The 100 Best Places to Eat in Saint Louis
Sections
- Eat , on. Can't turn off the last section 212
- Drink , off. Turn on 3 Only Drink
- Stay , off. Turn on 65 Only Stay
- Do , none in this area
Tap another section to add it.
The best places to eat in Saint Louis, according to the experts: James Beard Awards, Bon Appétit, and AAA have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Balkan Treat Box comes out on top.
More Less
Vicia and Little Fox hold the next two places. St. Louis Magazine shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Eater next.
-
The glowing copper-clad wood-fired oven at the center of the open kitchen tells you everything about priorities here. This lo-fi Balkan canteen in Webster Groves started as a food truck and kept the chaotic energy, with lines outside and regulars still debating what to order. Smoky kebabs, brown butter hummus, spectacular flatbreads. Chef Loryn Nalic holds a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Winner · Best Chef: Midwest · Loryn Nalic
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Loryn Nalic
- Bon Appétit Bon Appétit: America's Best New Restaurants
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Winner · Best Chef: Midwest · Loryn Nalic
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Loryn Nalic
- Bon Appétit America's Best New Restaurants
-
Vegetables get top billing here, not as an afterthought but as the whole argument, with meat from the wood-fired grill playing a supporting role. This is fine dining from a team with Blue Hill at Stone Barns roots, and it shows in the precision without the stiffness. The airy, linen-white room suits the cooking's restraint. A James Beard Outstanding Restaurant nominee, Vicia has been a reason to fly into St. Louis for years.
The awards
- AAA AAA: Four Diamonds
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurant
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · Jane Sacro Chatham
- AAA Four Diamonds
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · Jane Sacro Chatham
-
Rank 3. Little Fox
European
A small neighborhood dinner spot in Botanical Heights where the menu pivots with the seasons, pulling from French, Spanish, and Italian influences without making a fuss about it. The patio draws a crowd, the bar turns out a martini people talk about, and regulars fill seats before the specials are even recited. The New York Times put it on their Restaurant List, and the chef earned a James Beard semifinalist nod.
The awards
- Wine Enthusiast Wine Enthusiast: Forward 50 Restaurants
- The New York Times The New York Times: The Restaurant List
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- Wine Enthusiast Forward 50 Restaurants
- The New York Times The Restaurant List
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
-
Rank 4. Menya Rui
Ramen Shop
The noodle machine has its own little vestibule off the dining room, which tells you where priorities lie at this 24-seat ramen shop. The chef spent years in Japanese noodle kitchens before opening here, and it shows in the tsukemen, thick cold noodles you dip into hot broth, and the brothless mazemen tossed in scallop or chile oil. Food & Wine named him a Best New Chef. The line out front moves faster than it looks.
The awards
- Food & Wine Food & Wine: Best New Chefs · Steven Pursley
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Food & Wine Best New Chefs · Steven Pursley
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The wood-roasted chicken at this Clayton neighborhood restaurant arrives with rapini and an immaculate jus, nowhere to hide and nothing to prove. Louie is the kind of Italian-leaning spot where the room feels luxurious without feeling stiff, and the seasonal pastas and pizzas do quiet, confident work. A 2026 James Beard nominee for Outstanding Hospitality, it draws regulars who treat it like a standing reservation with old friends.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Hospitality
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Hospitality
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Tucked into a strip of drab storefronts near a hair salon called Bouffant Daddy, Robin is a tasting-menu restaurant that somehow feels like a warm secret. The room is soft-lit and earthy, and the four-course format leans into Midwestern ingredients with enough wit to keep things lively. Land on the New York Times Restaurant List and earn a James Beard nomination in the same year, and the mille-feuille of amaro chocolate mousse starts to make a certain kind of sense.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2025 · The Restaurant List
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
-
Rank 7. Sado
Sushi
Sado is a high-end sushi bar where the fish is dry-aged, which is a sentence that would have baffled your grandfather. Eight seats at the counter put you inches from cooks slicing with the focus of surgeons, while a full dining room handles everyone who'd rather not be watched while they chew. A six-person omakase called Pavilion hides out back. James Beard keeps nominating the chef, so budget accordingly.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Nick Bognar
- Esquire Esquire: The Best New Restaurants in America
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Nick Bognar
- Esquire The Best New Restaurants in America
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The awards
- Midwest Living Midwest Living: 2025 · Best of the Midwest
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
- Midwest Living 2025 · Best of the Midwest
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
-
Rank 9. Brasserie by Niche
Bistro
A French bistro in the Central West End from Gerard Craft, the team behind it has been drawing a loyal crowd since the place opened. The room buzzes reliably, and for good reason: gougères that arrive impossibly light, escargot loud with garlic, a slow-cooked cassoulet that lands like a wool blanket in the best sense. Skip dessert at your peril, especially the floating island drifting across its pool of crème anglaise.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2022 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef · Elise Mensing
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef · Elise Mensing
-
Rank 9. Pastaria
Italian
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
- AAA Approved
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
-
Rank 11. Bowood by Niche
Bakery
A sun-drenched brunch and lunch spot where the dining room is essentially a greenhouse looking onto a gravel European garden, the patio alone drawing people who'd otherwise eat indoors without a second thought. Gerard Craft's team runs it, with a pastry chef background in the kitchen that shows up in the morning baking. The cacio e pepe eggs have their fans. Semifinalist for a James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur nod in 2025.
The awards
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
-
Rank 12. Bistro La Floraison
Bistro
Persimmon velvet curtains floor to ceiling set the mood before you've ordered a thing. This is a small, elegant French bistro in Clayton, forty seats, bone china, a pink banquette, the kind of room that makes you sit up a little straighter without resenting it. The menu keeps things focused: gougères, savory financiers, a short list of entrées. The fried chicken cordon bleu is the kitchen winking at Missouri while keeping one foot firmly in France.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
-
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Rob Connoley
-
Rank 12. El Molino del Sureste
Yucatecan
El Molino del Sureste is a Yucatecan restaurant where deep jade walls and patterned benches make you briefly forget you're a few minutes from Lindenwood Park. The namesake molino sits front and center, grinding nixtamalized corn into the tortillas that show up with nearly everything. The chef was a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest, which tracks for a place that treats a turkey-and-sausage relleno as a weeknight option.
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Alex Henry
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Alex Henry
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 12. iNDO
Southeast Asian
The sashimi that put this small Botanical Heights restaurant on the map layers Japanese technique over Southeast Asian flavors, which is basically chef Nick Bognar's whole project in one bite. Forty seats, no wasted space, and a menu where the fish does the heavy lifting. A James Beard semifinalist with a following that was national before the neighborhood caught on.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Nick Bognar
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Midwest · Nick Bognar
-
Rank 12. Pappy's Smokehouse
Barbecue
Pappy's is a midtown barbecue spot built around pork ribs, dry-rubbed, smoked low and slow over fruitwood, and finished with just a whisper of glaze, no sauce pooling anywhere near them. The classic sides, baked beans, fried corn, applesauce, hold their own beside all that smoke. Lines form early and move steadily, which tells you something about how St. Louis feels about this place.
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- AAA Approved
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
A food hall inside a converted industrial complex, The Kitchen Bar draws a crowd that comes less for the putt-putt course next door and more for the rotisserie chicken, wood-fired pizza, and the kind of African Caribbean cooking, including Senegal's thieboudienne, that you don't find everywhere. Celebrity chef Gerard Craft is often behind the counter at his own pizza stall, which makes the whole setup feel a little less mall-ish than it sounds.
The awards
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Gerard Craft - Niche Food Group
-
A French patisserie in Tower Grove where the macarons rotate through flavors like a Beyoncé-inspired lemon curd and vanilla-tonka-bean number, and the triple chocolate croissant somehow stays flaky under all that glaze. The chef trained at the Ritz-Carlton and brings Creole roots into the mix, so the savory case can surprise you too. A James Beard Outstanding Bakery semifinalist, and the kind of neighborhood spot that fills up before the city has finished its coffee.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
-
The awards
- US Coffee Championships US Coffee Championships: #6 · U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Championship · Alex Bertrand
- US Coffee Championships US Coffee Championships: #5 · U.S. Coffee Roasters Championship · Tony Auger
- US Coffee Championships #6 · U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Championship · Alex Bertrand
- US Coffee Championships #5 · U.S. Coffee Roasters Championship · Tony Auger
-
The Cuban bread comes from La Segunda Bakery in Tampa, shipped in specifically to get the crust right on the sandwiches. This is a Cuban restaurant where the team cooks from scratch the way they did back home, and that intention shows up in the ropa vieja and the arroz con pollo as much as the pressed sandwiches. The flan is the quiet closer nobody skips.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
The amber glow through the windows at night is the first thing you notice, and then all the people inside, clearly mid-splendid-time. This is a neighborhood restaurant done with genuine ambition, the kind where the cowboy rib-eye with cracked pepper butter sits on the same menu as Dover sole and creative cocktails. Webster Groves is a quick drive from the city, and regulars treat it like their dining room, which is a compliment to everyone.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Midwest · Nick Bognar
-
The pilau arrives under a dome of golden filo you crack open at the table, releasing fragrant basmati with almonds and pistachios underneath. Sultan is a Mediterranean restaurant in the Grove neighborhood serving a menu that runs from lentil soup and beef dumplings with garlic yogurt to kabobs. The room filled up fast when it opened and has stayed that way, which in a neighborhood already stacked with good options is its own kind of argument.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 19. Union Loafers
Bakery
The bread is the whole philosophy here: Union Loafers is a bakery-turned-full-service restaurant in Botanical Heights where naturally leavened loaves set the tone for everything else on the menu. The pizzas split the difference between New York chew and Neapolitan char, and the sandwiches built on house bread give you a very good reason to show up before dinner. St. Louis-style pizza is conspicuously absent, which some locals treat as a provocation.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 19. Wright’s Tavern
Steakhouse
The dining room glows in golden light, and everyone seated in it has the look of someone who waited weeks for this reservation, because they probably did. Wright's Tavern is a small neighborhood steakhouse where the French Syrah, a New York strip, and Dauphinoise potatoes form the obvious throughline, but the crab cake and shrimp scampi quietly compete for the table's attention. St. Louis Magazine named it among the city's best restaurants.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine The best burgers in St. Louis
-
Rank 26. Madrina
Italian
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service · Alisha Blackwell-Calvert
-
The upstairs Bullock Room, named for Tom Bullock, the first African American to publish a cocktail recipe book, tells you everything about how seriously this Lafayette Square bar and restaurant takes its history. Seasonal cocktail menus have drawn inspiration from roller derby and Dolly Parton, which is either chaotic or inspired depending on your mood. The burger, loaded with chorizo jam and pub cheese on a challah bun, holds its own alongside the drinks.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- AAA Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine The best burgers in St. Louis
-
Rank 26. Scout’s Restaurant
Italian
The dinner-party vibe is not an accident: Scout's grew out of an apartment pop-up, and the casual energy, upbeat music, and focused menu still read that way. Both chefs came up through fine dining around St. Louis, and the cooking shows it without announcing it. Vegetables get the same attention as the pasta, and the menu stays short enough that everything on it clearly earned its spot.
The awards
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 26. The Crossing
French
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- AAA Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine The best burgers in St. Louis
-
Rank 31. ELAIA
Mediterranean
The awards
-
The awards
- AAA Approved
- St. Louis Magazine Pineapple Inside-Out Cake in a Cup · Where to find the best ice cream, frozen custard, snow cones, and more in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Cate Zone Chinese Cafe
Chinese
The twice-cooked pork here is the thing to order first: thin, crispy cutlets in a glaze that toggles between sweet wine and sharp vinegar, a signature dish of China's Dongbei region. This casual Chinese cafe in University City has become a go-to for regional cooking that doesn't smooth its edges for anyone, with bold Chengdu chicken and hot crisp fish rounding out a menu that makes the drive from anywhere in St. Louis feel like a reasonable life choice.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Charlie Gitto’s
Italian
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Northern Thai cooking in a city that already loves Thailand but tends to stop at the central-region classics. Chiang Mai focuses on the distinct traditions of the north, and three aunties running the open kitchen with unhurried precision are the main event. The bronzed pork sausages and green papaya salad are there for the familiar, but the menu goes further than most St. Louis Thai spots dare.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The charcoal smell hits before you've found your seat, which is a fine way to set expectations at this intimate dinner spot on Delmar. The open kitchen keeps things honest, the lighting keeps things romantic, and a dessert cart actually wheels around the room like it's 1974. Dishes are stripped back on purpose, a few components, no fuss. The clay pot Negroni is a good place to start deciding you'll come back.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
A server in a druidic robe strikes the floor with a staff, lifts a smoking lantern, and produces your cocktail from inside it. The theatrics are a genuine feature, not a phase. Frazer's is a comfortable neighborhood restaurant in Benton Park, the kind that holds steak frites and pork schnitzel alongside a rotating specials board and a serious seafood selection, while the bar is clearly having the most fun in the room.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Gioia’s Deli
Sandwich Shop
An old-school deli in St. Louis's historic Italian-American neighborhood, Gioia's has been feeding the same families for so long that when a James Beard America's Classics award arrived, locals mostly just smiled politely. The hot salami sandwich, made from a house recipe of beef, pig's head, and spices and sliced to order, is what everyone comes for. Pick your bread, pick your cheese, and try not to overthink it.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. IDOL WOLF
Tapas Bar
A chorizo-washed mezcal margarita is a strong opening argument for the bar program at this Spanish pintxos spot on Locust. The menu runs the classics, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, a Caesar buried under microplaned manchego with a paprika-spiked dressing, and the kitchen handles them with enough care that they feel like discoveries. The crowd tends to stay later than planned, which is more or less the point.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Wood-burning oven margherita pizza and tortellini en brodo share a menu at this family-friendly pizza and pasta osteria, the kind of place that makes you wonder why anyone ever chose between a slice shop and an Italian trattoria. The chef collective behind it, a genuine collaboration rather than a celebrity vanity project, has serious fine-dining pedigree, and the result is crowd-pleasing food that doesn't talk down to anyone. Easy parking, which in St. Louis is half the battle.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Lona's Lil Eats
Yunnan
Yunnan province cooking, where the flavor map runs spicy and sour rather than rich and savory, is the whole point at this fast-casual spot. The chef grew up near the borders of Thailand and Vietnam, and her handmade dumplings, chile eggplant, and lime-ginger peanut salad taste like it. A veggie sampler lets you graze across most of the menu in one go, which is lucky, because narrowing it down is hard.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Mayo Ketchup By Plantain Girl
Caribbean
The mini cheese empanadas arrive flaky outside and molten within, and the sampler plate is basically the menu's argument for ordering one of everything. Mayo Ketchup is a casual Puerto Rican and Dominican spot on Olive Street where the tostones come topped with avocado and pickled onion, the taquenos are cheese pulled through pastry dough, and the sauces range from guava to herbaceous cilantro. A good place to lose track of time deciding what to eat next.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Nudo House
Ramen Shop
The broth in the tonkotsu is described as the color of the inside of a cloud, which is the kind of detail that earns its place. This ramen and pho shop was built with serious intent: the team behind Vietnamese institution Mai Lee brought in a renowned ramen consultant and worked with Sun Noodle on the recipe. Seven ramen styles anchor the menu, with pho, banh mi, and crab rangoon filling out the rest. A thorough lunch.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The main dining room of this old-school red-sauce Italian spot is encrusted in crystals, which tells you everything about the vibe before you've ordered a drink. Leo at the bar will talk you into a sambuca shot, Isabella will remember your order from last time, and the owner himself is probably seating you. The menu hasn't changed in years, and nobody's complaining.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Songbird
Bakery
The breakfast sandwich here is finished with sea salt that catches in the griddled sourdough's crags, keeping the salty and sweet separate rather than letting them blur together. That level of attention is what drew crowds at Tower Grove Farmers Market before this bakery-cafe had walls. Bialys and sprouted-grain English muffins, milled from local grain, come out of the kitchen the same way: unhurried and precise.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 33. Yellowbelly
Tropical Cocktail Bar
The piña colada here is not the one you've been avoiding. Yellowbelly is a tropical cocktail bar and restaurant on Lindell where mezcal, rum, passionfruit, and coconut show up balanced and thought-through rather than sticky-sweet. A jungle mural and serious plant situation set the mood, and the food, fish tacos and salmon tostadas and the like, holds its own alongside the drinks. It's the kind of place that makes a Tuesday feel like a decent idea.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 49. Mai Lee
Vietnamese
Mai Lee is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant in a Brentwood strip, and it has been around forever. The menu runs past 300 numbered, made-to-order dishes, so ordering feels like a long-form exam you can't fail. Regulars will point you to the St. Paul sandwich, a St. Louis oddity involving egg foo young and white bread. Casual, unfussy, and priced so you can try several numbers.
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- AAA Approved
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 50. Carl's Drive In
Burger Joint
Carl's is a two-sided counter with sixteen stools, a griddle, and staff who treat small talk as a clerical error. The burgers are lacy, paper-thin things, so you order a double the way you'd order a second coffee, and the housemade root beer comes along without discussion. The tamales under chili are a pleasant surprise. Bring cash, and if anyone asks about the Shake Shack rumor, you didn't hear it from me.
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 51. Café Napoli
Italian
The awards
-
Rank 51. Dominic's on the Hill
Italian
The awards
-
The awards
-
Rank 51. Kreis' Steakhouse
Steakhouse
The awards
-
Rank 51. Mainlander
Taiwanese
Mainlander is a Taiwanese tasting-menu spot dressed like a midcentury tiki den, all orange-tinted light, Polynesian-style art, and vintage furniture that clearly cost someone a lot of weekends. The menu changes monthly and borrows freely from German, Sichuan, and Missouri pantries. Esquire put it on its best new restaurants list, and reservations open on the first of the month at noon, so set an alarm.
The awards
- Esquire Esquire: The Best New Restaurants in America
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
- Esquire The Best New Restaurants in America
- St. Louis Magazine Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Rank 56. Akar
Modern Malaysian
Akar is a Malaysian fine dining room in Clayton with concrete walls, sparse decor, and the lighting of a place that expects you to lean in. There's no menu online and reservations happen by phone, which in this economy counts as an aggressive commitment to mystery. The curries run rich and layered, the roti arrives in flaky sheets, and the plates cost real money, so dress like you made the call on purpose.
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
Mestiza is a counter-service taqueria with orange booths and blue walls, and the angular windows make lunch feel like a slightly cheerful boat trip. It grew out of the taco nights at sister restaurant Malinche. You order at the register, get a free potato taco, and then spend a while negotiating with the tray of salsas. Spit-roasted pork and a cheesy alambre are on the menu, and so is a cactus option for vegetarians.
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
-
The Stellar Hog is a small South City barbecue joint with a hand-painted celestial ceiling, which gives you something to look at between ribs. It feels like a neighborhood bar where the Budweiser flows freely, then got a psychedelic makeover and let the kids in. The chipotle-honey ribs and brisket come out glossy and well barked. Sunday on the patio is beef rib territory, so clear your afternoon.
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in St. Louis
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
Rank 64. Broadway Oyster Bar
Cajun & Creole Seafood
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
-
Rank 64. La Bonne Bouchée
French Coffee Shop
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
-
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
-
Rank 64. Twisted Ranch
American
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
-
Rank 68. ‘ssippi
Wine Bar
The awards
-
Rank 68. Fufu n’ Sauce
African
The awards
-
Rank 68. Nicky Slices Pizza Club
Detroit-style Pizzeria
Detroit-style pan pizza in a small fast-casual shop on Edwards, where the menu started life on Instagram during the pandemic and somehow held together well enough to become a brick-and-mortar. You can grab a hot slice in house or take a par-baked pie home to finish yourself, which is either charming or suspicious depending on your mood. Toppings lean creative, hot honey buffalo chicken nuggets and fried Brussels sprouts, but the plain pepperoni holds its own too.
The awards
-
Rank 68. Sugarwitch
Ice Cream Shop
An ice cream sandwich shop in Carondelet where every flavor is named after a literary villain or witch, which is either the most charming concept you've heard all week or proof that a Yale degree can go anywhere. The owners built the place around equitable food systems, so the ethos runs deeper than the frosting. Come for something cold and cleverly named, leave having thought about regional food economies more than you expected.
The awards
-
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael and Tara Gallina and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael and Tara Gallina and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Michael Gallina, Tara Gallina, and Aaron Martinez - Take Root Hospitality
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Semifinalist · Best New Restaurant
-
The awards
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
-
The awards
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: Best restaurants in St. Louis
- St. Louis Magazine St. Louis Magazine: The best burgers in St. Louis
-
The awards
-
The awards
Page 1 of 3