The Best Places to Drink in St. Louis

1. VinePair Brewery of the Year · The Next Wave Awards

The bar at Au Cheval is the part of the diner you can sit at without a two-hour wait, assuming the wait stays tolerable, and the whole place runs on dim lighting, a cocktail list, and the knowledge that a griddled burger with a fried egg is coming either way. It's a moody, no-frills diner-bar, and the cocktails do real work while you stare at the people who got the table. Difford's Guide gives it four stars.

1. Difford's Guide 4 stars · Difford's Guide
2. Eater Chicago’s Best Burgers

1. Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central

The back bar holds somewhere north of 300 gins, which tells you everything about what kind of place this is. A neighborhood gin bar tucked into south St. Louis, it runs tastings, classes, and flights for the curious, though you can just order a Negroni and mind your own business. The team landed a James Beard semifinalist nod for Outstanding Bar. Regulars know to ask for whatever the staff are excited about that week.

1. James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
2. James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service · Natasha Bahrami
3. The 50 The 50 Discovery