Restaurants
You can always find something good to eat in St. Louis. In a region with such a diverse collection of neighborhoods and cultures, it’s not too surprising to find an ever-increasing list of great places to eat, drink, and be merry. What else would you expect from a city whose intense relationship with food became even clearer during the beloved 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, where merchants presented iced tea, ice-cream cones, and hot dogs to the world? Plus, St. Louis has strong ties to the German and French cultures, so it’s safe to say that this town definitely knows how to cook—and eat.
Today, visitors will find excellent chefs behind the scenes at restaurants that offer every kind of cuisine. From its elegant steak houses and fashionable Euro-style bistros to the courtyard cafes and neighborhood barbecue joints, St. Louis will have something to offer, whatever your style. The tradition of infusing different cultures with so-called American cuisine has continued to evolve, as new Americans from Asia, India, Bosnia, Africa, and Eastern Europe continue to bring their dining delights to St. Louis. These tasty additions to an already eclectic culinary culture succeed in spicing up St. Louis’s Midwestern gumbo of cultures and styles.
The eateries in this chapter are listed geographically, then categorized by cuisine. Most of these restaurants offer a nonsmoking section and wheelchair access for their patrons, unless otherwise noted, and almost all accept major credit cards. Some venues extend their hours during the summer months if they are located in an area known for being popular with tourists.
1. Bailey’S Chocolate Bar
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 241-8100
Address: 1915 Park Avenue
Description: Chocoholics will want to set up camp inside this delectable Lafayette Square dessert and dessert-drinks haven. In addition to a mouth-watering array of chocolate and non-chocolate sweets (such as bread pudding, rustic apple cake, brownies, and more), the bar-side house specialty is the Chocolate Bar Signature, which servers describe as “pure chocolate, alcohol, and milk.” There’s also a better-than-average wine list, an assortment of unique (and not-so-unique) beers, and nonalcoholic drinks including coffees, shakes, and hot chocolate. Open daily.
2. 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 231-9463
Address: 1913 Park Avenue
Description: When wine lovers die, they hope they end up at the pearly gates of the 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar in Lafayette Square. This intimate neighborhood wine and beer bar offers more than 300 wines from around the world and does so with a casual flair. The bar also offers an assortment of more than 30 bottled beers from around the world, including Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, Anchor Liberty Ale, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, and Lindeman’s Framboise. There’s a wine- and beer-friendly snack menu available that features a diverse list of sausages and cheeses, including Thuringer, Fontini Fontal, dill Havarti, Jarlsberg, and Drunken Goat, and an assortment of crackers and hearty breads. Closed Sunday and Monday.
3. An American Place
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 418-5800
Address: 800 Washington Avenue
Description: Located in the Renaissance Grand Hotel is An American Place, an upscale yet somewhat casual restaurant that features the food of noted chef Larry Forgione. This is St. Louis fine dining at its finest, with a gourmet menu and a host of imported and domestic wines available. Open for dinner only, the menu of entrees features such specialties as pan-roasted mignon of elk, lobster ravioli, cedar plank wild Columbia River salmon, Missouri buffalo loin, and fresh Fontina cheese and forest mushroom agnolotti pasta. The menu changes seasonally, and everything is made to order from scratch. Reservations are strongly recommended. Closed Sunday and Monday.
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Address: 811 Spruce Street
5. Eleven Eleven Mississippi
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 241-9999
Address: 1111 Mississippi Avenue
Description: This Lafayette Square eatery features Tuscan- and Northern California–influenced cuisine in a casual, rustic, and charming environment that is also slightly upscale. The wine country bistro is housed in a historic brick warehouse that showcases plenty of hardwoods, brick, and copper along with two fireplaces in the main dining room and loft lounge. Open for lunch and dinner, Eleven Eleven’s daytime menu includes oven-baked flatbreads, soups, salads, pastas, and assorted bistro fare. The dinner options expand to include such specialties as the house-made wild boar ravioli, potato-wrapped grouper, black pepper fettuccine, and the honey-roasted duck. The wine list and the dessert menu are as intricate as the entrees. Reservations suggested. Closed Sunday.
6. Frazer’S Restaurant
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 773-8646
Address: 1811 Pestalozzi Street
Description: Frazer’s is one of those rare restaurants that offers upscale eats in a casual atmosphere. The tiny storefront restaurant has had to expand several times since it opened in 1992, with a new outdoor dining area being the most recent improvement. The menu changes often (but only slightly) to accommodate the availability of seasonal items; however, the food is always good. Appetizers like the mushroom strudel, carpaccio, and hummus are solid mainstays, along with the tasty pasta dishes and the fish, chicken, and beef entrees. There’s a good selection of vegetarian items—including a delicious vegetarian Reuben—along with comfort-food desserts like carrot cake, bread pudding, and blackberry cobbler. Open for lunch and dinner; closed Sunday.
7. Harry’S Restaurant & Bar
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 421-6969
Address: 2144 Market Street
Description: Harry’s is an elegant, comfortable restaurant that features innovative American cuisine and a lovely view of the St. Louis skyline. In addition to an impressive wine list, Harry’s dinner menu features a variety of salads and appetizers as well as entrees such as grilled chops, steaks, and seafood. The lunch menu is inviting as well, and it includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, and even vegetable lasagna. Reservations are highly recommended. Open daily.
8. Kitchen K
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 241-9900
Address: 1000 Washington Avenue
Description: Kitchen K features a comfortable mix of high-end cuisine made from familiar items along with more casual favorites including sandwiches, paninis and burgers. The restaurant offers an impressive selection of wines that pair nicely with such newfound favorites as the handmade veggie spring rolls, Ahi Togarashi, and the Baja Chicken Enchilada. There are also a number of daily specials including meat loaf, pasta dishes, and fresh seafood. Try the sweet potato fries as a starter. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
9. Lucas Park Grille
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 418-5800
Address: 800 Washington Avenue
Description: In addition to being part of Washington Avenue’s popular bar scene, Lucas Park Grille is known for its five-star filets, locally raised lamb, sea bass, and the wine list of more than 250 varieties. Lunch or dinner patrons can choose from an array of salads, appetizers, and entrees such as Macadamia Encrusted Hawaiian Sea Bass, Pepper Grilled Flat Iron, and Roasted Vegetable Galette. There’s also an extensive wine list. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
10. Soulard’S Restaurant
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 241-7956
Address: 1731 South Seventh Street
Description: Soulard’s is one of the few restaurants in town that serves a full breakfast on weekdays. Now, we’re not talking about a sticky bagel and a cup of coffee to go—the restaurant offers everything from poached eggs and a Spanish omelet to whole wheat buttermilk waffles and hearty breakfast sandwiches. For lunch Soulard’s features baked Brie with almonds, house-made salad dressings, grilled chicken salad, sandwiches, and entrees including peppered pork tenderloin with garlic mayonnaise and crab cakes over capellini pasta with beurre blanc sauce. The dinner menu ranges from grilled Portobello mushrooms and chicken Spedini to New York strip steak, marinated grilled French cut pork chops, barbecued shrimp, and house-made desserts. Closed Sunday.
11. Sqwires Restaurant & Market
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 865-3522
Address: 1415 South 18th Street
Description: SqWires serves fresh seafood and innovative menu items using the freshest seasonal ingredients. The dinner menu offers a host of seafood entrees, such as raspberry balsamic barbecue glazed salmon and Golden Trout, along with vegetable lasagna, wild mushroom fettuccine, and herb Provençal Canadian pork loin. Desserts include chocolate ravioli, Brandy Alexander and bread pudding. The bar features a variety of martinis, draft and bottled beers, and an impressive wine list. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, and there’s also an impressive brunch available on Saturday and Sunday.
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Address: 4270 Manchester Avenue
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2017 Chouteau Avenue
14. Sen Thai Asian Bistro
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 436-3456
Address: 1221 Locust Street
Description: Sen Thai—as it’s often called—is tremendously popular among downtown workers and residents looking for an infusion of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner, Sen’s food is always fresh and always good. The spring rolls and the coconut shrimp are excellent appetizers, and the voluminous choices of soups, salads, rice, and noodle and curry dishes make ordering just one dish almost impossible. Start with one of the appetizer platters to get a taste of several items, then go back to the menu for an entree. Beer and wine are available, along with nonalcoholic beverages including Thai iced coffee and tea. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday; dinner only Saturday and Sunday.
15. Wasabi Sushi Bar
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (314) 421-3500
Address: 1228 Washington Avenue
Description: Wasabi has scored big with St. Louis sushi fans. The menu, which features both sushi and non-sushi items, offers traditional Japanese cuisine as well as some items that put a new twist on old favorites. Some of the restaurant’s specialties include sukiyaki (sliced beef and vegetables in a hot, sweet broth), tonkatsu (deep-fried breaded pork loin with a fruit and vegetable sauce), unagi don (smoked eel on a bed of rice), and the niku don (a beef and veggie omelet on a bed of rice). The sushi bar itself features more than 60 items. There’s a second location at 16 South Central Avenue (314) 721-9970 in Clayton. Both locations are open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.