The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
Find great pizza, brunch, barbecue and more in this underrated, overly delicious city.
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Photo By: Greg Rannells
Savor St. Louis
Once the fourth-largest city in the U.S. and a major port on the Mississippi River, St. Louis has long been a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and that stands true today. Thanks to the city’s incredibly diverse population, you can find a New Mexican brunch spot, an Israeli restaurant in an old gas station, an award-winning fine-dining establishment and much more. Whatever you’re looking for, chances are that it’s somewhere to be found in St. Louis (and this is especially true if you’re into beer and meat). Check out this city guide for the best of what to eat and drink in this seriously underrated food city.
Editor’s note: This guide was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated with the latest information on these restaurants.
Contemporary Asian: Indo
Indo combines contemporary Thai and Japanese cuisine at a mind-blowing level. The signature Isaan Hamachi is a prime example of this — raw Hamachi topped with a Thai kosho, candied garlic, coconut naam pla, shallots, and chili oil. The result is a dish unlike anything you’ve had before. Your best bet is to go for the chef’s omakase tasting menu at the bar—you never know what you’re going to get, but you know it’s going to be incredible.
Brunch: Southwest Diner
Imagine that a diner from New Mexico circa 1955 was magically transported to current-day St. Louis and you have Southwest Diner. It feels like a time warp in the best way possible. The interior has a teal, red and blue motif, decorated with all sorts of cacti and New Mexican flair. It’s the food that keeps people lining up day after day. It’s hard to go wrong ordering anything on the menu, but classics include Jonathan’s Famous Fiery Scramble, the red chile-braised Carne Adovada, and the St. Louis-meets-New Mexico Southwest Slinger: two burger patties, home fries and cheese, topped with two eggs and red or green enchilada sauce. Don’t expect to be doing anything productive after breakfast here.
BBQ: Salt + Smoke
Picking your favorite barbecue in St. Louis is like trying to pick a favorite child: It’s (nearly) impossible. Salt + Smoke is a relative newcomer to the scene, but it’s managed to distinguish itself from the rest by crafting a menu that has something for everyone. The team behind the restaurant come from the fine-dining side of the restaurant world, and they’ve used that to their advantage. Classic barbecue platters are available, but so are more innovative dishes like the brisket sandwich with burnt-end mayo and tobacco onions, or the fried housemade pickles with flax seed mayo. Salt + Smoke’s brisket may very well be the best in town, and the pro move is to ask for the fatty cut — or, even better, burnt ends if they have them.
Burger: Mac's Local Eats
Chris McKenzie has long been known in the St. Louis food community for his dedication to pushing people to eat locally, thanks to his meat shares and CSAs. When he announced he would be opening a burger joint inside a local bar, Tamm Avenue Grill, diners didn’t know what to expect — but the industry pros did. The result, Mac's Local Eats, is quite likely the best burger in all of St. Louis. Mac’s Local Eats just recently opened their very own flagship store, located in the former Brew Hub Tap Room. McKenzie’s burger has not only all the marks of the best diner burgers, like the thin patty being cooked until ultra-crispy, but also a certain je ne sais quoi that comes from dry-aging. That’s right, this is a dry-aged diner burger, made from the best cuts of the animal. Simply put, it’s the best diner burger ever made.
Icon: Sidney Street Café
Looking to impress a visitor? Sidney Street Café, winner of 2017’s Best Chef: Midwest James Beard Award, is the place you should go. Chef/owner Kevin Nashan and his team have been pushing the boundaries of contemporary American cuisine for over a decade. Try the lobster turnovers and veal dumplings to start, followed by the beef tenderloin with potato and vegetable, au poivre, wasabi and bearnaise with lobster, then the strawberry rhubarb cheesecake for dessert, topped with poached rhubarb and green strawberry relish to finish.
Carb Heaven: Union Loafers
Union Loafers is a St. Louis staple in the making. In a short amount of time this place has made a name for itself as not only the best bread bakery in town, by far, but also one of the finest sandwich shops west of the Mississippi and the home of the kings of pizza. If gluten is involved, Loafers is where you want to be. The bread — sought after by diners and by St. Louis’ best restaurants alike — is pure perfection. Go for a loaf of their famous Light & Mild, their enormous Bavarian pretzel or, if you’re looking for something more casual, their cheesy bread. The 18-inch New York-style pizzas are what will change your life, though. The surprise favorite is the spinach (that’s healthy, right?), a hearty pie topped with bacon lardons, garlic and lemon. Don’t forget to order extra buttermilk sauce to dip the crust in.
Thai: Fork & Stix
Before 2012, the idea of good Thai food in St. Louis was limited to pad thai with some chicken satay on the side. Then came Fork & Stix, a small restaurant specializing in the cuisine of northern Thailand, and everything changed. Diners were introduced to the likes of sai oua, a pork sausage packed with Thai herbs, served with sticky rice and spicy naam prik nuum. Hung lay curry, filled with sweet and gingery braised pork belly and shoulder, became a wintertime favorite. But no dish has taken St. Louis quite like Chiang Mai’s signature dish, khao soi. This egg noodle curry soup is almost indescribable — think about the best curry you’ve had, but better. That’s what it is. On any given day, you’ll find the restaurant packed with everyone from college students to award-winning chefs, for good reason.
Cocktail Bar: Planter's House
Ted Kilgore is St. Louis’ best-kept secret. He is unarguably the person who brought the craft cocktail movement to St. Louis over a decade ago, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down. From the day that Planter’s House opened, it has been the city’s top cocktail bar, with a mix of classics and inventive creations. It even has a menu of its own "new classics," drinks that have been so popular that there’s no reason for them to go away. It does have a full food menu, as well, to help soak up some of what you’re throwing down. Insider’s tip: The main bar area is great, but to truly experience Planter’s House, slip upstairs to the intimate, 1950s-style Bullock room.
French: Brasserie
French fare has the reputation for being stuffy and heavy, but that’s not the case at Brasserie. The food pays homage to, well, the French brasserie — a relaxed neighborhood restaurant where one can have a simple meal with friends and family. Whether you decide to take a seat at the bar and enjoy a cocktail with some gougeres and a Brasserie Burger or head into the main dining room for a romantic dinner, you’ll feel right at home. Larger plates include French classics like croque madame, steak frites and possibly the best roasted chicken you’ll ever have, served over bread and mushrooms, which are perfect for soaking up the buttery jus. Make sure to save room for the decadent desserts, like the profiteroles du jour or the classic floating island.
Late-Night Spot: Taste Bar
How lucky is St. Louis to have one of its best restaurants and cocktail bars also be the place to go for a late-night rendezvous? Taste feels like an old-school speakeasy, complete with Edison bulbs, marble counters and dark wood, but the food and drinks it’s serving up are anything but old-school. The cocktail menu, which changes seasonally, houses everything from classics to unique concoctions to a fun "bartender’s choice" option. The food menu changes daily, offering small plates and snacks, larger entrees and desserts. The french dip shouldn’t be missed, nor should the seasonal tartine option.
Tasting Menu: Vicia
When Blue Hill at Stone Barns chef Michael Gallina announced he was leaving New York to return to St. Louis, his hometown went wild. A chef of that caliber opening a new restaurant in town sent the hype train into overdrive, and he did not disappoint — Vicia opened and went straight into the upper echelon of St. Louis dining. Lunch there is always a great decision, but it’s the farmer’s feast dinner service that takes things to the next level. Expect overam assortment of starters, entrees and dessert, ranging from incredible local pork to vegetable-forward fare like you’ve never had before, all paired with wine or beverages from Vicia’s botanical bar program. Try getting there a little early so you can enjoy a drink on their enclosed patio while you watch the chefs cook in the restaurant’s enormous, custom-made hearth.
Seafood: Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.
Eating seafood in a landlocked Midwestern state isn’t always the smartest idea, but at Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co., you’re in good hands. This is the sister restaurant to the James Beard Award-winning Sidney Street Cafe, after all. With fresh catches flown in daily, Peacemaker serves up a menu of coastal classics including lobster rolls, shrimp boils and New Orleans-style po’ boys. There’s no better place in town for oysters, both in quality and variety, and the fish crudo of the day will never let you down. Combine all that with housemade soft serve and boozy slushies and you’ve got the perfect spot to enjoy a casual night out — or lunch, if you’re feeling wild.
Taiwanese: Tai Ke Shabu Shabu
The University City neighborhood in St. Louis has long been the city’s unofficial Chinatown, but most restaurants in the area have avoided pushing any boundaries — that is, until Tai Ke Shabu Shabu arrived. Just recently, they relocated and upgraded to a new building in Olivette. Rather than focus on American-Chinese food like so many other restaurants, they stay true to their roots: classic dishes from Taiwan, including street snacks. There’s nowhere else in town serving clay pots full of the fragrant Three Cup Chicken, a dish that’s both familiar and completely foreign. The gua bao pork buns will make even the worst day better. The best snack of all, though? Taiwanese hot sausages set inside sticky-rice buns, drizzled with a house sauce and showered with scallions.
Straight Outta the Balkans: Balkan Treat Box
Did you know the largest Bosnian population outside of Europe is in St. Louis? Surprise! You could head to "Little Bosnia," better known as Bevo Mill, or you could track down the Balkan Treat Box food truck. Owners Loryn and Edo Nalic combine their Balkan background with their experience working at some of St. Louis’ best restaurants to create unforgettable dishes. The flavor is unreal—almost all the dishes are cooked using the truck’s built-in wood-fired grill and oven. Pillowy somun bread is baked fresh; minced beef sausages called cevapi are grilled to order and served with a spicy red pepper relish. The real star, though, is the Turkish-inspired pide, a grilled flatbread stuffed with meat or cheese; it’s like the missing link between a pizza and a calzone.
Cheap Eats: Carl's Drive In
Since 1959, Carl’s Drive-In has been the spot for a quick burger, fries and a tall, cold glass of root beer, and the best part is that prices haven’t changed much since then! Seriously, where else can you get a triple cheeseburger for $7? Granted, Carl’s is home to the thinnest, crispiest patties in the world, but it’s still quite the deal. Add to that a basket of onion rings for $2.50 and a 24-ounce mug of root beer for another $2.00 and you’ve got yourself a meal that will keep you full for a day. If your time in St. Louis is limited, just swing by for a single patty and small root beer (made in-house), then head on to your real lunch. You’ll have room.
Israeli: Olio
It’s hard not to feel cool inside Olio. Built inside a renovated 1930s gas station, this modern Israeli restaurant has both old-school charm and a contemporary edge, thanks to the design and decor. The food, too, alternates between modern and rustic — you can get a bowl of hummus with pita bread made in-house, or you can be a little fancier and go for something like Israeli bruschetta. . What makes the restaurant perfect is that it’s great for any time of day, whether it’s a quick lunch, happy hour and snacks, or a romantic dinner out. Seriously, Olio’s bar program (especially the daily "spritz hour") is not to be missed.
Parisian Pastries: La Patisserie Chouquette
It only makes sense that a city with French roots should have French pastry shops. The folks at La Patisserie Chouquette serve up a mix of French classics, like the pain au chocolat and canele, plus mountains of their own French-inspired creations. Their Darkness croissant, made with chocolate butter and chocolate dough, and filled with chocolate, is famous nationwide. Their macaron offerings range from the delicate Cream Earl Gray to wild flavors like Horchata Rum, Bey (Lemonade) and Funnel Cake. If you’re looking for something more substantial, their custom cakes are literally edible art. You will almost certainly leave with more than you intended to buy, but hey, you only live once.
Casual-Chic: Louie
Every once in a while, a restaurant comes along that is perfect. For St. Louis, that restaurant is Louie. The team behind it has created a space that is modern yet classic, inventive but traditional, formal and informal all at once. Stop by with friends for a pizza and beer or celebrate a special occasion with great wine and a multi-course feast. Louie believes that simplicity is key, but don’t let the barebones menu trick you: the food here is incredible. The roast chicken is the best roast chicken you will have in your entire life. Seriously. Get the chicken. And the prosciutto. And some pasta.
Bakery: Nathaniel Reid Bakery
If St. Louis had a Happiness Index like Bhutan, it would have seen a massive increase in pure joy when Nathaniel Reid Bakery opened in 2016. It’s a guarantee you will not leave with just one thing. The Kouign Amann, a traditional, buttery pastry from Brittany, will make you wonder why you’ve been eating normal croissants all these years. His sandwiches are addictive. But it’s their entremets (a.k.a. fancy cakes) that will really wow you. They look as good as they taste, and that’s saying something. The chocolate, hazelnut and vanilla creme bruleé Sambava is a classic, but if the pistachio and berry Jarmo is in the case, you are required to get it.
Sandwiches: Gioia's
For over a century, the staff at Gioia’s has been slinging sandwiches in St. Louis’ historic Italian neighborhood, The Hill. They’re known for their signature hot salami, a terrine-like mix of pork shoulder and head, but their sandwich menu goes much deeper. Most options stick to the Italian genre, with things like coppa, meatballs and various salumi, but chicken, turkey and roast beef make appearances too. Order like a pro and go off the not-so-secret menu. You’ll be thanking us when you’re scarfing down your Hill Topper or Porknado 2.0. Most importantly, you can get any sandwich on garlic cheese bread — which you obviously should do.
Meat and Three: Grace
St. Louis isn’t part of the South, but it’s close enough. Grace pairs the simplicity of a "meat and three" joint with the talents of James Beard Award-nominated chef Rick Lewis. That means you’re not getting boring fried chicken and mac 'n' cheese that’s been sitting in a pan all day; you’re getting the best fried chicken in St. Louis, made to order. Cornmeal fried catfish, harvest shreds BBQ, and fried shrimp leg are some mains that are not to be missed, but good luck picking a side. Cracklin' cornbread or sweet-and-sour greens? Succotash or mac and cheese?? Picking might feel impossible, but you really can’t go wrong. Don’t forget to save room for the strawberry lemon bread pudding.
