change), the place is now a t. ouis mainstay. $$. Open for lunch and dinner daily. Patio seating.

The Pat Connolly Tavern

pened in by an rish immigrant, the Pat Connolly Tavern (6400 Oakland Avenue, 314-6477287) is the canvas on which much of ogtown’s green, white and orange history was painted. ver the decades, the venerable bar and grill has mastered the classic rish pub formula a down-to-earth atmosphere, friendly service and cold Guinness. Under current owners Theresa onnolly ovanovich and oe ovanovich, who are descendants of the eponymous Pat onnolly, the tavern has a new-and-improved menu of classic pub food and a sleeker look that harkens back to its mid-century origins. he famous fried chicken remains among the best in town a kids’ menu means this is the rare pub where you really can bring the whole family. $. Closed Monday and Tuesday; opens every other day of the week at 11 a.m.

Southwest Diner

If you think Southwest Diner (6803 Southwest Avenue, 314-260-7244) is named after the street on which it resides, you haven’t had the ew Mexican Breakfast Burrito, a green-chile-infused fire bomb of a breakfast that will make you think you’re at a roadside shack outside of anta e rather than in a diner on the western edge of t. ouis. his beloved daytime spot serves up outhwestern-in ected specialties to bleary-eyed customers who are not afraid of heat. f you are spice averse, stay as far as you can from onathan’s amous iery cramble, a cheesy egg concoction filled with enough heat to make you break a sweat. $. Opens at 7 a.m. on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and at 8 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

TOWER GROVE SOUTH AND EAST Banh Mi So 1

Visit the Banh Mi So 1 (4071 South Grand Boulevard, 314-353-0545) website and a proud

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

22 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

proclamation will appear: “Best Spring Rolls In St. Louis.” Banh Mi So 1’s mun bean cake spring rolls live up to the hype. The Vietnamese restaurant, though, is so much more. It features its namesake, of course — banh mi sandwiches with crispy bread and thinly sliced meat. Read further down the menu, and you’ll find panfried crepes and a number of vegetarian dishes, including the crispy pan-fried crepes with tofu and the oe B a fau -beef sandwich on rench bread. wned by husband-and-wife Thomas and Lynne Truong, there’s a real local feel to Banh Mi So 1 — so local that they grow their own herbs in their own backyard. $. Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.

Basil India

is, spends his days and nights preparing the curries, noodles and various other ndo- hinese, Thai and Indian dishes featured at Basil India (3183 South Grand Boulevard, 314-428-9711). It’s owned by the team behind the Delmar Loop Indian restaurant urmeric and offers dishes such as angra-style chili paneer, a ash-fried corncake appetizer and a luxurious Bombay curry. The butter chicken is rich, with tender chunks of chicken swimming in a tomato-based sauce seasoned with fenugreek, giving it a deep, maple-like avor. imilar dishes can be found at other restaurants, but every dish at Basil India makes you feel like you are experiencing it for the first time. $-$$. Opens at 11:30 a.m. Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays. Opens at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays. Closed Wednesdays.

Madan Chhetri, one of the best chefs in St. Lou-

Black Sheep Whiskey & Wine

Owners Zach and Mary Rice’s Black Sheep Whiskey & Wine (3153 Morgan Ford Road, 314772-9800) offers a sophisticated but casual, dimly lit but family-friendly atmosphere in what was the Three Monkeys, a longtime Morgan Ford favorite. Black Sheep is great for date nights or family dinners out. fferings range from the high-concept to classic fare. he Bloody Mary deviled eggs feature a creamy yolk mixture that tastes exactly like the classic brunch cocktail with notes of celery salt. The classic smash burger is exactly what you want at your local watering hole. $$. Open Wednesday through Saturday form 4 to 11 p.m.

Brasilia

Brasilia’s (3212 South Grand Boulevard, 314-932-

•N

ew Classic•

MABE L SU E N

ou might be tempted to think of Grand Pied (3137 Morgan Ford Road) solely in terms of its position as the city’s best pancake purveyor. It’s an easy mistake to make. Chef Tony Collida’s hotcakes are so dazzling it’s hard to think of anything else. Less a run-of-the-mill hotcake than a marriage of pancake and flan, these fluffy wonders actually jiggle when they hit the table. Calling these simple breakfast fare is like calling da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man a sketch.

Grand Pied However, Grand Pied is so much more than an essential breakfast spot, a fact that becomes clear when you order Collida’s hot-honey fried chicken, pork steak and dirty grits, or beignets with a cheddar cheese sauce so luxurious it defies words. For the past year, Collida and his partner, Jaimee Stang, have been making a name for their little eatery in their Tower Grove South neighborhood, adapting to changes after their original business plan changed (Grand Pied was first conceived of as a culinary coun-

terpart to the former bar that shared the space, Chattawa). When that happened, the pair wondered if they should give up, but instead committed to turning Grand Pied into the vision of the restaurant they’d always wanted — an earnest, home-cooking spot that makes guests feel as if they are being welcomed around Collida and Steng’s kitchen table. That’s a dinner party you don’t want to miss. $$. Open Thursday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday 5 to 9 p.m.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

1034) lounge is a bossa-nova-in ected dream world. he irl from panema plays on a loop while reed-fashioned hammocks hang from the ceiling and a giant mural of hrist the edeemer takes up an entire wall. fter two of Brasilia’s stiff caipirinhas, you might be convinced you’re viewing the famed statue from a spot on opacabana Beach. solid set of entrees includes vatapa de frango a boneless, skinless chicken breast with traditional cashew nut gravy and beef acebolado, Brazil’s version of skillet steak, ecked with coarse black peppercorns and served sliced with onions and peppers on a searing-hot cast-iron skillet. $$. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner. un h buffet Sunday.

King & I

Walking into King and I’s (3155 South Grand Avenue, 314-771-1777) bustling double-sized storefront on outh rand, you’d never guess that this sleek modern space hosts the city’s oldest hai restaurant, much less that owner uchin Prapaisilp first opened its doors in . But when you taste the food, you won’t be surprised at all by its incredible run. his is e pertly prepared cuisine, with a focus on the food of central hailand. on’t even think about leaving without trying the our Kings of hailand, a stir-fry that combines shrimp, beef, chicken and pork with a host of vegetables in a roasted chile sauce. t’s sensational. $$. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Patio.

Pizza Head

Pizza Head’s (3196 South Grand Boulevard, 314266-5400) no-frills counter-service spot seems to turn any high-falutin’ notions of the art of pizza-making on its head. Purchased by ylan odson and am riemeier in anuary , Pizza ead can cater to anyone — omnivores, vegetarians and vegans — though the proprietors promise to e pand their vegan options and charitable donations in the future. he transcendent slices begin with a rich, chewy crust that has the subtle tang of sourdough and ends with a journey through a delightfully greasy mozzarella or cashew-alternative topping. Beer and wine only. $. Opens at noon Thursdays through Mondays.

Salve Osteria

t. ouis mourned when outh rand’s afe atasha’s closed, but now the city has reason to rejoice again Salve Osteria (3200 South Grand Boulevard, 314-771-3411) is a new talian, panish and editerranean-inspired restaurant that occupies the former afe atasha’s. complement to the in oom, which also operates in the space, the restaurant has a harvest-centric menu that pairs well with in oom cocktails. et your with bacon-fat carrots or have a negroni with lamb arancini. ot into gin here’s also an e tensive natural wine list. $$. Open Thursday through Sunday 3 to 10 p.m.

The Shaved Duck riginally a ower

rove ast gastropub, the

Salve Osteria.

CH E RYL BAE H R

Shaved Duck (2900 Virginia Avenue, 314-7761407) now features merican cuisine such as barbecue and chili. ender and tasty smoked meats include baby-back ribs and t. ouis-cut spare ribs, pulled pork and chicken. Befitting the name, you can get duck confit, but the restaurant has evolved past the confines of its namesake into one of the area’s most innovative barbecue restaurants. $-$$. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday — and for lunch too on Friday and Saturday. Patio.

Sheesh Restaurant

sels sprouts salad is also beloved, with red and green cabbage joining shallots, fresh herbs, jalape o and sweet chile vinaigrette. Weekend brunch is a highlight the ambitious cocktail program proves that organic and sustainable doesn’t preclude fun. $$. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner, with brunch Saturday and Sunday. Patio.

THE HILL & ITS NEIGHBORS

Brother and sister afa and aenab armarchi spared no e pense in opening their si -yearold urkish restaurant on outh rand, bringing in chefs from their motherland in addition to striking copper tables and colorful tapestries. hat care also shows in the food, which is e ecuted with precision. he lamb biryani’s soft meat almost falls off the bone, its bed of rice studded with raisins, chickpeas and subtle spicing. rder the hummus appetizer, and you won’t just get the usual mass-produced pita bread. Sheesh (3226 South Grand Boulevard, 314833-4321) serves it with a giant, lightly charred puff, perfectly baked so there’s just a fine layer of crisp around the warm center. No alcohol. $$. Open daily from 5 to 10 p.m.

58hundred

Tree House

Anthonino’s Taverna

Bay ran first opened Tree House (3177 South Grand Boulevard, 314-696-2100) nine years ago with numerous vegetarian menu items that could be modified as vegan, but the vegan offerings proved so popular she’s now made them the default in many cases. n a stylish dining room overlooking outh rand, she’s serving a menu with highlights including a fried beet appetizer, thickly sliced into a rench-fry-like shape with a crisp outside and a coating of sea salt and togarashi. he Brus-

58hundred (5800 Southwest Avenue, 314-2795799) is one of those rare gems that hits that perfect tone between being nice enough for heels but not so nice you’re embarrassed to roll in wearing yoga pants. wners arc el Pietro and Brian oherty have carefully calibrated the menu to include both vegetarian-friendly offerings and meaty ones, with an appealing price point. he Brussels sprouts tacos are a standout, while on the entree side, braised beef is served with Parmesan gnocchi, an elegant rendering of the uintessential comfort food. $-$$. Open 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Patio. or nearly two decades, Anthonino’s Taverna (2225 Macklind Avenue, 314-773-4455) has been serving t. ouis diners a taste of nthony and osario carato’s joint reek and talian heritage in a setting as warm and family-friendly as the brothers’ home. olmades and pizza, chicken Parmesan and gyros, pastas and sandwiches all beg you to play favorites, but the toasted ravioli is the must-order on this menu. $$. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Majeed Mediterranean Restaurant.

Carnivore

he ill’s first steakhouse, Carnivore (5257 Shaw Avenue, 314-449-6328) offers a more reasonable price point than the national chains, and each cut comes with a salad or your choice of side. he dining room has a more modern vibe, too, with a colorful mural of the neighborhood on one wall, white-painted brick and big windows facing haw venue. But arnivore is not lacking for decadence top your steak with a house butter, including garlic and herb, blue cheese or garlic Parmesan. $$-$$$. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Gioia’s

n institution since , Gioia’s Deli (1934 Macklind Avenue, 314-776-9410) began its life as a grocery store but is now a sandwich shop with three locations. he original is on the ill, a friendly counter-service shop named an merica’s lassic by no less than the ames Beard oundation. ioia’s is most famous for its hot salami, or alam de esta a thick, soft salami made from beef and yes pork snouts. he avor is rich and earthy and delicious. ry it on its own or in the talian rio with mortadella and enoa salami, peperoncini, onions and cheese on toasted

MABE L SU E N

garlic bread. ioia’s salsiccia is tasty, too, especially when smothered with melting mozzarella cheese. $. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Patio.

Farmhaus

o chef is better at capturing the spirit of idwestern fine dining than the multiple ames Beard nominee Kevin Willmann, whose beloved lifton eights restaurant is a comfortable setting for enjoying the area’s bounty. ny chef worth his or her salt these days uses local, seasonal ingredients, but at Farmhaus (3257 Ivanhoe Avenue, 314-647-3800) these are less components and more the restaurant’s entire reason for being. ou see elements of Willmann’s upbringing on the ulf oast in his seafood dishes, but the restaurant remains all issouri and the place has never tasted so good. $$$$. Opens Wednesday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

J. Devoti Trattoria

recasting of the acclaimed ive Bistro, J. Devoti Trattoria (5100 Daggett Avenue, 314-7735553) stands out from the ill’s merican-style talian joints, showcasing chef nthony evoti’s skill at making awlessly e ecuted, refined cooking feel accessible. es, those are white ta-

blecloths, but the place is modern and the service approachable. he menu changes regularly but will always include a selection of pastas, pizzas and seasonal dishes. ne pectedly, the burger is a standout made from ground beef and pork and topped with a fried egg, it shows the versatility of this stunning spot. $$-$$$. Open for dinner Thursday through Sunday.

Pizzeria da Gloria

here’s no shortage of good talian food in t. ouis’ ill neighborhood, but Pizzeria da Gloria (2024 Marconi Avenue Street, 314-8333734) still stands out in a tough market. ocated right by t. mbrose atholic hurch and the fabulous Piazza mo, Pizzeria da loria occupies a prime slice of neighborhood real estate. he crust on their -inch wood-fired pies is fantastic ight, crispy and with just a bit of char. on’t miss out on their classic argherita, which is perfection, but also make sure to try some Pizzeria de loria specialties like the Bonci thinly sliced roasted eggplant, garlic chili oil, parsley and the arinara tomato sauce, thinly sliced garlic, chili akes, e tra virgin olive oil . $$ Closed on Sunday and Monday. Open noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. every other day of the week.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Rock Star Tacos

A few years ago, chef and guitarist Wil Pelly was hanging out with his bandmate, Matt Arana, one night after a gig. A couple of hours and several shots of brown liquor later, the two hatched a plan to open a music-inspired taco counter out of a concession stand in New Town. The concept was a hit, so much so that the operation has since moved to new, larger digs in the Hill neighborhood, bringing Rock Star Tacos (4916 Shaw Avenue, 314-625-7508) to life in the Gaslight building. Pelly draws on his decades of experience in St. Louis’ food scene — he’s worked in several of the area’s prominent kitchens, including the Libertine, Nudo House and Boundary at the Cheshire — to deliver e - e fare with uban in uences that looks simple but is anything but. One bite of

•G

his whimsically named and musically themed dishes — Skinny Puppies, Street Korn, Shrimp Bizkit — and you’ll agree: This place rocks. $-$$. Open from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed on Sunday and Monday.

NORTH HAMPTON, SOUTHAMPTON, CROWN DISTRICT Edibles & Essentials

Dining at Edibles & Essentials (5815 Hampton Avenue, 314-328-2300) is less like going out to a restaurant and more like being a guest in Matt Borchardt’s home. One minute, the chef and owner is popping open a bottle of

old Standard•

wine at your table; the next he’s scrambling back to the kitchen to pull some mushroom tarts out of the oven. On any day, you can find people from the neighborhood dropping by for some white bean dip and a beer, grabbing a few provisions and bottle of wine to go, or chatting up Borchardt about a catering gig. How many places in town offer well-executed classics such as beef brisket and eggplant Parmesean and a full bar in the same small counter-service spot as to-go deli items? It’s a unique combo, but with Borchardt at the helm, it somehow works. $-$$. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Patio.

Himalayan Yeti

Chef/owner Dipak Prasai is serving top-notch Indian and Nepalese cuisine at Himalayan Yeti (3515 South Kingshighway Boulevard, 314354-8338) out of a former Long John Silver’s on South Kingshighway. During lunch hours, the hostess will likely assume you’re there for the standard albeit e cellent buffet in the corner of the room. It’s a great deal, but you’ll find magic in the la carte offerings, including revelatory versions of Indian classics like chicken tikka masala and chana masala. More adventurous diners will thrill to the lamb sekuwa, with its shockingly tender spice-rubbed meat, and the standout goat curry. $-$$. Lunch and dinner daily.

Knead Bakehouse

M A B EL S U EN

Grbic

ne morning in the early 1990s, Sulejman Grbic told his family to get into the car because they were going for a ride. They ended up in the parking lot of a vacant building, where his wife, Ermina, proceeded to scream at him while he laughed. The source of their argument was the building itself, a rundown stone behemoth he’d just informed Ermina he purchased in order to open a restaurant. That restaurant, Grbic (4071 Keokuk Street, 314-772-3100), has since gone on to become St. Louis’ essential Bosnian eatery, an important distinction considering the city’s vibrant Bosnian diaspora and its impact on the area’s dining culture. Sulejman was an unlikely patriarch of such a place. A long-haul truck driver by trade, he had tried for years to persuade his wife to let him get into the industry, only to be stymied by her emphatic insistence that they did not have the

bandwidth for such an endeavor. He may have had to go behind her back to sign the paperwork, but once he was officially all-in on the restaurant, so was she. Together — and with the help of their children — they have grown Grbic into St. Louis’ definitive spot for Bosnian cuisine, thanks in no small part to Ermina’s undeniable culinary talent. Ermina and Sulejman still serve as matriarch and patriarch of Grbic, but their two children, Senada and Ermin (their daughter Erna passed away from cancer in February 2019, though her vibrant presence remains a fixture at the restaurant), work tirelessly to keep the legacy going. It’s been no small feat, especially considering the hardships of the past few years, but it’s something they feel they have a responsibility to do — not just because of their family, but for the St. Louis community they love. $$. Open Friday 4 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

Co-owner AJ Brown got his start baking bread, but Knead Bakehouse (3467 Hampton Avenue, 314-376-4361) offers much more than that. In fact, it could be one of the city’s top daytime spots. The exceptional egg, sausage and cheese sandwich presents like a breakfast burger stuffed with soft-scrambled eggs, smoked cheddar, aioli, sliced tomatoes and greens. Brioche French toast, meanwhile, is so pillow-like you’d be forgiven for trying to nestle your face into it. Topped with sweet strawberry preserves, it’s a masterpiece. Counter service, with limited communal-style seating. $. Opens at 9 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Limited outdoor seating.

Menya Rui

At Menya Rui (3453 Hampton Ave, 314-601-3524), they make noodles. Quite literally, that’s what “menya” means in Japanese: noodle shop. Chef-owner Steven Pursley, a St. Louis native, lived in Japan for three years, where he studied ramen and worked in multiple noodle shops. When he returned to St. Louis, he started a pop-up shop, Ramen x Rui. In April, he turned it into a full-scale restaurant. Outside of housemade cucumbers pickled in rice vinegar and Japanese fried chicken, the entire menu is completely composed of noodle dishes, thin and thick, ranging from ramen to tsukemen to mazemen. Since opening a few months ago, the store has quickly gained popularity, with lines stretching out of the door before it even begins serving. $$. Open Thursday through Sunday for dinner.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

30 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Russell’s on Macklind

Trained as a pastry chef, owner Russell Ping has created an impossibly cozy bistro — exposed brick, low ceilings, mismatched wood furniture and a vintage fireplace. n the evening it’s lit by votive candles, making it an intimate spot to nosh on Russell’s (5400 Murdoch Avenue, 314-553-9994) signature upscale comfort food. n a nice weekend morning or afternoon, the large, tree-covered patio is the place to be, as neighbors pop in and out to grab a coffee and pastry and just say hello. t’s a true neighborhood gathering place. $$-$$$. Open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and weekend brunch. Patio.

Trattoria Marcella

When they first opened, Trattoria Marcella (3600 Watson Road, 314-352-7706) didn’t have two things: t-ravs and lobster risotto, now some of its most popular menu items. he t-ravs were at first eschewed because who needed another place that sold t-ravs? But proprietor Steve Komorek, who owns the restaurant along with sisters Jamie and hristine, went to taly to train under the Slow Food program and learned that all the popular dishes in taly have their own twist. ach family makes the classics in a different way. o rattoria arcella started making its signature t-ravs. he lobster risotto was a onenight-only New Year’s Eve special, but the dish received such a warm reception that they kept offering it. hey still haven’t added it to the menu, but it stays on as a verbal special. he additional offerings sum up how rattoria arcella has prospered since by offering its own take on modern talian cuisine but keeping it uni ue to t. ouis. $$. Open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

CHEROKEE STREET La Vallesana

Situated in the Cherokee Street neighborhood, La Vallesana (2801 Cherokee Street, 314-776-4223) has been serving a rainbow of ice creams with avors that range from the standard chocolate, coffee, strawberry and vanilla to the wild but wildly delectable pine nut, rose petals, chocolate with banana, curdled milk , as well as paletas popsicles in an array of e ually tempting avors. he savory side of the menu is just as appealing with familiar classics such as burritos and uesadillas. owever, offerings that may seem more far afield to the uninitiated also shine: Check out the tortas, which can be filled with ham, breaded steak, or chicken or grab a street taco filled with cow head, cheek or tongue. $. Opens at 11 a.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays.

Morning Glory Diner

Morning Glory (2609 Cherokee Street, 314-2506007) is a charming, light-filled diner that boasts far more than the greasy-spoon food

you might e pect from its name. ising-star chef Ari Jo Ellis uses fresh ingredients in from-scratch offerings including slingers and cheeseburgers and fries. ven the sausage is made in-house. ry the chicken and johnny cakes, a spin on fried chicken and wa es that subs in cornmeal pancakes and cornmeal-breaded chicken served with an egg. No alcohol. $. Open Wednesday through Sunday for breakfast and lunch.

The Taco & Ice Cream Joint

A long-abandoned department store in the heart of Cherokee Street has been turned into a massive, Technicolor restaurant that makes Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory look subdued. The Taco & Ice Cream Joint (2738 Cherokee Street, 314-224-5799) has an ice cream counter that runs the entire length of a very deep space, over owing with avors both traditional and un-, candies, sprinkles, bacon, exotic fruit and anything else you could imagine for toppings. Popsicles with hunks of fresh fruit, wa e cones coated in sugary glaze and a chocolate fountain that seems to run just for the spectacle of it sit behind the glass. he savory menu ordered at a separate counter is every bit as worthy. he restaurant offers a dozen different taco fillings, all served la carte and completely undressed. This presentation allows diners to choose their own accouterments from a salsa bar that offers everything from pickled onions to fiery mango salsas. No alcohol. $. Lunch and dinner daily.

Taqueria El Bronco

ou won’t find many decorations inside this narrow storefront; Taqueria El Bronco (2817 Cherokee Street, 314-762-0691) is all about the food. he menu features standard ta ueria fare, though a few larger entrées are available. n both aturdays and undays, menudo and posole are on the menu, along with brunch-friendly egg-based items such as huevos rancheros and huevos con chorizo. michelada is the obvious hair-of-the-dog choice, but other choices include a margarita, buckets of beer or even te uila. $. Opens Monday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and Friday through Sunday at 9 a.m.

SOUTH OF MERAMEC Chicken Seven

At Chicken Seven (6312 South Grand Boulevard, 314-354-6349), Korean fried chicken has been elevated to high art. he golden batter that encases the plump, searing-hot drumstick is as crunchy as a kettle-cooked potato chip, yet also, somehow, impossibly light, wrapping the juicy bird in a layer of savory avor so crisp you can hear someone bite into it halfway across the dining room. till not persuaded to give it a try? Well, Chicken Seven also serves a Yum Yum sauce, a brown-sugary nectar, laden with soy, garlic and medium-hot red chiles. perfect glaze though not their only one for the fried chicken. Proprietors ean ee and rica Park opened the restau-

rant to bring t. ouis Korean street food and beer, but have struggled to get their liquor license. his is definitely a place t. ouis wants to keep around, so we encourage you to show your support even before they can serve you booze. $-$$. Open Thursday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m., Sunday 1 to 8 p.m. and Monday 4 to 9 p.m.

The Drawing Board

With a pool table and stable of craft beers, at first glance, the Drawing Board (4123 Chippewa Street, 314-899-9343) may seem like your average bar in ower rove outh. But if you look a little closer there’s something uni ue. aybe it’s the chalkboards that line the restaurant or the mural of the t. ouis skyline that covers a wall. r maybe it’s the menu, with jambalaya balls, falafel sliders, smash burger, grilled PB&J, and ooey Babies their version of the t. ouis staple gooey butter cake. r maybe it’s the activities — the darts, the Bimini ring toss, the live music, the trivia and the karaoke. eally, there’s something for everyone at the rawing Board. $. Open 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

Gooseberries

ave you ever heard of a pizza with a giant egg foo young patty, mayo, lettuce, onions and pickles r a fried tofu pizza with pickles r a fried bologna sandwich or a bacon-jelly cream cheese sandwich? Well, they’re all menu items at Gooseberries (2754 Chippewa Street, 314577-6363), a beloved south-city restaurant and gathering place. wner Kim Bond calls the menu weird. ou could also call it creative, original and a vegan haven. he selection is comprehensive and eclectic. ou’ll find dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that include omelets, carrot cake pancakes, hand-pies and pizzas. ot only are Bond and her partner, oss essor, beloved for their delicious food they have been a source of support for their south-city neighbors throughout the pandemic, showing their regulars what community means. $-$$. Open Thursday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m.

Majeed Mediterranean Restaurant

pened in anuary by yrian refugees, Majeed (4658 Gravois Avenue, 314-282-0981) offers not only some terrific bargains but some of the best iddle astern food in town. Beef kefta, so often a dried-out, lackluster kabob choice, is here as juicy as a composite of slowcooked pot roast. he meat pulls apart at only the slightest prodding; each bite is verdant with fresh parsley and garlic. erved over a platter, it is wonderful; wrapped in pita and covered in garlic sauce, it is sublime. he hummus is sumptuous and velvety; the chicken shawarma is transcendent. No alcohol. $. Opens daily at 11 a.m.

Mariscos El Gato hef Pedro el ato

iaz earned a big follow-

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

32 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

ing on Cherokee Street for his Nayarit-style seafood dishes, only to decamp for a new location in the heart of Bevo Mill after a dispute with a business partner. Look for the massive seafood platters, filled with whole fish, crab, scallops, lobster and octopus, that made folks fall in love with his cooking in the first place. tuffed whole fish, ceviche and a variety of seafood cocktails also feature in the new menu, only now they’re being served in a classic St. Louis storefront with lots of dark wood and exposed brick. No wonder Mariscos El Gato (4561 Gravois Avenue, 314-282-0772) has become one of the hottest tables in town. $$-$$$. Open for lunch and dinner every day but Tuesday, beginning at noon.

Stacked Burger Bar

The inventive burger creations at this friendly Patch bar and grill are pretty fantastic. However, the “Think You Could Do It Better?” buildyour-own menu is what sets Stacked Burger Bar (7637 Ivory Street, 314-544-4900) apart from the rest. Seventy-two options inspire one-of-akind creations sure to satisfy anyone’s craving. Patty options include ground chuck, chicken breast, black bean, local grass-fed beef, Sri-

Gooseberries.

racha burger and turkey. A lengthy toppings list includes bourbon-bacon maple jam, fried pickles, guacamole, sauerkraut, sautéed mushrooms, barbecued brisket and a fried egg. Could you do better? Maybe not, but you’ll sure have fun trying. $. Open for lunch and dinner on Mondays as well as Wednesday through Saturday (closed Tuesday), with Sunday hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stellar Hog

Chef and pitmaster Alex Cupp is dishing up some quintessential St. Louis barbecue at Stellar Hog (5623 Leona Street, 314-481-8448, and other locations), which is where dive bar Super’s used to be. The pulled pork is infused with fruitwood smoke that underscores its sweetness, and you can add a smoky, mustard-forward Carolina-influenced sauce with a tang that cuts through the pork flavor. The ribs are fork-tender and slide off the bone with almost no prodding, dressed up in a rub that is simple and slightly sweet with a touch of warm spice. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but if you had to choose just one thing, it comes down to Cupp’s brisket or, when they’re available,

beef ribs, which are the best the town has to offer. If we had friends come in from out of town who wanted St. Louis ’cue done right, we’d take them here and order one of everything. $-$$. Open Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tacos La Jefa

Nearly two decades ago, Heriberta Amezcua started selling birria meals out of her house. She set up shop at Mexican festivals in town and held cookouts in her backyard. Amezcua was one of a few people in St. Louis who made birrias, the Mexican meal that takes crispy corn tortillas and envelopes them around meat that has been cooked for hours. Then in 2020, mezcua opened her first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Tacos La Jefa (3301 Meramec Street, 314-845-4248). Sadly, Amezcua passed away only a few months into her business, but her family keeps her legacy alive, offering just two meals: the matriarch’s signature birria and quesobirria — a birria with melted cheese inside. It’s also a pop-up shop, meaning it’s open only on Saturdays and Sunday (check hours because they are known to uctuate . But when open, it’s not uncommon for the restau-

MABE L SU E N

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Tiny Chef.

rant to sell out before the day is over. Just don’t forget to dip the birrias into consommé, the broth — not sauce, you’ll be reminded — that tops off the meal. $$. Open Saturday and Sunday for lunch.

Tiny Chef

Pre-COVID-19, word was just starting to get out about Tiny Chef (4701 Morgan Ford Road, 314832-9223), an unlikely bastion of Korean cuisine inside Bevo Mill neighborhood pinball bar the Silver Ballroom. From a small takeout counter in the back of the space, owner Melanie Meyer was finally realizing her dream of connecting with her Korean heritage through food with delicious results, gradually building a group of loyalists who were eager to taste what she was cooking that day. When the pandemic hit and the bar shuttered, Meyer was crestfallen, worried that she was on the verge of losing all that she’d worked for. However, she rallied, creating a robust takeout business through a small, street-facing window, and pushed through to where her operation within the bar is open and thriving once more. She’s gotten creative with her offerings, serving everything from her amazing tteokbokki special to a Korean-style seafood boil that has people begging for it to

MABE L SU E N

be a regular occurrence — one she’s inclined to keep going, like everything she does, as long as the people keep coming. $-$$. Open Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m., Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m.

NORTH CITY Crown Candy Kitchen

A beloved Old North landmark for more than 100 years, Crown Candy (1401 St. Louis Avenue, 314-621-9650) serves up a mean BLT and makes some of the sweetest candy in the city. The scoops of rich ice cream can be ordered in a malt, a sundae, a newport (a sundae with whipped cream and nuts) or banana split form, or just go with a single scoop. There’s also the legendary milkshake — if you can drink five in half an hour, they’re all free. But more than the treats, it’s the old-timey feel at Crown Candy that will put a smile on your face. There’s often a line around the block on Saturdays; why not visit on a weekday? $. Closed Sunday.

Gregg’s Bar & Grill

One of the few sit-down restaurants in the

industrial north riverfront, Gregg’s (4400 North Broadway, 314-421-1152) is a realm of beer and burgers, of generous fish sandwiches and perfect onion rings. Gregg’s attracts diverse characters and old friends, everyone from cops to construction workers to nearby neighborhood residents. You can get chili or fried chicken or a burger, but you can also get a 13-ounce New York strip, along with dinner salad and baked potato, for $15.95. It’s that kind of place. $. Full bar, patio. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Playboy Cappuccino Lounge

Seafood is the name of the game at Playboy Cappuccino Lounge (8500 N Broadway, 314869-4098). But the real specialty is the shrimp, and not just any kind of shrimp: jumbo, golden, fried shrimp. Regulars say it’s the best in the city. Located in a tan brick building in Baden, this spot is loaded with all kinds of seafood options, including catfish nuggets, jack salmon, jack filet and tilapia. With colorful cocktails, a lounge area, a jukebox and dart boards, Playboy’s offers a hopping bar scene to complement its food. $$. Open daily at 11 a.m. but closed on Sunday.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

40 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

The County SOUTH COUNTY J’s Pitaria

Like blintzes made from phyllo, Zamir Jahic’s pitas are stuffed, rolled and baked to the point that the e terior gets golden and aky while the interior remains gooey and tender. Ordered by the pound rather than by the piece, the pitas are both sweet and savory. he latter include a simple cheese version, which oozes with mild and gooey kajmak, a housemade buttery spread that is like the lovechild of feta and boursin cheese, making for a pillow-soft, cheesy version of a fried spring roll. ore traditional sandwiches at J’s Pitaria (91 Concord Plaza Shopping Center, 314-270-8005) include a wonderful doner kebab and a Bosnian-style chicken panini. No alcohol; counter service. $. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Liliana’s Italian Kitchen

he into icating scent of garlic, Parmesan and dough that greets you upon arrival to Liliana’s (11836 Tesson Ferry Road, 314-729-1800) is a precursor for what’s to come, which really ought to begin with an order of cheese garlic bread. t this charming, old-school talian joint, chef owner im Pieri dips crusty talian bread into a concoction of melted butter, garlic and Parmesan, then covers it in mozzarella cheese before placing it in the oven. he result is a cheesy, butter-saturated wonder. ousemade meatballs and eggplant lasagna are equally dazzling, while the t. ouis-style pizza may well be the best in town. $$. Opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Drive-through window for pizza.

Nubby’s

ocated upstairs at the ll merican ports all in reen Park, Nubby’s (11133 Lindbergh Business Court, Green Park; 314-200-9123) has

an unusual location but destination-worthy food. he sports mall hosts hockey games, roller derby bouts and other sporting fun, but it’s also home to miscellaneous businesses, including Nubby’s barbecue restaurant. It looks like any ol’ county sports bar, but Nubby’s is serving up top-tier barbecue and delicious deep-fried finger foods like handmade crab Rangoon that is rolled up like a taquito instead of folded into a pouch. And though the burgers and other offerings are delicious, it’s the brisket, the pulled pork and the e as-style burnt ends that will have you coming back for more. ow with a second location nearby the original, ubby’s has built upon its well-deserved success. $$ Closed Monday but opens at 11 a.m. every other day of the week.

Twisted Tree Steakhouse

Anything you might presume about the Twisted Tree (10701 Watson Road, Sunset Hills; 314394-3366) based on its location in a oliday nn parking lot will get checked at the door, as the fast-food joints and chain stores of unset ills give way to a sophisticated bar that could be a million light years away or at least several miles to the northeast in Clayton. Dim lighting and sleek, backlit finishes illuminate the lounge, packed with would-be patrons waiting upward of two hours for a table. t’s not just hype wisted ree’s food is worth waiting for. he onion rings are famous, the steaks are e pertly cooked, and the batter-dipped lobster tails are terrific. ven the salads made tableside to your specifications are seriously good. he service, too, is impeccable. $$$-$$$$. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Yolklore

wner ary Boehne could have done just about anything in the food world, but she chose to focus on breakfast and lunch for her first restaurant, Yolklore (8958 Watson Road,

Crestwood; 314-270-8538). At this counter-service spot, you’ll see the same thought given to bacon and eggs as you’d see in an entrée special at a trendy evening bistro. his results in innovative dishes, such as olklore’s signature est gg, a biscuit-like shell filled with eggs, bacon, cheese, pickled onion and preserved lemon, and a frittata with goat cheese, mushrooms and tomato jam. on’t let the innovative menu items fool you, though. olklore is equally the place to go for the old-fashioned comfort of biscuits and gravy or a slinger. nd no matter what you choose, you can be in and out in a ash or simply head through the drive-through for the best fast food you can get. No alcohol. $. Open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays — and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Drive-through window.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS DD Mau

DD Mau’s (11982 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 314-942-2300) name roughly translates to hurry up or let’s go. But for all its speed, the counter-service spot takes no shortcuts. wner ulie ruong’s food is both innovative and fiercely authentic, customizable yet appealing to fans of traditional Vietnamese food. vermicelli bowl features such traditional accoutrements as crushed peanuts, cilantro and pickled vegetables, but it can be tossed with a dressing, such as the funky ietnamese inaigrette, which infuses it with depth and heat. ll bowls come with your choice of protein. pring rolls, pho and banh mi round out a perfectly executed menu. No alcohol. $. Open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday.

El Morelia Supermercado

On the surface, El Morelia Supermercado (12005 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton; 314-209-

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

0014) in Bridgeton is an expansive Latin-food grocery store where customers can find anything from crispy bolillos to mortars carved from volcanic stone. But on the weekends, El Morelia Supermercado transforms into a popup taqueria. Ricos Tacos stand sets up inside and serves up tacos that will spoil all other tacos for you. Protein offerings include steak, marinated pork, carne asada, lengua (cow tongue) and more. Plus, there’s a fresh bar with fresh salsas and toppings, so you can curate each bite to your liking. Take a break from shopping to enjoy some of the most authentic street tacos you’ll find in the t. ouis area, or just make the trek to Bridgeton solely to enjoy El Morelia’s food. Either way, it’s worth the drive for city dwellers. $ El Morelia Supermercado is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday but closes an hour early on Sundays. Find tacos from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

India Palace

Several years ago, India Palace (12322 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 314-731-3333) moved to the former home of Standard Brewing Company, which explains the industrial, modern vibe. Still, what’s important is the food, which remains as good as ever. Lamb vindaloo is the signature dish, but you simply can’t go wrong anywhere on this menu. Kids’ menu; lunch buffet. $$. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

avor without overtaking it. $-$$. Opens daily at 11 a.m.; open until 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 p.m. Sunday.

FERGUSON, FLORISSANT, HAZELWOOD Cathy’s Kitchen

Inspired by her culinary trips around the U.S., Cathy Jenkins opened Cathy’s Kitchen (250 South Florissant Road, Ferguson; 314-524-9200) as a way for diners to eat their way around the country without ever leaving north county. er menu is divided not by starters, entrees or sandwiches but by state, each category filled with the specialties she enjoyed from each place. Look for Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches, New Orleans jambalaya and Memphis-style pulled pork on this edible road

•G

trip in the heart of Ferguson. $. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Outdoor seating.

Hendel’s Market Café & Piano Bar

Hendel’s (599 Saint Denis Street, Florissant; 314837-2304) Old Town Florissant digs have a colorful past: The century-old storefront used to be a grocer. But there’s nothing old-fashioned about the food. Try the German potato soup with its zippy hint of vinegar or the smoked shrimp en croute; there’s also a full menu of steaks, chicken, fish and pasta. ther perks include enthusiastic, rosy-cheeked service; a comfy dining room; and outside seating in a serene garden. Kids’ menu. $$. Open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Patio.

Kaslik

hef and co-owner Wesam amed, whose r sum includes such notable spots as anoush and Layla, has been cooking his delicious Pal-

old Standard•

Serra’s Pizzeria

St. Louis-style pizza is one of those polarizing points of discussion — you either love it or you hate it. But at Serra’s Pizzeria (12218 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights; 314-739-0881), you love it no matter what your prior stance was. Tucked into an unassuming building next to a strip mall off a busy aryland eights street, the pizzeria specializes in our beloved thin-cruststyle pie. Each ’za is made with Provel cheese, the St. Louis way, and the list of toppings is never-ending. But the menu doesn’t begin and end with pizza. With sandwiches, pasta, burgers, salads, eggplant or chicken Parmesan, fish filet and more, there’s something for everyone within the bounds of Serra’s menu. $. Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesdays through Thursdays, as well as Sundays, from 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to midnight.

Westport Social

The massive, 12,500-square-foot Westport Social (910 Westport Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights; 314-548-2876) is sleek and stylish, with two rooms featuring everything from foosball tables to bocce courts to full-size basketball pop-a-shot setups. Food and drinks match the modern vibe, nodding at classic bar food but transcending the baseness often associated with the genre. The pizza and burgers are both solid choices, and if the nachos show that the kitchen can elevate classic appetizers, the wings prove they can put them on a jewel-crusted pedestal. The plump drummies and wings are smoked, infusing the juicy meat with 42

Fergie’s

n its 32 years in business, Fergie’s (1699 Lemay Ferry Road, 314-638-6387) has endeared itself to its patrons for its relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, quality homestyle cooking, something-for-everyone menu and, above all, fried chicken. The famous, crispy golden bird dates back even further than the bar and grill itself, all the way to an old recipe used by Fergie’s founder Dennis Ferguson when he was a partner in a small restaurant brand with a couple of outlets. When that partnership dissolved, he kept the Lemay Ferry Road location, anointed it Fergie’s, and built the restaurant into an essential south-county gathering spot. Current owners Christine Marshall and Crystal Goedecke, two longtime employees, took over the business from Ferguson just before the beginning of the pandemic and have relied on the relationships with their guests,

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

P H U ON G BU I

built over many years, in order to get them through. Patrons came out in droves to support them — in part because of the changing neighborhood landscape that has gutted the area of its sit-down restaurants, something Marshall believes underscores Fergie’s importance to the community. However, the love Fergie’s customers have for their beloved gathering spot transcends the fact that it is one of their only sit-down dining options. It’s a true place of community connection, where grandparents can come in with their grandchildren for dinner and nosh alongside a group of friends gathered to watch the game at the bar. In some ways, it’s the neighborhood’s country club, except the only membership fee you need is the $10.50 it costs for a breast, leg, wing and thigh. $. Open daily starting at 11 a.m.

Thai Kitchen.

estinian fare in north St. Louis County since , first opening in lorissant before moving to Kaslik’s (7847 North Lindbergh Boulevard, Hazelwood; 314-972-8282) current home. he place is a charmer, with thoughtful touches throughout and e ually good food. amed’s signature shawarma remains as e cellent as always. ikewise, the lamb chops, falafel and hummus are so authentic you might be convinced you’re sitting on the eastern editerranean rather than in the middle of north county. on’t miss the baklava. No alcohol. $$. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Kitchen

At the Kitchen (14065 New Halls Ferry Road, Florissant; 314-831-9292), there are only four tables and an order counter. he intimate dining room almost ensures you’ll feel like family, which may be why proprietors ary guyen and Kristin iu named the restaurant what they did, to evoke feelings of home. he sisters grew up in the restaurant industry. heir parents opened hinese ourmet in lorissant in . ow a portion of the hinese ourmet location is the Kitchen, a new take on fast-casual hinese merican cuisine. But the sisters still include some favorites from hinese ourmet, such as the hot braised chicken wings. nother dish is the yang chau fried rice, made with hinese

MABE L SU E N

sausage, whole shrimp, pork, onion, carrot and green beans, all on a bed of yellow-tinted rice. he dish is traditionally served at ietnamese and hinese weddings, a fitting offering for a restaurant that celebrates family. $$. Open 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Pearl Cafe

rom a contemporary storefront in the heart of north county, Pearl Cafe (8416 North Lindbergh Boulevard, Florissant; 314-831-3701) consistently offers what’s arguably the best hai food in t. ouis, with a voluminous menu of noodles, fried rice, curries and noodle soups. nnovative chef owner cott ruong is always looking for ways to reimagine hai cuisine through dishes like the Phorito or hai Burger. dd in an e tensive beer selection and single-malt scotches, and you’ll see why Pearl afe is so much more than your usual hai spot. Kids’ menu. $$. Opens at 10:30 a.m. weekdays and at noon Saturday. Patio.

Pirrone’s Pizzeria

or more years, Pirrone’s Pizzeria (1775 Washington Street, Florissant; 314-839-3633) has been serving up uintessential icilian merican comfort food in the form of deep-fried cannelloni bites, cheese sticks and salads that

consist of little more than iceberg lettuce, Provel and a heavy-handed dousing of dressing. he big draw, however, is the pizza, a rectangular riff on the t. ouis-style cracker crust with cheese just a little bit gooier and sauce a little bit sweeter than the norm. et it with pepperoni, talian sausage or hamburger, and revel in the delight of a vibrant orange cheesy greaseslick that pairs perfectly with a frosty mug of draft Bud ight. $$. Opens Monday through Saturday at a. . and Sunday at noon. un h buffet available weekdays.

Thai Kitchen

Thai Kitchen’s (8458 North Lindbergh Boulevard, Florissant; 314-695-5039) menu consists of familiar hai dishes, though the recipes are uni uely ndie ngartsutthikue’s, having been passed down in her mother’s family for generations. er version of the northern hai noodle soup khao soi, for instance, is spicier than others. he warm heat is more haunting than assertive, sneaking up on the back palate and lingering. eanwhile, a tangier, more tomato-forward presentation of curry is the base of the gang uah shrimp, a rich, brothy concoction meant to be served over rice. he star ingredient is pineapple, cut into chunks and warmed by the broth. $-$$. Open for lunch and dinner every day but Tuesday.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

OVERLAND/ST. ANN Chuck-A-Burger

Chuck-A-Burger’s (9025 St. Charles Rock Road, St. John, 314-427-9524) menu may be filled with delectable merican classics like burgers, fries and malts, but the most wonderful thing served at this north-county institution is pure nostalgia. or more than years, the restaurant has e isted as a living slice of history, maintaining the tradition of the uintessential s soda fountain down to its car hops, old-school jukebo soundtrack and classic car cruise nights. his is the culinary version of poodle skirts and saddles shoes, yet it’s anything but pass . ashions may have changed

since huck- -Burger opened for business, but its greasy-spoon diner classics have stood the test of time. No alcohol. $. Opens daily at 11 a.m. Curb service in addition to inside seating.

of Page venue and ighway , l uanaco offers fancy vacation- uality food in a casual location. $$. Open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily.

El Guanaco Taqueria & Pupuseria

ocated in a shoebo of a building off Page venue in verland, Fire Chicken (10200 Page Avenue, Overland; 314-551-2123) seems unassuming until you taste the food. Based loosely on traditional Korean fried chicken, ire hicken is the brainchild of husband and wife in and ichelle Baik, two restaurant veterans who, after years of running restaurants focused on apanese cuisine, are now proudly showing off their Korean culinary heritage. he restaurant’s namesake dish, a sticky sweet and searing-hot concoction of deep-fried boneless breaded chicken akin to the hot braised chick-

f you’re looking for a taste of entral merican cuisine, El Guanaco Taqueria & Pupuseria (10633 Page Avenue, 314-274-8022) is a top destination. erving up food from l alvador, onduras and e ico, l uanaco keeps the menu fairly traditional, offering classic versions of empanadas, pupusas and menudo e ican tripe soup . f you just want a basic uesadilla or taco, you can get that, too, making the restaurant a great place to try new things while still finding something for your picky children to eat. ocated near the intersection

•G

Fire Chicken

old Standard•

MABE L SU E N

n early 2020, a fire ripped through Taqueria Durango (10238 Page Avenue, Overland; 314-429-1113), destroying not simply the building itself, but everything the Lopez family had worked so hard to build in their two decades of business. After the firefighters put out the flames and the Overland storefront sat smoldering and charred, their family legacy flashed before their eyes: A family with no plans of opening a restaurant when they first moved to St. Louis in the early 1990s had become the torchbearers of north county’s Mexican culinary tradition. It was a heritage the family was determined to carry forth, even if it

Taqueria Durango meant starting from scratch. It wasn’t the first time the Lopez family built Taqueria Durango from the ground up. After moving to St. Louis for patriarch Miguel Lopez’s job in IT, the family fell in love with their new city, even as they were struck by the lack of Hispanic grocery stores in the north-county area. They decided to take matters into their own hands, opening a small market, Durango, in an Overland strip mall in 2003, only to be persuaded by their regular customers to expand their business to include a restaurant. They eventually gave in, launching Taqueria Durango in 2010, and

quickly gained a following, endearing themselves to the surrounding community for their stunning, traditional Mexican cuisine and family-friendly atmosphere. That community rallied behind the Lopezes after the fire, coming through with financial aid and moral support that would energize them to rebuild. It took about a year and a half, but Taqueria Durango reopened, bigger and better than ever, in June of 2021, as a living, breathing reminder of just how much the Lopezes mean to their north-county neighborhood. $. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

en you’d find at an merican-style hinese restaurant, is something in has been perfecting for years noshing on this masterpiece, you can tell that time and care have paid off. $-$$. Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 8:30 p.m., open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Haveli

nondescript building on a nondescript stretch of Page venue is home to an ndian restaurant whose food is anything but nondescript. Haveli (9720 Page Avenue, Overland; 314423-7300) offers a wide selection of chicken, lamb and vegetarian dishes, with lists of specials for both omnivores and vegans. oat cur-

ry is a standout, rich and gamy, while navratan korma is a comple vegetable dish to win over the staunchest carnivore. unch and dinner buffets. $$. Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.

a t. ouis pie go from good to great. ou need that sort of architecture when you’re looking to pile on the pizzeria’s homemade, fennel-kissed talian sausage the more the better. $. Closed Mondays. Lunch served Fridays only.

Nick and Elena’s Pizzeria

Sides of Seoul

egulars will swear to you that their beloved Nick and Elena’s Pizzeria (3007 Woodson Road, Breckenridge Hills; 314-427-6566) serves the best version of t. ouis-style pizza in town. We have to hand it to them With its avorful crust that’s always crisped up just a little more golden brown than the town’s other s uares beyond compare, these cracker-thin pies have that ever-so-slight bit of e tra heft that makes

•N

f you’re looking for the gold standard of traditional Korean food in the bistate area, look no further than Sides of Seoul (10084 Page Avenue, Overland; 314-942-8940). ach item on the menu attracts a loyal following and for good reason. he spot offers a uffy masterpiece in the form of its kimchi pancake, while its kimchi jjigae is li uid gold. We could go on and on. he robust menu offers Korean food at its

ew Classic•

MABE L SU E N

hen Maria Giamportone and Daniel Gonzalez sketched out their plans for Asador Del Sur (7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-802-8587), St. Louis wasn’t even on their radar. Instead, the husband and wife were moving forward with opening the restaurant where they lived in Miami. However, a trip to St. Louis to visit family opened their eyes to opportunity: Why not open Asador Del Sur in the middle of the country, where there was a void of the tra-

Asador Del Sur ditional South American grills that were quite common in Miami? The move would not simply set them apart from the crowd; it would give them a chance to introduce a style of dining to a city they knew would warmly embrace it. They were right. In just two years, Asador Del Sur has become a must-visit destination in the area’s food scene, thanks to Gonzalez’s undeniable talent for grilled meats and seafood. His cooking (the chimichurri alone is worth a visit), paired with the restaurant’s breezy atmosphere, great South

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

American wine list and warm hospitality, work in concert to create a vibe that makes diners feel as if they are at an elegant beachfront bistro. The result is a transportative experience that carries you miles away from the restaurant’s Maplewood storefront, even though there is no place you’d rather be. $$-$$$. Closed Tuesdays. Open Monday 3 to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Friday noon to 9 p.m. Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Benevolent King.

finest. $. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Closed on Sundays.

MAPLEWOOD Acero

ong before aplewood was a dining destination, back when t. ouis’ talian restaurants were mostly limited to white sauce or red there was Acero (7266 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-644-1790) im iala’s awlessly e ecuted spot served nothing like the city had ever seen. ore than a decade in, cero feels as stylish, and essential, as ever, with menu items that include a seafood crudo and prosciutto-wrapped pastries called gnocco fritto as well as the e pected pasta, fish, steak and rack of lamb. o not skip the egg raviolo $$$. Opens Tuesday through Saturday at 5 p.m. Patio.

Benevolent King

rom a tiny kitchen on a charming block, restaurateur Ben Poremba is reclaiming his identity as a chef with his most personal concept to date, one that draws its inspiration from his oroccan- sraeli heritage. he falafel and chicken-filled oroccan cigars are all thrilling, while larger plates like the incredible lamb meatballs will blow you away at Benevolent King (7268 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314899-0440). nd with a creative cocktail list that

MABE L SU E N

offers some of the most thoughtful libations in town, what’s in the glass stands shoulder to shoulder with what’s on the plate. mall bistro tables evoke a oroccan beachside cafe, while the shiny tiled oor and bar-tops give off a swanky vintage feel. $$$$. Opens Tuesday through Saturday at 5 p.m.

Pizza Champ

n anuary, the pandemic project of lmwood’s hris Kelling and dam ltnether became a true neighborhood pizza joint. Pizza Champ (2657 Lyle Avenue, Maplewood) which was originally a pop-up in lmwood’s kitchen during the height of the pandemic opened its own brick-and-mortar location earlier this year alongside ide Project Brewing in aplewood. Pizza hamp began as a takeout-only spot it now shares patio space open with ide Project . owever, even without an in-person e perience, the pizzeria immediately endeared itself to the community, and became a go-to pick-up spot for weekly pizza nights, parties, and general pizza-centric cravings. But this isn’t your stereotypical pizza joint. or starters, they don’t have a phone. pect nuanced menu selections, from wings to specialty pies like the buffalo-fried chicken pie tomato sauce and mozzarella, topped with fried chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, celery and blue cheese. Whatever your order, Pizza hamp promises to hit the spot. $. Open

Wednesday and Thursday 2 to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

Thai Table

Thai Table’s (7403 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-449-6919) pad hai offers an umami bomb of soy and the comple funk of the fish sauce just one delight in a parade of dishes that will make you rethink hai food. he green papaya salad som tum is positively electric, while vibrant lab kai is wipe-your-forehead spicy, with avors so addictively sour you won’t be able to stop eating it. nd if the noodles are e cellent, the curries are positively ethereal. ou simply can’t go wrong on this menu. No alcohol, though there is boba tea. $$. Lunch and dinner daily (closed on Tuesday).

KIRKWOOD/ WEBSTER GROVES Balkan Treat Box

he brick-and-mortar offshoot of a wildly successful food truck, Balkan Treat Box (8103 Big Bend Boulevard, Webster Groves; 314-733-5700) offers fast-casual food from not only Bosnia but also its neighbors. ighlights include somun stuffed with arajevo-style cevapi, which looks like a breakfast link but tastes more like iddle astern kefta. hef owner oryn alic

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

cooks the meat over open ames, encrusting it with wood smoke to give it a slightly crisp te ture even as it remains so juicy you’d think it’s been bathed in its drippings. er urkish pide, too, is a show-stopper, with glorious, spongy bread, speckled with char, fashioned into the shape of a boat and stuffed with meat or cheese. o alcohol. $$. Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Frisco Barroom

Frisco Barroom (8110 Big Bend Boulevard, Webster Groves; 314-455-1090) is a modern merican tavern that is nice enough for date night but not so nice that you have to call a sitter. he restaurant is positively handsome, outfitted in

e posed brick, black slate paint, wrought-iron chandeliers and a black tin ceiling. he menu, which includes boards, sandwiches and a few well-thought-out entrees, is interesting without ever venturing from being accessible. $$$$$. Opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Rooftop dining and a back patio.

Olive + Oak

Olive + Oak (102 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-736-1370) is so popular it’s virtually impossible to eat there. eservations book months in advance, and attempting to walk in and secure a barstool, even mid-week, is an e ercise in futility. wner general manager ark inkle and chef esse endica spent a

•N

good part of their restaurant careers at nnie unn’s, and brought with them the west-county landmark’s refined approachability, now on display in a stylish yet warm neighborhood eatery. live ak is the type of restaurant where you can don jeans and a -shirt and settle into a burger and fries or dress up for cocktails, oysters and a cowboy ribeye for two. t’s all awlessly e ecuted by endica, who has uickly become one of the city’s biggest culinary stars. ow, if we could only get a damn table. $$$-$$$$. Opens at 4 p.m. daily. Patio.

O+O Pizza

o not get confused. n spite of its name, O+O Pizza (102 W. Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves; 314-

ew Classic•

MABE L SU E N

s a young girl growing up in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Su Hill thought of cooking as drudgery. Her mother, who trained in the domestic arts at Thailand’s Grand Palace, made it a point to show Hill the painstaking process of making traditional Thai cuisine — everything from selecting herbs from the garden to grinding spices, making curry paste and dicing vegetables — but her efforts only made Hill question why anyone would put so much work into such matters. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Hill now knows the answer to that question. No lon-

Chiang Mai ger an angsty tween rejecting her mom’s tutelage, Hill has embraced what she now sees as her birthright, a realization that is played out in the awe-inspiring dishes on display at her Webster Groves restaurant Chiang Mai (8158 Big Bend Boulevard, Webster Groves; 314-9618889). Unlike any other Thai restaurant in the area, Chiang Mai eschews the usual American-style Thai restaurant playbook in favor of ultra-traditional northern Thai dishes like coriander-dusted beef with palm sugar and pickled vegetables, tender pork ribs glazed with a funky honey-garlic sauce, and a braised pork

dish prepared the exact same way her mother used to make it. Enlivened with garlic and ginger curry and so tender you could spread it on a piece of bread, this masterpiece is less about the dish itself and more about Hill paying tribute to the woman who made her the cook she is today, even if it took her a while to appreciate that. This makes Chiang Mai more than simply a dining experience; it’s a window into an intimate conversation between mother and daughter that diners are privileged to witness. $$. Open Tuesday through Thursday noon to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday noon to 9 p.m.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

O+O Pizza.

721-5422) is not just a pizza joint. Part of the Olive and Oak family of restaurants, which also includes the Clover and the Bee, O+O Pizza is Italian food done right. It’s even earned the restaurant some famous fans like St. Louis Blues Captain Ryan O’Reilly, who loved the eggplant Parmesan so much that he had two pans of it shipped to Canada so his parents could try it. The man behind the dish is chef Mike Risk, who formerly worked for 12 years at Italian favorite Trattoria Marcella. He started out at the Clover and the Bee doing the dinner menu. When Olive and Oak moved from its previous location, co-owner and general manager Mark Hinkle moved Risk into Olive and Oak’s vacated space, and O+O Pizza was born. The secret? Simple ingredients cooked to perfection. The thin, crispy Neapolitan-style pizzas are wood-fire speckled and offer a delicious, avorful bite even when just adorned with the restaurant’s rustic tomato sauce and Fior di Latte (a type of mozzarella) and pecorino cheese, as is the case with the O+O Original. For the Casarecce cacio e pepe pasta dish, for instance, the pasta is tossed with pecorino, Parmesan, garlic and black pepper, just a few simple ingredients that add up to something special. $$$. Open daily at 4 p.m.

MABE L SU E N

RICHMOND HEIGHTS/ BRENTWOOD Basso

The downstairs restaurant at the Cheshire Hotel is the basement restaurant all other basement restaurants aspire to be — it feels underground-speakeasy cool, not underground-bunker depressing. Credit the gorgeous space and “Italian gastropub” menu, which in practice means e cellent wood-fired pizzas and rustic pasta dishes. But its fans aren’t just here for the food; even after being open about a decade, Basso (7036 Clayton Avenue, 314-932-7820) remains one of the hottest bars in town. $$-$$$. Opens daily at 4 p.m.

Farotto’s

An OG St. Louis-style pizzeria, Farotto’s (9525 Manchester Road, 314-962-0048l) has been serving square-cut slices since 1956, eight years before Imo’s. Anchored by its pizza, red sauce and signature salad dressing, Farotto’s has helped to define the t. ouis talian subgenre to generations of diners. Appetizers include stuffed risotto cakes, bruschetta and, for true t. ouisans, Provel sticks. t also offers lunch combos, sandwiches, burgers and pasta. Oth-

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

er than pizza, the dinner menu includes pasta, pistachio-encrusted salmon, chicken saltimbocca and a stuffed pork chop ounces of pig stuffed with portabella mushrooms, onions and blue cheese crumbles and then topped with apple-walnut chutney. With its extensive list of coffee cocktails, arotto’s makes for a great escape on a chilly night. $$. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Frank Papa’s Ristorante

Frank Papa’s Ristorante (2241 South Brentwood Boulevard, Brentwood; 314-961-3344) is so welcoming and serene you’d never know that it was located just south of the fourth circle of hell (the Brentwood Promenade parking lot). The cozy restaurant is a little oasis of good Italian food and good service. It’s white-tablecloth dining but without pretense. The restaurant is known for giving you a family-style welcome and for serving a pasta dish with sauce so spicy that it’s been rumored to induce labor in people at the end of their pregnancy. Now referred to as the “Eviction Notice” special, the penne amatriciana has become a traditional late-pregnancy meal among St. Louisans who are ready (and eager) to pop. $$$. Open daily except Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria

Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria’s (9568 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, 314-942-6555) first location is a stunner, embodying eponymous owner Katie ee ollier’s keen eye for design. But Katie’s has substance, not just style, serving thoughtful, approachable food with near- awless e ecution. Katie’s amous ried rtichokes dazzle, while Brussels sprouts are perfectly charred and glazed in an talian sweet-and-sour sauce balanced with salty pancetta. nd while the pizza is very good, ollier could teach a master class in pasta. $$-$$$. Opens at 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends. Patio.

Mai Lee

ocated in a nondescript strip mall in the shadow of a ome epot, Mai Lee (8396 Musick Memorial Drive, Brentwood; 314-645-2835) nevertheless packs in not only hungry diners but also some of the city’s top chefs and restaurateurs. redit founder ee ran’s awless ietnamese food, which includes a repertoire of appro imately dishes, each better than the ne t. ran originally opened ai ee as a hinese spot in but earned acclaim after she began introducing the cuisine of her homeland to curious local diners. ran has garnered a legion of loyalists who appreciate the way the kitchen balances authenticity with accessibility, making everyone feel welcome from the most e perienced noodle slurper to a pho novice. eparate bar area with a good wine list. $$-$$$. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Front patio.

CLAYTON/LADUE Almonds

or years, Almonds (8127 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314-725-1019) has continued to thrive because of its dedication to customers. ony and Kelli lmond have built relationships with their patrons since lmonds first opened its doors in . aybe it’s the outhern hospitality. he lmonds have roots in ouisiana, rkansas and e as. heir upbringings are re ected not only in their amicable warmth but also in their food. n the menu, find sauteed crawfish tails salad, chicken and sausage gumbo, ajun shrimp and blackened tilapia. pect a casual and comfortable dining e perience enhanced by a sophisticated, white-tablecloth atmosphere. $$$. Open 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Open Saturdays from 6 to 10 p.m. Reservations recommended.

Blue Elephant Royal Thai Cuisine

rom a cozy storefront in downtown layton, Blue Elephant (7816 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton; 314-862-0500) serves up hai dishes with e tra air. f special note are the snowbird dumplings, delicate packages of spiced chicken shaped to look like tiny birds. oasted boneless duck breast with red curry is one of

the house specialties crisp skin outside and moist, succulent and meaty inside, with a sauce that provides a nice, not-too-spicy counterbalance to sweet chunks of pineapple and tomato and fresh basil leaves. hai barbecued chicken is tasty and mild, but the heat in the salmon green curry sneaks up on you, unfolding its layers of avor and that’s the appeal of a Blue lephant meal a harmony of avors that are simultaneously subtle and comple . Opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Casa Don Alfonso

ou don’t have to leave t. ouis to be whisked to the malfi oast. Casa Don Alfonso (100 Carondelet Plaza, inside the Ritz Carlton, Clayton; 314-719-1496) with its gleaming marble table tops, lemon trees, hand-painted tile walls, and blown-glass wisteria leaf decor, will evoke the sort of ease you’d feel sipping aperitivo on an outdoor terrace in ant’ gata. nd the authentic food will truly transport. his is a franchise so to speak of on lfonso ,a -year-old restaurant on taly’s malfi oast. t. ouis is the storied restaurant’s first location in the nited tates and uses the same recipes and techni ues that gave on lfonso its staying power. ere you can get delectable beef carpaccio, burrata or even randma’s iti, a rustic pasta made with blistered cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced cloves of garlic, chile peppers and parsley. t perfectly blends the e otic with the familiar, the elevated with the comfortable, just like asa on lfonso. $$$. Open for breakfast a la carte Tuesday through Saturday and a brea ast buffet Saturday and Sunday. pen for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

The Crossing

pened in , the Crossing (7823 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-721-7375) has stood the test of time remaining not only relevant but holding its own in the city’s cr me de la cr me. he restaurant owes its staying power to owner im iala’s beautiful fusion of rench and talian cuisine and his prowess with classical techni ues, e emplified by dishes like his luscious three-cheese egg ravioli or pan-seared foie gras with berries. iala was doing farm to table long before it was a buzzword. $$$$. Opens weekdays at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Half & Half

Closed Monday and Tuesday. Patio.

Herbie’s

Herbie’s (8100 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314769-9595) move to layton was more of a merger than a simple relocation which is why loyalists of both the original erbie’s as well as ardwell’s will feel nostalgic when they step inside aryland venue. hef Bonzo still stands at attention at the front door, and those vintage posters from erbie’s are still here the difference is that they hang on walls in a room that is laid out e actly like ardwell’s. With the talented chef Bill awthon now leading the kitchen, the restaurant has taken on the vibe of rench bistro meets modern seasonal merican eatery. luten-free and vegetarian menus available. $$$$. Opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Louie

t Louie (706 De Mun Avenue, Clayton; 314300-8188), att c uire has created the sort of restaurant where everyone wants to eat which makes it an incredibly di cult reservation to score. he small, shotgun dining room, simply appointed with wooden tables, e posed ductwork and a wall of striking, oral-print wallpaper, fills uickly. f the dining room is lovely in its simplicity, the food is even more so. relatively compact menu of talian-in ected cuisine anchors the restaurant, with pizza, pasta and simple roast chicken e ecuted awlessly. Bar reserved for walk-in diners. $$$-$$$$. Opens at 5 p.m. daily; closed Sunday.

Pastaria

cclaimed chef erard raft turns his attention to talian cuisine at Pastaria (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-6603), a large, bustling restaurant in downtown layton. he cuisine is simple and outrageously good. Pasta, made in-house, features in dishes both simple the sublime chitarra aglio e olio to the se y and sophisticated the luscious pistachio ravioli . Pizzas are akin to eapolitan style, on a thin crust. ou can opt for an merican-style pepperoni pie, its meat cured by the restaurant or a more ambitious pizza with bechamel and roasted mushroom. ave room for dessert, especially the gelati. Family friendly. No reservations; expect a wait. $$. Opens at 4 p.m. daily.

Pastaria Deli & Wine

t Half & Half (8135 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314-725-0719), ike and iz andolph bring to breakfast and lunch the same level of care, uality and service typically reserved for evening restaurants and fine-dining ones at that. alf alf keeps it approachable with classics such as biscuits and gravy, rench toast and blueberry pancakes only they’re the best versions of each you’ll find anywhere. dd top-shelf coffee offerings and thoughtful service, and it’s early-morning bliss. $$. Opens 7 a.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. weekends; closes at 2 p.m.

n elevated deli from the mind of acclaimed chef erard raft, Pastaria Deli & Wine (7734 Forsyth Boulevard, 314-773-7755) is a companion to layton mainstay Pastaria. he deli was tailor-made to complement the popular pizza and pasta eatery with carryout-friendly items like sandwiches and salads that could be enjoyed in a park or in the backyard with friends. But just because the items are offered to-go does not mean any uality or care has been sacrificed. he standout chicken-salad sandwich comes dressed in aioli with pepperoncini, celery, chives, oregano and astelvetrano olives. nd definitely don’t sleep on the

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Peno Soul Food.

mouthwatering chocolate chip cookie made with brown butter. $$$. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Peno Soul Food

Like Italy’s “dirty south,” Peno (7600 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton; 314-899-9699) is brash, casual and infused with the avors of the ocean. While the menu changes daily, expect dishes you’d be served if you were a guest in someone’s Calabrian beach house. Chef Pepe Kehm has boldly crafted a menu of traditional southern talian dishes like anchovy and calabrian chile toast, braised octopus and spaghetti with clams. It’s a far cry from the red-sauce joints that the city often mistakes for Italian cooking — and that’s exactly the point. $$$. Opens Tuesday through Sunday at 5 p.m.

Tony’s

ou’ll have great food at Tony’s (105 Carondelet Plaza, 314-231-7007). You’ll eat carpaccio kissed with tru e that melts on the tongue and lingers like a lover’s embrace. ou’ll have life-changing risotto or a black-pepper-rubbed prime strip steak. There is also great wine, desserts and everything in between. But perhaps Tony’s biggest accomplishment is how even a refined, upscale e perience can feel so

MABE L SU E N

lighthearted and easy. ervers, assistants and maitre d’s have all mastered the art of making every last person feel like a P in on a secret as they whisper clever asides to the table or laugh amongst themselves as they prepare the antipasti — in a way that always lets you in on the joke. You feel less like their esteemed guest and more like a friend by the time dinner ends something you’ll pray never has to happen. $$$$. Open weekdays for lunch and Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Dress code (no shorts).

Truffles Restaurant

hef Brandon Benack’s oft-changing menu fuses rustic northern Italian cuisine with the local, seasonal produce of the Midwest. At u e (9202 Clayton Road, Ladue; 314-5679100) the pastas are exquisite, and appetizers like roasted bone marrow and housemade burrata will make it di cult to save room for the main course, but with such good seafood and meat options (including a full roster of steaks, served black and blue, uscan style or la scar , you must. he adjacent ru es Butchery is strictly a grab-and-go operation, offering not just a line of sandwiches but also soup, freshbaked bread and takeaway pot pies. Wine list has received numerous awards. $$$$. Open daily for dinner.

THE LOOP/ UNIVERSITY CITY/ OLIVETTE Cate Zone Chinese Cafe

The Hot Crisp Fish at Cate Zone (8148 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-738-9923) is one of those defining dishes that make you fall in love with a restaurant. Whole peppers accompany hunks of panko-breaded whitefish, staining the breadcrumbs bright orange. Sichuan peppercorns all five types speckle the vibrant red chiles coating your mouth with a menthol tingle. It’s just one of the show-stopping offerings at this modern hinese restaurant. The cumin lamb is dazzling; the Honey Crisp Sweet Potatoes are a majestic, cotton-candy-like concoction of spun sugar; and the Korean cold noodle soup is so funky with bean curd it could’ve been made by George Clinton. No alcohol. $$. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

ChiliSpot

A newcomer to U. City, ChiliSpot (7930 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-925-8711) is a worthy addition to the phenomenal Asian

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Soup Dumplings STL.

cuisine options along Olive Boulevard. The comprehensive menu makes this the ideal place to come with a group of friends and sample several entrees and even more sides. For the spice lovers, the Chongqing spicy popcorn chicken is a modern twist on a classic, and the Szechuan spicy wonton is a classic dish done to perfection. But don’t worry, there are also plenty of options for diners who don’t like heat. $$. Open for lunch and dinner daily except Wednesdays.

Corner 17

Corner 17 (6623 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-727-2402) is a U. City staple. Bubble tea and freshly made noodles are served at this beloved spot, as well as plump baos and satisfying soups. Immigrant owned and run, Corner 17 puts its chefs front and center, literally. The focal point of the dining room is a window into the noodle-making station. Watch cooks stretch and slice the dough as you settle into the space. You might want to be prepared to wait, though. Lines to get in snaked down Delmar after a social media in uencer tried to diss the restaurant earlier this year, and what followed was a show of fierce support from the rest of St. Louis. $. Open Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

MABE L SU E N

Closed on Tuesdays.

Frank & Helen’s Pizzeria

Less a restaurant than an institution, Frank & Helen’s Pizzeria (8111 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-997-0666) has been firing up its charcoal broiler since 1956, solidifying its place as the go-to spot for three generations of niversity ity families. ou’ll find the same cheesy-baked pastas, the same char-grilled ribeyes with sides of fettuccine and, of course, the same broasted chicken — a special way of pressure-frying the bird that results in impossibly succulent meat and a crispy, non-greasy coating. But if there is one thing you must order at Frank & Helen’s, it’s the pizza, one of the best St. Louis-style thin-crust pies in town. Beer and wine only. $-$$. Open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner.

Fork & Stix

ucked in a small storefront off a side street on the eastern edge of the Loop, Fork & Stix (549 Rosedale Avenue, 314-863-5572) focuses on food from Thailand’s northern “second city,” hiang ai. hat includes the fiery nam prik num, a chile dip served with vegetables and rice, and the lovely, lemongrass-perfumed pork sausages called sai oua. Every last dish is

prepared with the same care you’d find in the area’s top fine-dining restaurants, but if one thing stands above the rest, it’s the khao soi, a yellow curry egg noodle soup so revelatory it’s haunting. No alcohol. $$. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and for dinner only on Sunday.

Frida’s

Natasha Kwan’s stylish vegetarian restaurant is going through some changes. Long free of meat, the establishment is going e itarian. At the time of printing, it was undergoing a revamp to get a “big-girl kitchen,” according to Kwan (the kitchen was always pretty small). Plus, Kwan and ick oloff, who owns nearby iego’s antina, are e panding. he new Bonito Bar is opening later this summer. In the meantime, you can still grab Frida’s (622 North and South Road, University City; 314-727-6500) avorful pizzas, burritos, tacos and salads at Diego’s Cantina (630 North and South Road, University City, 314-553-9906). $$. Open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, but hours are subject to change due to renovation. Sidewalk seating.

Lu Lu Seafood & Dim Sum

The grand entrance sets you up for what follows at Lu Lu Seafood & Dim Sum (8224 Olive

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Boulevard, University City; 314-997-3108); what awaits you at this festively decorated University City institution is no less than a multisensory feast. u u is fiercely authentic. he restaurant has four chefs from four different regions in China and one chef dedicated solely to dim sum, resulting in dishes that are created by e perts in the cuisine of their origin. et as traditional as u u may be, what sets it apart is a welcoming spirit that embraces first-timers as warmly as old hands. azy usan tables make e ploration particularly easy for big parties. $$$. Opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Sunday. Cart service on Saturday.

Mission Taco Joint

nspired by spots in an rancisco’s ission istrict, brothers dam and ason ilford opened the first Mission Taco Joint (6235 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-932-5430) on the oop in , bringing a breezy, West oaststyle street-taco shack to t. ouis. ission aco oint begins with a respect for traditional tacos, then infuses the form with culinary creativity, resulting in offerings like slow-roasted duck with ancho chile glaze, wood-fired portobello mushrooms with goat cheese and succulent beef-brisket birria. nd did we mention the margaritas $-$$. Opens daily at 11 a.m.

Private Kitchen/ Soup Dumplings STL

t Private Kitchen (8106 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-989-0283), prospective diners make reservations and select their dishes in advance of their visit, thereby setting up their own, personalized tasting menu. he selection is huge, peppered with options such as whole Peking duck, sea cucumber rice and slow-cooked pork knuckles. here’s a mysti ue that comes from an advance order for a tailor-made dinner, sight unseen. Chef Lawrence Chen opened an offshoot, St. Louis Soup Dumplings (8110 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-445-4605), in . he restaurant is entirely dedicated to the handmade, li uid-filled hanghai-style dumplings that have been sending his guests into a frenzy. nlike its upscale older sister, t. ouis oup umplings is a casual concept serving chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, beef or vegetarian varieties as well as a selection of ready-made cold dishes. $-$$$$. Both open at 11 a.m. daily; closed Tuesday.

Salt + Smoke

Salt + Smoke (6525 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-727-0200) serves the best brisket in town. hat’s not controversial. What may be a little more contentious, though, is an even bolder statement alt moke serves some of the best brisket in the country. om chmidt opened this full-service, bourbon-centric barbecue spot in at a time when every food publication in town was noting the over-saturation of the barbecue market. But chmidt knew he was onto something, and his killer ’cue proves his point. rom the type of wood used

to smoke the beef post oak, of course to the hour smoke time, alt moke is the real deal one reason it’s successfully e panded its footprint around the region. f you’re not a barbecue person, order a dish of the white-cheddar racker ac and try not to fall in love. $-$$. Opens daily at 11 a.m. Sidewalk dining.

Seoul Taco

Seoul Taco (6665 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-863-1148) has gone from a wildly popular food truck to a tiny brick-and-mortar to a much bigger one and locations from olumbia to hampaign to hicago. he agship is a low-lit, street-art-infused spot on the Loop, with modern Korean-in ected fusion fare served from a counter to the neighborhood’s young, hip denizens. f you’ve ever had the bulgogi burrito, packed with mouthwatering kimchi-fried rice, you’ll see how a humble truck built a idwestern Korean- e ican empire. $. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Sugarfire Smoke House

u a e mo e ou e (9200 Olive Boulevard, Olivette; 314-997-2301) is a perennial readers’ choice favorite for best barbecue, as well as a strong contender in the increasingly crowded fast-casual category. nd rightly so What could be faster or more e cient than going through ugarfire’s cafeteria-style line and choosing among the numerous cuts of smoked meat and creative sides he only thing that might slow your journey toward overeating is the way ike ohnson’s growing chain comes up with new and intriguing options on every visit. he livette agship is surprisingly big and often busy, but don’t worry he line moves fast. $$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily. Patio.

Taco Buddha

When Taco Buddha (7405 Pershing Avenue, University City; 314-502-9951) first opened in , customers poured in, tempted by delicious tacos and margaritas. till, owner Kurt ller brought on e ecutive chef eff riesen to make the place a top-notch dining destination. riesen used his background in fine dining to create signature menu offerings, train and develop the team and transition the restaurant to more environmentally friendly business practices. riesen draws on international avors for his dishes, like the hailand taco, which offers hai braised and griddled beef with red onions, cabbage and cotija cheese, all wrapped in a our tortilla. Plus, don’t miss the delicious margaritas, just the thing to cool you down while sitting out on the restaurant’s airy and spacious patio in the summer. $-$$. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Covered patio.

Tai Ke Shabu Shabu

he first restaurant in t. ouis dedicated solely to aiwanese cuisine is anchored by street snacks, tapas-sized items intended to be eaten with your hands as you walk around aipei’s Blade Runner-style night markets. riginally

open in niversity ity, the nearby ostco development forced business partners lu un and alvin Koong to move to a new location in livette. With the e panded space, they were able to add shabu shabu, an individualized way of doing aiwanese hot pot, to the menu. Tai Ke Shabu Shabu (9626 Olive Boulevard, Olivette; 314-801-8411) still offers the aiwanese snack food that made it so popular. mall plates like ticky ice ube, a platter of congealed pieces of pork blood interspersed with rice to form a handful of gelatinous cakes, are surprisingly approachable. mong entrees, hree up ofu, with pillow-soft s uares of bean curd tossed in a mouthwatering sauce that is e ual parts rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil, redefines comfort food. $$. Closed Tuesdays. Open daily at 11 a.m.

U-City Grill

rom the outside, this niversity ity classic looks like any other greasy spoon, but when you head inside U-City Grill (6696 Enright Avenue, University City; 314-721-3073) and read the posted menu, you don’t see burgers, slingers or rench fries. nstead, you can get bulgogi beef with rice and bean sprouts, Korean hot soup, Kimbob a Korean-style vegetarian roll or just a side of kimchi. he unassuming e terior has probably fooled many passersby don’t be one of them. $. Open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Wonton King

he dim sum spread here is one of the best in town. However, there is so much more to Wonton King (8116 Olive Boulevard, University City; 314-567-9997) than what rolls by the table every aturday and unday. he ong Kong-style eatery boasts a menu of e pertly prepared dishes, including traditional congee made with everything from preserved egg to pork to kidney fiery hot pots ong Kongbraised noodles. he true mark of this restaurant’s greatness is the whole roasted duck, a feat of culinary prowess that combines crispy skin with incredibly juicy meat. he only thing better than this delectable dish is pairing it with an array of dim sum selections for a feast that is fit for a king. Beer and wine only. $$$$$. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cart service Saturday and Sunday.

WEST COUNTY Annie Gunn’s

ore pub than club, Annie Gunn’s (16806 hester eld irport oad hester eld - 7684) is not the kind of place you get dressed up for. till, the food is as good as it gets, with an on-premises moke ouse arket, where meats are cured, dry-aged and hand cut. f you don’t have a reservation, securing a table might take as long as three hours. But when you sink your teeth into hef ou ook ’s grilled-toorder ribeye and get your mitts around a glass of red from the -bottle list, you’ll forget all about the wait and begin hatching a plan to

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

come back again ASAP. Not into steak? Burgers, sandwiches and specialties like smoked shrimp are all excellent choices. $$$-$$$$. Opens daily at 11 a.m. Closed Monday. Patio.

China Bistro at Pan-Asia Supermarket

Tucked next to an Academy Sports in an unassuming Ballwin strip mall sits Pan-Asia Supermarket — one of the area’s largest Asian grocery stores. Yet even more deceivingly lowkey is a tiny hinese eatery located off to the side of the supermarket’s sprawling aisles of every imaginable Asian product. China Bistro (14246 Manchester Road, Balwin; 636-220-9999) will serve you some of the most authentically delicious Chinese food in St. Louis. Our favorites include the Singapore sweet rice noodles, stir-fried rice with barbecue pork and eggplant with garlic sauce. China Bistro tends to be busy during lunch and dinner hours. If you plan on doing some shopping, we recommend placing your order before perusing the store. $. China Bistro is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Taco Buddha.

El Toluco

Since opening as a grocery store in the summer of 2016 (the in-house taqueria opened about six months later), El Toluco (14234 Manchester Road, Ballwin; 636-686-5444) has become a gathering place for St. Louis County’s growing Latin community. The restaurant is bare bones, but guacamole and various handcrafted sauces, ranging from mild to fiery, are prepared daily. Tacos, burritos, chile relleno and other Mexican favorites are all available at shockingly low prices. The grocery stocks Mexican delicacies, including meats, juices, desserts, produce and Mexican Coke. Beer and wine only. $. Opens at 11 a.m. daily; closed Sunday and Monday.

Malinche Mexican Culinary Experience

An intimate restaurant with an equally small menu, Malinche Mexican Culinary Experience (15939 Manchester Road, Ellisville; 636-2208514) is rooted in history: The menu is based on the old family recipes of matriarch Doña María Gutiérrez Molina. Let the space take you on a journey through regional Mexican cuisine while the food changes your perception of the typical e - e dish with offerings like the rich mole ozumbeño. The restaurant honors dishes from Mexico City on Mondays and does an authentic taco night on Tuesdays. A blink-andyou’ll-miss-it spot, Malinche is one you want to keep your eye out for. $$. Open Mondays through Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

Nippon Tei

With chef Nick Bognar in the kitchen, his family’s longtime eatery Nippon Tei (14025 Manchester Road, Ballwin; 636-386-8999) is not

MABE L SU E N

simply a different restaurant it’s the best sushi restaurant in town. Bognar has kept the utilitarian, black-accented blond wooden tables and chairs and Japanese-inspired artwork. The menu, however, has been completely rethought. Gyoza is unlike any other version in town. Chile-garlic noodles are sensational. ven the chicken-fried rice is terrific. nd that’s not mentioning the sushi, which is nothing short of breathtaking. It may look low-key, but Nippon Tei is now a must-visit. $$-$$$. Open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner.

Nudo House

Behind Nudo House’s (11423 Olive Boulevard, Creve Coeur; 314-274-8046) fast-casual model is a decidedly slow-food ethos, with broths and meats simmering and marinating for days to ma imize avor. he restaurant’s signature Classic Nudo shows how much beauty can come from taking so much time and care with food. Tender slices of pork belly marinate for two days and are then braised before being allowed to grace the masterful pork tonkatsu broth, which tastes as if the entire essence of pork has been distilled into one spoonful. Vegetarians, meanwhile, should thrill to the Shroomed Out. It has the luxurious texture typically reserved for cream-based soups, with a deep umami taste that mimics the satisfaction of beef stew. With ramen this good, it’s no wonder Nudo House has been positively packed since its opening. $$. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Tavern Kitchen and Bar

Out in Valley Park, the Tavern (2961 Dougherty Ferry Road, Valley Park; 636-825-0600) does American comfort food but elevated. You can get shrimp and grits, Spanish paella or a surf-

and-turf tasting board. While the name may make it sound like a humble joint to hoist a few with friends (and you can do that), you’d be missing out if you didn’t try the food. Those with dietary restrictions rejoice; there is a gluten-free and vegetarian menu. $$$-$$$$. Open at 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Covered patio seating available.

The Village Bar

Burgers and beers have soothed generations of regulars at the Village Bar (12247 Manchester Road, Des Peres; 314-821-4532). The beloved local watering hole has been in business since Manchester was a dirt road. Not a hole-in-the-wall by any stretch of the imagination, the tavern’s sheer staying power has made it a multigenerational center of the Des Peres community, even if Des Peres didn’t exist at the time the Village Bar served its first beer. hough it’s changed hands over the years, its essential character has not. It has been and remains a laid-back place to sit back, relax and enjoy a hearty burger. In addition to its above-average bar food, the Village Bar sets itself apart with its distinct redand-white pinstripe exterior. It’s impossible to miss when driving along Manchester. $. Opens at 11 a.m. daily.

Wudon

Since opening in 2016, Wudon (1261 Castillons Arcade Plaza, Creve Coeur; 314-628-1010) has developed quite a following among the area’s Korean community. The crowd means you’ll be bumping into other patrons, hovering over the tables as others eat and risking a burn as servers rush by with searing-hot griddles. This bustling scene, however, contributes to Wudon’s festive atmosphere. Guests at Wudon are treated to a kaleidoscope of impossibly fresh

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

banchan — crisp cabbage kimchi, snappy bean sprouts, ginger-scented root vegetables, funky fish cakes. But only a fool would fail to save room for the barbecue. ooked tabletop to your specifications, it’s absolutely delicious. ou might also want to try the kitchen’s transcendent osam-bulgogi or spicy squid and pork belly. $$-$$$. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

ST. CHARLES COUNTY Bella Vino Wine Bar & Tapas

et in a historic home just off the cobblestone streets of ld own t. harles, Bella Vino Wine Bar & Tapas (325 South Main Street, St. Charles; 636-724-3434) charms diners with its cozy atmosphere, which includes both e posed brick and a fireplace. he menu is an eclectic array of Spanish small plates, such as chorizo-stuffed dates, fried calamari and spicy pork and beef meatballs. Bella ino also offers several pastas and atbreads try the e cellent seafood risotto for something different. esserts are made in-house, and the gooey butter cake is a standout. $$$. Opens Tuesday through Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. Closed Monday. Patio overlooks the street.

Nudo House.

Jalea

n ain treet t. harles you can get a taste of Peru at Jalea (323 North Main Street, St. Charles; 314-303-0144). any may only know one Peruvian dish: ceviche, and yes, the seafood dish is on the menu. But alea can do more to transport you, offering Peruvian nonalcoholic beverages, such as a fermented barley drink tiradito, a sashimi-style ceviche with a rotating selection of fish or jalea, a fried seafood dish that includes ounder, shrimp and calamari, and comes with plantain chips. $-$$. Open Wednesday through Friday 5 to 9 p.m., and Saturday noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.

JP’s Hideout

usband-and-wife duo elissa and ohn Windfeldt run JP’s Hideout (3915 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville; 636-244-5508), and they run it well. nother strip-mall hidden gem, P’s serves up traditional bar-and-grill food. hey’ve got all the classics wings, a giant hideout pretzel, fried pickles, t-ravs made with brisket and those are just the appetizers. Burgers are crafted from a brisket, short rib and chuck blend, so come hungry and fill up. t’s perfect for a summer day or to hide from the issouri weather with a warm meal and good vibes, complete with the occasional

live music or trivia nights. . Open Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Loaded

or the past five years, Brandon olzhueter and Brad erten have been approaching just about every dish they encounter with one simple uestion an this be turned into a nacho But this wasn’t just a thought e periment. he pair were engaged in some serious business, testing the limits of the form so they could launch their restaurant Loaded (1450 Beale Street #130, St. Charles; 636202-0841), which e pands and elevates the snack-time staple from chips and cheese to, well, just about whatever your heart desires. Though a restaurant built entirely around nachos might sound gimmicky, Holzhueter and Merten have nailed the tone, thanks to thoughtful offerings created with the same level of care you’d find at an upscale dining establishment. rom toasted ravioli to crab Rangoon to gyros to Philly cheesesteaks to jerk chicken, oaded proves that when it comes to nachos, if you can imagine it, you can do it. $-$$. Open Sunday through Monday

MABE L SU E N

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Prasino

A bastion of eco chic in the middle of the streets of St. Charles, Prasino (1520 South Fifth Street, St. Charles; 636-277-0202) offers hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, sustainable seafood and organic produce. he ambitious menu changes seasonally and offers everything from sushi to tacos to a pork steak smothered in Fitz’s Root

Beer barbecue sauce. rinks boast a farm-tobar philosophy as well, though the bar is better known as the place to see and be seen in the St. Charles area. $$-$$$$. Opens weekdays at 11 a.m. and weekends at 8 a.m.

Tony’s on Main Street

St. Charles mainstay Tony’s on Main Street (132 North Main Street, St. Charles; 636-940-1960) is e ual parts steakhouse and talian restaurant the sort of place where you can get a juicy,

•N

perfectly cooked ribeye with a side of fettuccine and an order of cheese garlic bread. For years, this Main Street spot has been welcoming in crowds for its grilled meats — some of the best in the area topped with a signature steak butter that’s so good, they sell it by the container. Located inside a dark, wood-adorned historic storefront, ony’s on ain is the undisputed place for steaks in t. harles ounty. $$-$$$. Open Tuesday to Thursday 4 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 3 to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday 4 to 8:30 p.m.

ew Classic•

MABE L SU E N

hen Kendele and Wayne Sieve were making plans to open Noto (5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters; 636-3171143), they were told they needed to make it the sort of familiar, St. Louis Italian-style restaurant that diners in St. Charles would appreciate. Instead, they boldly rejected that advice, setting up Noto as a fiercely authentic restaurant that serves as a love song to southern Italy, a region they have frequently visited and feel is their culinary identity. Their bet paid off. Noto is not only wildly popular — reservations are difficult to come by

Noto and typically require a few weeks worth of planning — but also has quickly become the metro area’s gold standard for Italian dining. This should come as no surprise given the Sieves’ culinary pedigree; Kendele, a talented pastry chef, grew up learning her craft in her dad’s bakery, while Wayne honed his savory craft in local country clubs and recently threw himself into learning everything he could about traditional Neapolitan pizza. Roughly a year and a half into business, the Sieves brought on chef Josh Poletti to run the kitchen. Not only is he the area’s undisputed

king of charcuterie, Poletti is an all-around talent who has helped the Sieves take Noto to the top of the area’s dining scene. More than just opening a great restaurant, they have changed the conversation about what kinds of restaurants can be successful where, blowing up preconceptions and doing their part to build a nascent dining scene in a part of town typically thought of as chain restaurant land. Their impact will be felt for years to come. $$. Open Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. Carryout ends at 8 p.m.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Metro East Bakers & Hale

Chef Kelsi Baker Walden, a veteran of 360, Basso and Boundary, opened this spot with her former boss and mentor, acclaimed chef Rex Hale. He’s since shifted to a consulting role, but his touch lives on in the “American comfort food” menu at this farm-to-table spot. Reasonably priced options at Bakers & Hale (7120 Montclaire Avenue, Godfrey, Illinois; 618433-9748) include tacos, pizzas and sandwiches, as well as creative small plates for sharing. An expert cocktail list and solid choices for both local beer on tap and wine by the glass add to the fun. $$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily. Closed Tuesday. Patio.

BEAST Craft BBQ

Is the best barbecue in St. Louis actually in Belleville? When the RFT’s critic raised that question in 2015, it may have felt like heresy, but in the years since, as St. Louis food lovers have steadily made pilgrimages east to see for themselves, the theory has gained numerous converts. At BEAST (20 South Belt W, Belleville, Illinois; 618-257-9000), David Sandusky is running a casual, counter-service smokehouse with e acting standards and only the finest products — Compart Farms’ Duroc pork, Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms. The result: a pork steak that’s become the standard upon which all other pork steaks are judged, transcendent pork belly and brisket so good you simply can’t stop eating it. “I want to be the best in the nation,” Sandusky says. It’s not out of the question. Beer and wine only. $$. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cleveland-Heath

Founders Jennifer Cleveland and Ed Heath are no longer at their namesake restaurant, but the food remains stellar, from the best cheddar biscuits you’ve ever had to a succulent pork chop as juicy and avorful as a dry-aged steak. h,

BEAST Craft BBQ.

MABE L SU E N

and the steak (served with cheddar mashed potatoes and glistening with marrow butter) is pretty sweet, too. Don’t let the unpretentious vibe fool you: Like the food, the service and attention to detail at Cleveland-Heath (106 North Main Street, Edwardsville, Illinois; 618-307-4830) are top-notch. No reservations; prepare to wait. $$$. Opens at 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air

Fast Eddie’s (1530 East Fourth Street, Alton, Illinois; 618-462-5532) may or may not be, as one of its brochures boasts, the “No. 1 volume bar in

the world.” Nonetheless, this 80-year-old, 400seat institution is almost always packed. Here you can get filling if not elaborate meals for just a couple of bucks as long as you’re willing to buy a drink while you’re there and retrieve your own meal from the counter. The menu has a total of seven items, the most expensive being a beef-tenderloin kebab called a Big Elwood on a Stick, topping out at a whopping $5.99. The half-pound Fat Eddie hamburger is a steal at $3.99. Individual jumbo shrimp are 10 for $5.99. Live music keeps things noisy. 21 and older. $. Opens at 11 a.m. daily and stays open late. Huge patio.

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

RIVERFRONT TIMES | A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022

72 A Food Lover’s Guide to St. Louis 2022 | RIVERFRONT TIMES

Riverfront Times Food Lover's Guide 2022

Articles inside

West County

Clayton/Ladue

The Loop/University City/Olivette

Richmond Heights/Brentwood

Overland /St. Ann

St. Charles County

Ferguson, Florissant, Hazelwood

The Hill & Its Neighbors

Midtown/Grand Center

Benton Park & Its Neighbors

The Grove

Central West End/Cortex

North City

Shaw/Botanical Heights

North Hampton, Southampton, Crown District