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RESTAURANT GUIDE 40 RESTAURANTS WE LOVE & 40 READERS’ FAVORITES 2017
RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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St. Louis, MO Columbia, MO 314-231-8400 573-474-3708 fordstl.com
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Cover photo of the Libertine by Mabel Suen Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Sarah Fenske E D I T O R I A L Restaurant Critic Cheryl Baehr Contributing Writers Alison Sieloff, Lauren Milford
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CLEVEL AND-HEATH, A RESTAURANT WE LOVE, BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
The Riverfront Times is published weekly by Euclid Media Group Verified Audit Member
table of contents 40 RESTAURANTS WE LOVE EVEN MORE PLACES WE ADORE 40 READERS’ POLL FAVORITES
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INDEX OF ALL FINALISTS RIVERFRONTTIMES.COM
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Meet the 40 Restaurants We Love ....
and so much more
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orty years ago, an irreverent alt-weekly boldly launched in a city’s whose restaurant scene was anything but. Granted, by 1977 St. Louis had begun to grow a handful of promising spots, including the old Duff’s and the original Balaban’s, which were working to bring the city out of the dining Dark Ages. For the most part, though, if you were looking for good food in a restaurant, you’d have a hard time finding it outside of a private club, a few decent Italian places, some diners and a steakhouse or two. That situation, obviously, has changed. New American pioneers like Cardwell’s, Harvest and the Crossing brought seasonal cuisine into the local lexicon and, in doing so,
modernized St. Louis dining. An American Place and Monarch didn’t just make a great leap forward — they were the training grounds for many of the people defining the city’s food scene today. Kevin Nashan took over Sidney Street Cafe in 2003, turning it from a meat and potatoes spot to a restaurant on the knife’s edge of modern, yet classically anchored, cuisine. Then came Gerard Craft and Niche in 2006. Today terrific spots seem to open almost every month. And so when the RFT set out to choose the 40 restaurants we love in St. Louis, in honor of our 40 years in business, the biggest problem we had was limiting the list to just 40. Today there are simply too many good places. And yes, you’ll notice we cheated a little — with 40 restaurants we love, a few more places that aren’t quite restaurants that we
nevertheless adore, and then 40 categories where we let readers have their say. (Did we mention limiting ourselves proved difficult?) To us, this admittedly incomplete list is a celebration of those places that define dining out in St. Louis. It’s not a litany of the best, and there is no rank order to the selections. Rather, it’s a nod to the spots that make the St. Louis restaurant scene what it is today, places that we believe will help define the next 40 years and shape what things will look like in St. Louis come 2057. Some will still be around. Most will not, but one thing is certain: If the Riverfront Times makes it to 80 (dear God!), wherever the food critic is dining out will owe a debt of gratitude to these bold pioneers. — CHERYL BAEHR
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Tradition with a Twist!
Hacienda’s new restaurant in downtown Clayton. Mayana serves many of Hacienda’s favorites, as well as some surprises, in a fast casual environment without compromising the quality and experience that made Hacienda famous.
Fun for all ages! For nearly 50 years, Hacienda has been family owned and operated and continually committed to serving authentic Mexican food in a festive atmosphere with the highest level of hospitality.
HACIENDASTL.COM 9748 Manchester Road • St. Louis Planning a party? Let us bring the fiesta to you!
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Central Library
www.MayanaMex.com Delivery • catering • online ordering • homemade tortillas Mon-Sat 11am-8pm • 7810 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton
Call 314-539-0345 for
free tour information.
CENTRAL LIBRARY 1301 Olive St. I St. Louis, MO 63103 314-241-2288 I slpl.org
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VOTED #1RIVERFRONT STEAKHOUSE 1999-2016 TIMES READERS POLL
Historic Soulard 2117 South 12th 314-772-5977
West County 14282 Manchester 636-227-8062
South County 3939 Union Rd. 314-845-2584
WHY EAT STEAK ANYWHERE ELSE? www.tuckersplacestl.com
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B:8.5” T:8.25” S:8”
We won’t deny that being one of the most requested wines feels pretty good. But the truth is, for us, crafting consistently delicious wines is a reward in and of itself. In other words, thanks for enjoying our wines as much as we enjoy making them.
Completely Cutrer.
Please enjoy responsibly. ©2017 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Windsor, Sonoma County, ca
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40 RESTAURANTS
randolfi’s 6665 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 1 4 -8 9 9 -9 2 2 1 s the first restaurateur to bring Neapolitan-style pizza to town, Mike Randolph caught much flack when he decided to shutter his beloved pizzeria the Good Pie. When he announced he’d be converting the spot into an old-fashioned mom-andpop Italian joint, folks hit the roof. “That’s just what St. Louis needs — another Italian restaurant,” many complained, worried that Randolph’s plan was not only to take away their pizza, but to replace it with a tired trope. Fast-forward two years and Randolfi’s success has taught us all two things: First, that we should never doubt him, and second, that there will never be anything tired coming out of his kitchen. Though on its surface Randolfi’s has the feel of those 1970s-era Italian spots decked out in white checkered tablecloths and straw-covered chianti bottles, a peek at the menu reveals that the acclaimed chef’s true intention is to pay tribute to the genre — not recreate it literally. You’ll find bolognese, but in place of the traditional red sauce, Randolph’s is white and enlivened by pancetta, pork and liver. Lamb and pork meatballs crown a plate of spaghetti, and even a simple Caesar salad is made transcendent with fresh anchovies and kale. Randolph indeed nods to the tried and true staples of Italian cuisine, but he uses them as a jumping off-point for his thoughtful, modern cuisine. He pushes us out of our comfort zone while wrapping us in it at the same time — a delicate balancing act that proves time and again that he’s one of the city’s best.
RANDOLFI’S BY MABEL SUEN
we love
cafÉ natasha hree decades ago, husband and wife Behshid and Hamishe Bahrami had few options other than opening a restaurant. Immigrants to St. Louis, neither was a cook or restaurateur — in their native Iran, Behshid was a geologist and Hamishe a nurse. However, when Behshid got laid off from his surveying gig during the Iran hostage crisis and was unable to find other employment, he and Hamishe opened a tiny café in a downtown office building to make ends meet. That restaurant, the Little Kitchen, blossomed into the venerable South Grand mainstay Café Natasha, where Behshid’s superlative palate and commitment to nothing short of excellence created a menu of delectable Persian fare and attracted an army of regulars who come in so often they have become family to the Bahramis. Who can blame them for developing such a habit? Café Natasha’s beef shish kebabs are unlike anything else in town: tender hunks of perfectly grilled meat marinated in Café Natasha’s heavenly nectar, which Behshid painstakingly developed as a way to get around the gaminess he found in American lamb. As for that lamb, the restaurant’s legendary grilled chops put Café Natasha on the map. Much has changed since the early days — the restaurant has moved, its patriarch has passed away, and his daughter, the restaurant’s namesake, has converted half the space into one of the country’s premier gin destinations. What hasn’t changed, though, is the Bahramis’ commitment to excellence in everything they do and the impeccable cuisine that comes out of their kitchen. The restaurant business may not have been their chosen path, but clearly, it was their destiny.
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CAFE NATASHA BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
32 0 0 S O U T H G R A N D B O U L E VA R D , 3 1 4-771-3411
beast craft bbq
BEAST CRAFT BBQ BY MABEL SUEN
20 SOUTH BELT WEST, BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS; 6 18-2 5 7-9 000 ver the last several years, the St. Louis barbecue scene has exploded with such force you can practically see the smoke cloud in the review mirror as you cross the Poplar on your way to Beast Craft BBQ. With so many excellent in-town options, you might wonder why you’re driving 30 minutes east to Belleville, but one bite of David Sandusky’s killer ‘cue answers that question emphatically. This low-key Metro East smokehouse is easily one of the — if not the — best in the area, anchored by Sandusky’s obsessive commitment to sourcing best-of-the-best meats and then getting out of their way. Sweet kielbasa, succulent chicken and luscious brisket are slowcooked over hickory, white oak and cherry wood, each one reason enough to make a visit. Sandusky got his culinary start in fine dining, and he shows his chops on elevated side dishes like the signature Brussels sprouts with pork belly or the ridiculously cheesy smoked mac and cheese. Before you binge on a plate of either, though, make sure you’ve saved room for Beast’s show-stopping pork steak, a slab of meat so perfect you’ll never again look at a backyard version in the same way. And don’t even think about asking for a knife to cut it. The meat is so tender it falls apart with only the slightest prodding — and if you doubt it, your server won’t let you live it down.
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vista ramen hen the much-ballyhooed chef Chris Bork announced he was going to open a ramen restaurant with Jeremy and Casey Miller, owners of the Mud House, people scratched their heads. Why would Bork, an up-and-comer who had gained a reputation for preparing elegant, modern cuisine at the members-only hotspot Blood & Sand, chuck it all to do a trendy noodle spot deep in south city? Considering the breadth of Bork’s culinary repertoire, the move seemed to limit his capabilities. As it turns out, we should never have doubted. Instead of allowing the genre to confine him, Bork has taken ramen as a jumping-off point for exploring Asian-inflected cuisine, in the process creating unexpected dishes and flavor profiles that show the full range of his talent. Despite the name, he’s made clear that he does not intend to make Vista a literal ramen shop, nor would you mistake it for such. Granted, you’ll find a handful of ramen-inspired bowls, but purists will recognize them as being evocative of the classic Japanese noodle dish, not a literal interpretation. And if Bork spreads his wings on riffs like the pozole ramen, he positively soars on his small plates. Beef tartare with fermented garlic, carrots with duck confit and his glorious pork ribs with crab caramel show that, despite its name, ramen is only part of Vista’s story.
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VISTA RAMEN BY MABEL SUEN
2609 C H E R O K E E S T R E E T , 314- 7 9 7 - 8250
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olive + oak 102 W E S T L OC K W OO D AV E N U E , W E B S T E R G R OV E S ; 3 1 4-7 3 6 -1 3 7 0 ark Hinkle could not have received a clearer sign when he went to have a look at the building at 102 W. Lockwood Avenue. There on the doorstep were a handful of oak leaves, blown by the wind into what looked like the shape of a heart. Right then, he knew he’d found the perfect location for Olive + Oak, the restaurant he was preparing to open with his business partner Greg Ortyl. The two men came together over shared tragedy: They met through the Children’s Heart Foundation after their sons both passed away from congenital heart defects. They pledged to honor the boys’ memories in the form of a restaurant, and in doing so, created what’s become one of St. Louis’ premier dining spots. Though not even one year old, Olive + Oak is already an institution, buoyed by the approachable yet elegant food of executive chef Jesse Mendica. Mendica came up by way of Annie Gunn’s, so it’s no wonder Olive + Oak’s meat dishes shine. However, she shows just as much prowess with seafood and veggie-centric dishes, and her ability to elevate simple sandwiches, such as the roasted leg of lamb and the already classic “O+O Burger,” make you question whether you should ever order anything else. Beyond the food, the real joy of Olive + Oak is that everyone who works there seems genuinely invested in the restaurant. There’s a feeling of being in the presence of family when you dine there. That heart may have been on the doorstep before the restaurant opened, but now, it’s in the spirit of everyone who works there — and that’s what makes the place so special.
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* *All-inclusive tickets available at cardinals.com/pregame
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union loafers 1629 TOW E R G R O V E AV E N U E , 314- 833- 6 1 1 1
UNION LOAFERS BY MABEL SUEN
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lour, water, yeast, salt. It sounds so simple, as if anyone with access to a handful of ingredients could make great bread. But just as Michelangelo could take a slab of marble and chisel it into the Pietà, Union Loafers’ Ted Wilson shows what is possible when raw materials are manipulated by the hand of a master. Wilson learned the art of bread-making at the acclaimed Sullivan Street Bakery in New York, where he fell in love with the process of natural fermentation. After returning to his native St. Louis, he translated his talent into pizza, helping Mike Randolph realize his vision of true Neapolitan pizza at the Good Pie. That history explains why Union Loafers is currently putting out some of the city’s best pizza, but that is only part of the story. The impeccable café fare is brought forth by executive chef Brian Lagerstrom, whose previous gig was at the venerable (and now-closed) Niche, and he’s brought his fine dining eye to such simple, yet perfect, dishes as roasted pork on ciabatta and a little gem salad. The excellent food might make you forget the real reason you’re at Union Loafers — but only for a second. One whiff of the fresh bread coming out of Wilson’s ovens makes it hard to think of anything else.
Público here’s nothing chef Mike Randolph can’t do. He’s opened a pizzeria, done the upscale breakfast thing, offered a ground-breaking tasting menu concept and opened an evocative Italian spot. It’s a parade of successes, but the gem of his empire has to be Público, a restaurant that takes Latin-American cuisine as a jumping-off point for culinary exploration, pushing us to think about what is possible in the genre. Randolph has been playing around with this style of cooking for a while now, ever since his shortlived concept MEDIANoche, and his dishes read like the work of someone with a well-developed vision. However, this vision is not myopic. Público encompasses a variety of cuisines, hinting at Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela and even the Mediterranean, which is what makes it so exciting. One minute, you’ll be eating a guacamole-covered arepa so authentic you’d think you were in the kitchen of your abuela. The next moment, you’re feasting on pinto beans enriched with lamb drippings and fresh mint that tastes straight out of a Greek taverna. Cooking is done exclusively on a wood-burning hearth, adding not just a rustic element to the dishes, but the feeling of being at the world’s coolest gothic beach party. Perhaps that’s just the cocktails talking, though; Público’s drink offerings are dangerously outstanding and as creative as the food, making this restaurant the total package.
PUBLICO BY MABEL SUEN
6679 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 1 4 -8 3 3 -5 7 8 0
fork & stix
FORK & STIX BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
5 4 9 R O S E DA L E AV E N U E , 314-86 3-5 5 72 ucked in a small storefront off a side street on the eastern edge of the Loop, Fork & Stix is the unassuming, under-the-radar spot you just happen to stumble into only to discover that it’s quietly serving some of the city’s most flavorful cuisine. This is not your standard Thai restaurant. Instead, Fork & Stix focuses on food from the country’s northern “second city,” Chiang Mai. That 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. It’s no wonder Fork & Stix has developed a cult following of diehards who speak about it in reverent tones. But it’s not just us mortals who are under its spell. If you follow any of St. Louis’ top chefs on social media, you will see them frequently make mention of their love for Fork & Stix, too. That this is the place the culinary intelligentsia go when they get a hankering for good food speaks volumes about its genius, even if it does reside in an unexpected space.
sardella
SARDELL A BY MABEL SUEN
7 7 3 4 F O R S Y T H B O U L E VA R D , C L AY TO N ; 314-773-7755 en years ago, you could go to Gerard Craft’s swanky Niche and get a quote-unquote reuben, but the corned pig tongue and rye gnocchi on your plate was unrecognizable as a sandwich. These days, you can eat a burger at the acclaimed chef’s latest venture, Sardella, and you’ll get just that: a literal burger. At first it seems shocking that such approachable food is being served in a once-hallowed dining room. When Craft announced last June that he would be closing his flagship restaurant and opening the more accessible Sardella in its place, diners not only lamented his decision, but also wondered how anything could measure up to the temple of local gastronomy he’d painstakingly created. But that was exactly his point. Craft wanted Sardella to feel free from the obligation that had come to define Niche. He made it a point to make his new venture as light as possible, even while maintaining the incredibly high standards he’s set for himself and his crew. Italy is his inspiration, although that’s less for a rigid reproduction of its food and more for the feelings it evokes. Sardella’s menu of Mediterranean-inflected dishes are as thoughtful as what was served at the space’s predecessor, yet they are also filled with ease. The restaurant is the culinary equivalent of quitting your hated, yet well-paying, job and following your passion — a risk, but one that pays off in pure bliss.
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stone soup cottage 5 8 0 9 H I G H WAY N , COT T L E V I L L E ; 6 36 -2 44-2 2 33
KEBOB HOUSE AND TAVERNA
VOTED #1
GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT -2016 RFT READERS POLL gyro on pita (Best Gyro in Town) A mixture of lean ground beef and lamb, vertically broiled on our rotisseries, thinkly sliced and served on pita bread with onions, tomatoes and tzatsiki sauce. $7.99
dolmades A Greek Classic. Grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of seasoned ground beed and rice. $11.99
shish kebob plate This is why we’re called a kebob house. Our special recipe shish kebob. Marinated cubes of pork, chicken or lamb, served on a bed of rice pilaf and garnished with pita bread. Lamb $14.99/Chicken $13.99/Pork $12.99 moussaka Our version of Greece’s famous culinary delight. Tender slices of eggplant and potatoes, layered with seasoned ground beef, onions and tomatoes. Topped with grated cheese and Bechamel ( a light sauce made with butter, cheese, milk and eggs). $11.99 baklava The world famous aristocrat of pastry desserts. Chopped walnuts and spices layered with delicate leaves of filo pastry topped with a cinnamon flavored honey syrup. $4.99 galatobourako A delicate custard pastry topped with honey syrup, baked in a crisp crust of filo pastry leaves. Highly recommended! $4.99 kourambeathes Greek wedding cookies coated with powdered sugar. So delicious they melt in your mouth. 4 for $4.99 rice pudding Creamy rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon. $4.99
open 7 days a week at 11am 1543 McCausland • (314) 781-1299 olympiakebobandtaverna.com 22 |
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ining at Stone Soup Cottage is a true production. It’s only open three days a week, and on each of those nights there’s just one seating. Because the restaurant can only accommodate 40 guests at a time, it books up so far in advance that you have to schedule several months out to even think about getting a table. Then there’s the location — unless you have a 636 area code, Cottleville isn’t exactly close. And considering dinner is a multi-course affair, complete with wine pairings, the 40-minute drive to St. Charles County is daunting. The second you walk through the door and are greeted warmly in the hearth-like receiving area, however, one thing becomes apparent: Whatever effort you’ve put into getting to Stone Soup is dwarfed by the amount of effort the McConnell family has put forth to make sure you’ll have the meal of your life. Dinner at Stone Soup is exquisite. From the James Beard-nominated service to the elegant platings, Stone Soup Cottage demonstrates what it's like to be in the presence of professionals at the pinnacle of their game. Chef Carl McConnell is so masterful, you can bite into something as simple as roasted chicken and feel as if you are tasting it for the first time. It’s a dreamlike meal, as if you enter into enchantment the minute you pull off the main road and head up the gravel drive to the entrance. It’s a reverie that lasts the entire ride home — no matter how long it may be.
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gioia’s deli ne hundred years ago, the Gioia family opened a small grocery store in the city’s Hill neighborhood, selling provisions to the Italian immigrants who populated the area. Their big draw was the Salam de Testa, a secret recipe that patriarch Charlie Gioia brought with him from Italy, one that was unlike any other salami being served in the area. As word of this glorious dish spread, the family opened a lunch counter inside the store, and over the years garnered more attention for the “hot salami” than for the grocery side of the business. When the Gioias sold the store to the Donley family in 1980, the new owners cut to the chase, converted the space into a delicatessen, and watched as a single sandwich offering was able to sustain the business. It’s easy to see why. Gioia’s hot salami (hot as in temperature, not as in spice) is a mouthwatering, thick-grained blend of pork head meat and beef, seasoned with garlic and black pepper and stacked atop crusty Italian bread. If you eat the whole thing, you’ll probably break out in the meat sweats, though taking a few years off your heart seems worth it when you’re in the rapture of such a beautiful sandwich. This year, the James Beard Foundation named the sandwich shop an “American Classic,” thrusting Gioia’s into the national spotlight. If you ask anyone who frequents the place, it’s been a long time coming.
GIOA’S DELI BY MABEL SUEN
1 9 34 M AC K L I N D AV E N U E , 3 1 4 -7 7 6 -9 4 10
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Fresh fish flown in every Friday and Saturday
Ask John anything about our really big Cheese Section Wine • Beer • Spirits • House Roasted Coffee Fresh Bread • Gourmet Foods • Smoked Meats
4426 RANDALL PLACE | 314-533-9830 | (5 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS)
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314.781.2345 | Big Bend and 40 in Richmond Heights
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BLUES CIT Y DELI BY MABEL SUEN
BAR LES FRERES BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
bar les frères
blues city deli
7637 W Y DOW N B O U L E VA R D , C L AY TO N ; 314- 7 25- 8880 f there’s a more stylish, elegant restaurant in St. Louis than Bar Les Frères, we have yet to see it. The posh Clayton eatery is a feast for the eyes — a sumptuous, romantic experience of which owner Zoë Robinson once said, “I want people to go home and make love after leaving here.” How could you not take her up on that suggestion? Bar Les Frères looks like the boudoir of a French royal, outfitted with deep red walls, velveteen chaise lounges, chandeliers that drip sparkles and — Gaston would approve — a wall of decorative antlers. You feel sexy just being in this room. But for all its appeal, Bar Les Frères is as much a feast for the palate as for the eyes. The menu of decadent dishes is much more than just French — it’s what you think of when you fantasize about French dining. Lobster bisque, coq au vin and blinis with crème fraiche and caviar beg to be washed down with a glass of French wine, and the staff at Bar Les Frères is happy to oblige. It’s a culinary fantasyland from which you never want to return.
“Please stop in for Lunch or Dinner. “Please My diners are all like stop in family and friends!”
2 438 M C N A I R AV E N U E , 314-773-82 2 5 ould there be a more St. Louis restaurant than Blues City Deli? Not “St. Louis” in the trite Provel and t-rav sort of way that many define as dining in our city — and yeah, if you want to be a purist, you might say the deli and its signature muffuletta are more NOLA than STL. No, what makes Blues City Deli a River City spot through and through is its spirit. It’s a place where you’re likely to run into your neighbor or strike up a conversation with another person in the (always long) line in front of you. There’s a bluesy beat to the place that captures the soundtrack of the city, and a welcoming smile given with every sandwich, no matter how busy it gets. Since 2004, owner Vince Valenza has been the 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. That’s especially true on Thursdays and Saturdays, when Blues City Deli hosts live music. The restaurant prides itself in having the feel of a “big old house party,” one where you’re likely to find yourself out back playing washers.
“Please stop in for Lunch or Dinner. My diners are all like family and friends!” -Peggy Hou, Owner -Peggy Hou, Owner
for Lunch or Dinner. My diners R I V E R F R O N T T I M Eare S . C O M all | R Elike STAURANT GUIDE 2017 family and
6138 Delmar • 314-725-9889 6138 Delmar • 314-725-9889 Across from The Pageant in The Loop Across from the Pageant in the Loop www.peggyhou.com www.peggyhou.com
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Failoni’s
Celebrating 100 Years! 1916-2016 LIVE MUSIC
Thurs-Sat
PIZZA & PASTA Tues-Wed SPECIALS DOG FRIENDLY Tues-Wed PATIO 6715 Manchester Ave. 314-781-5221 Chicken Delight Failonis.com
GIVE FROZEN GIVE FROZEN GIVE FROZEN GIVE FROZEN
ANOTHER BAKE ANOTHER BAKE ANOTHER BAKE ANOTHER BAKE
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UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT! OUR NEW MENU IS HERE! RESTAURAN TS 2016
WINNER 3139 SOUTH GRAND • 314-772-6100
C I T Y D I N E R S T L . C O M
THE PLACE FOR PASTA IN ST. LOUIS
’ 13441 Olive Blvd. Chesterfield, MO 314.469.1660 • Open 7 Days a Week Lunch Specials Mon - Fri
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Featuring a variety of 33 pastas, veal dishes & steaks. Banquet Room Available Mon-Thurs Holds up to 40 people Off Premise Catering
5453
magnolia
on the hill, of course.
www.cunetto.com
at southwest ave.
314~781~1135
AWARD WINNING SWEET POTATO FRIES OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER
CYN CIT Y
ST. LOUIS’
CAJUN-CREOLE RESTAURANT B R E A K FA S T S E RV E D A L L DAY ! CHEAPEST DRINK PRICES IN TOWN! BEER, WINE & A FULL BAR
626 N. 6TH ST.
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pappy’s e can debate who serves the best brisket; we can argue about the proper amount of chew and pull on a baby back rib or whether sauce should even be allowed in a smokehouse. But there’s one thing that can be taken as fact: We wouldn’t be having this discussion if not for Pappy’s Smokehouse. Since opening in Midtown in 2008, this barbecue haven has set the standard for ‘cue in the Lou, thrusting St. Louis into the conversation as one of the best barbecue cities in the country. Credit goes to co-founder and pitmaster Mike Emerson, who, as the face of Pappy’s, has turned what he anticipated would be a simple smokehouse that served 50 or so guests a day into a place that regularly sees its lines snake around the block. The restaurant is an institution, the standard by which all other barbecue spots in town are judged and, as a result, a must-stop for out-of-towners and visiting celebrities. Pappy’s has become such a phenomenon that you might wonder if the fanfare is nothing but hype. However, Emerson’s delectable smoked meats, in particular his dry-rubbed apple and cherry wood smoked ribs, leave you with little doubt that this is the real deal. Pappy’s is the gold standard of St. Louis barbecue, and as its food makes clear, it’s deserving of the honor.
FAMO
PAPPY’S BY MABEL SUEN
3106 O L I V E S T R E E T , 3 1 4-5 3 5 -43 40
US FRIED CHICKEN
Greek Restaurant Authentic Mediterranean and Greek Cuisine EVERYTHING HOMEMADE
CELEBRATING C ELEBRATING EL EBRATING
75 YEARS!
SERVING AMAZING WEEKEND BRUNCH
WITH $12
BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS! 6400 OAKLAND AVE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63139 | (314) 647-7287 W W W . P AT C O N N O L L Y TA V E R N . C O M
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Unique Dine-in Experience
Special Lunch Menu Every Day 11am-4pm
Great food, great price! Parking available behind building
6836 Gravois • (314) 353-1488 • (314) 553-9830 apolloniarestaurant.com
the libertine f there was an award for the restaurant most likely to get you into trouble, it would easily go to the Libertine. With co-owner Nick Luedde as the ringleader, the motley band of merry-makers at this Clayton eatery seem hellbent on making you enjoy yourself as much as legally possible. It starts with the bar, which features a cocktail and wine list so evocatively written, you’d think Hemingway himself had supplied the prose. (Speaking of Papa, you can even drink a tiki cocktail from a ceramic representation of his head.) It’s not just the world-class libations, though. The Libertine’s menu is a death row inmate’s final request come to life, promising everything from bone marrow to foie grass poutine to Maine lobster and crab thermidor — if the warden doesn’t come for you, these dinners could do you in. But don’t mistake decadence for empty excess. As over the top as the Libertine can get, there’s a backbeat of elegance that imbues everything the Lueddes and their team do. Those crazy cocktails? They’re developed with scientific precision. The rich dishes? Every last one is painstakingly developed, sourced and made from scratch. The comfortable service? There’s a fastidiousness behind that ease. The Libertine may be about having fun, but the whole staff works hard to make it happen.
THE LIBERTINE BY MABEL SUEN
7927 F O R S Y T H B O U L E VA R D , C L AY TO N ; 31 4 - 86 2- 29 9 9
PICKLESDELISTL.COM PICKLESDELISTL.COM AnORIGINAL Original and AN AND Authentic Deli... AUTHENTIC DELI...
Voted RFT #1 Readers: Voted By RFT By Readers Delicatessen #18 Delicatessen 7 years years in a row 2009-2016 in a row Also 2009-2015 Voted:
Also Voted: #1 Sandwiches and #1 Soups #1 Sandwiches and #1 Soups RFT Editor’s Choice: Best Roast Beef RFT Editor’s Choice: Best Roast Beef
Downtown Downtown Serving Breakfast
701 Olive St. Serving Breakfast (314) 241-2255 701 Olive St. MOVING SOON TO 200 S. 241-2255 BROADWAY (314)
“In The Beautiful “InCentral The West Beautiful End” Central 22 N. EuclidWest • SuiteEnd” 105 (3354)105 22 314.361.DELI N. Euclid • Suite 314.361.DELI (3354)
Authentic Indian Cuisine Spicing St. Louisan’s Taste Buds for 20 Years! Thank You St. Louis!
Carry Out! N We Cater!
It’s All About Spices! Lunch Buffet Mon-Sun Fine Dining: Mon-Thurs 5-9:45pm 11:30am-2:30pm Fri & Sat 5-10pm, Sun 5-9pm 8501 Delmar @ I-70
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314-567-6850 • www.hoistl.com
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7118 Oakland Avenue
KO
“The Best Salami in the Country” (Frobes Magazine)
ANNOUNCING Salume Beddu at Parker’s Table
featuring lunch, artisan cured salumi, fresh salsiccie, and accompagnamenti. www.salumebeddu.com 30 |
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kounter kulture 382 5 WAT S O N R OA D , 314-781-43 4 4 hen Christine Meyer and Michael Miller first came up with the idea for Kounter Kulture, they’re weren’t thinking of a restaurant. Instead, the pair wanted to open a tee-shirt company called Kitchen Kulture that would offer restaurant industry wares to the city’s cooks. The head of the Tower Grove farmers market let them set up a booth under one condition: Since it was a food-focused market, they had to serve something edible, too. Meyer and Miller obliged, creating a menu of locally sourced, Asian-inspired takeout dishes that were so well-received, they dwarfed the shirt sales. Their market stall led to pop-ups and catering gigs and eventually grew enough to warrant a brick-and-mortar shop, allowing their fans a regular taste of their cooking. After tasting the delicacies that come out Kounter Kulture’s kitchen, it’s easy to understand the demand. Using contemporary Asian fare as a jumping-off point, the tiny, takeout-only restaurant is serving some of the city’s most interesting combinations of flavors. From Japanese fried chicken to an Asian-inflected catfish po’boy, Kounter Kulture has taken the stale concept of fusion and redefined it into the current culinary moment. And in serving white tablecloth-worthy cuisine out of a to-go box, Meyer and Miller have also made us rethink what is possible with casual, takeout fare.
reeds american table eeds American Table opened with some serious firepower: Executive chef and owner Matthew Daughaday came up in the hallowed kitchens of acclaimed chef Gerard Craft. Beverage director Andrey Ivanov is the best wine mind in the city, while general manager Nicki Ball has such an impressive restaurant résumé, she includes Michelle Obama as a satisfied guest. But the beauty of Reeds is not in its individual components, but instead in how they all come together in a beautiful symphony to create a dazzling dining experience from start to finish. And surprisingly, it’s a warm and inviting one. Despite its team’s impressive credentials, Reeds’ currency is comfort. That can mean noshing on bacon fat cornbread or feasting on a braised beef cheek recipe inspired by chipped beef. It can mean being gently pushed to try a new wine by a world-class sommelier who treats you with dignity, or getting a tableside lesson on sherry that goes only as far as you want it to. Reeds has the goods, but it doesn’t take every opportunity to throw that in your face. It’s this quiet confidence, together with its impeccable food and genuine hospitality, that makes dining here such a joy.
REEDS AMERICAN TABLE BY MABEL SUEN
73 22 M A N C H E S T E R R OA D , M A P L E W OO D ; 314-89 9 -9 82 1
guerrilla street food
F
ilipino food is having its moment, and food trucks are so ubiquitous, even Olive Garden has one. But back when Guerrilla Street Food first fired up its engines, both its food and business model were on the cutting edge of what was available in St. Louis. The concept started as an ongoing conversation among friends Joel Crespo and Brian Hardesty. Bonded over a shared love of food, the pair noticed the growth of the food truck scene in other cities and decided to try it out here. They knew they wanted to serve something that wasn’t already being offered in town, and Filipino food seemed like a natural fit. It’s the cuisine Crespo, a first-generation Filipino-American, grew up on, and it gave Hardesty, a talented chef with a fine-dining résumé, a new means of culinary exploration. The friends bought an old laundry truck off Craigslist for $2,000, outfitted it as a restaurant on wheels, and began offering their signature Filipino-inspired fare to diners who gobbled up everything that came out of their roving kitchen. Fast-forward seven years, and Guerrilla Street Food is a growing phenomenon, with a brick-and-mortar spot on South Grand and plans in the works for another one in the Grove. These days, their business model and style of cuisine are more mainstream than when they started, but by ever pushing themselves to delve further into new flavors and approaches to cooking, Guerrilla Street Food is still serving food on the knife’s edge of St. Louis dining.
GUERRILL A STREET FOOD BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
3559 A R S E N A L S T R E E T , 3 1 4 -5 2 9 -1 3 2 8
lu lu seafood & dim sum ulia Li, daughter of Lu Lu Seafood and Dim Sum co-founder Jenny Lee, takes pains to demystify dim sum. “It’s brunch” or “just think of it as Spanish-style tapas,” she will often say, knowing fully well the intimidation that the uninitiated may feel when they stand at the doors of her family’s iconic restaurant. But for those who venture inside for the first time — as well as the dim sum veterans who frequent this University City institution — there’s no reason to feel anything but bliss. What awaits you is a multi-sensory feast. Lu Lu is fiercely authentic, and not simply in its dim sum. The 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 experts in the many different styles of Chinese cuisine available. Yet as traditional as Lu Lu may be, what sets it apart is a welcoming spirit that embraces first-timers as warmly as old hands. In creating a comfortable atmosphere, Lu Lu makes itself a playground of culinary exploration — one we’d like to play in as much as possible.
LU LU SEAFOOD & DIM SUM BY MABEL SUEN
8224 O L I V E B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 14- 9 9 7 -3 10 8
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26 N. MERAMEC AVE.
CLAYTON, MO
314.863.8400
MollyDarcysPub.com
EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT OF MOLLY DARCY, A LEGACY THAT REFLECTS LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES AND NATURE’S BOUNTY. FOOD, SPIRITS, IRISH TRADITION AND AMERICAN PUB CLASSICS. STOP BY AND ENJOY A PINT!
Sit back and enjoy our English gathering room. Pull up a big chair and have a cold pint. Order a yard of ale if you feel adventurous or our whiskey if distinctive. Relish a small plate bite to eat and listen to the sweet sounds on Friday and Saturday nights.
INSIDE THE CHESHIRE
6300 Clayton Road St. Louis, MO 314.647.7300 CheshireSTL.com
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A basement gastro pub with an Italian accent and playful attitude offering an intimate dining experience and a feast for the senses. Small plate menu, Italian-centric wine and unique cocktails.
7036 Clayton Avenue St. Louis, MO 314-932-7820
Basso-stl.com
AMAZING STEAKS That’s what we’re known for and why Porter’s Steakhouse and Bar is a favorite spots in the Collinsville St. Louis area. But we’re not just for steak-lovers! Porter’s boast an array of seafood and poultry dishes and serve Healthy Meal Options all day long. Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner.
1000 Eastport Plaza Drive Collinsville, Illinois 618.345.2800 PortersCollinsville.com
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mission taco joint M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 6235 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , 314-9 32 - 54 3 0
ENJOY A UNIQUE, HIGH ENERGY DINING EXPERIENCE #1 Japanese Restaurant 2004-2016
Westport Plaza
12th Floor Gold Tower (314) 469-3900 Free Indoor Parking
Visit Our Website www.kobesteakhouse.us • Make Reservations • Specials & Coupons • Join Our Loyalty Program • Sign up for monthly E-Mail offers
An escape room followed by dinner at any of the restaurants at Concord Plaza in South County is a fantastic night out for couples and groups.
Book Online - GatewayEscapeRooms.com 34 |
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ure, you could find tacos in St. Louis before Mission Taco Joint: The taquerias on Cherokee had been serving the real deal for years to the city’s Mexican community and the handful of aficionados who sought them out. For the uninitiated, though, the idea of a “taco” in this Midwestern city likely consisted of bland ground beef — maybe seasoned, often not — slopped into a stale tortilla, coated in sour cream and shredded cheese to the point of being unrecognizable, and served alongside a powdered sour mix margarita at the town’s gringo-friendly “Mexican” restaurants. Then came Adam and Jason Tilford. Armed with a love of San Francisco’s lively Mission District street taco spots and a culinary background in authentic-meets-modern Mexican fare (Tortillaria and Milagro Modern Mexican), the brothers set out to give taco lovers a different kind of option. Mission Taco Joint 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 portobella mushrooms with goat cheese or succulent beef brisket birria. For four years now, Mission has been the place in town for casual Mexican fare, with no sign of slowing down — and no chance that any of us will go back to those crappy Midwest-style “tacos” ever again.
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mai lee
MAI LEE BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
8396 MUSICK MEMORIAL DRIVE, B R E N T W OO D ; 314-6 45 -2 835 here was a time before pho. It’s hard to recall, considering the many solid options for the fragrant noodle soup that dot St. Louis’ dining landscape, but until Mai Lee opened more than three decades ago, Vietnamese food was basically nonexistent in our fair city. Founding matriarch Lee Tran didn’t set out to change this. At first, her plan wasn’t even to do Vietnamese: She originally opened the restaurant as a Chinese spot. When the business failed to take off, she began adding the dishes of her homeland and found that she had tapped into St. Louis’ hunger for southeast Asian cuisine. That was 1985, and these days, it’s hard to imagine Mai Lee as anything but an overwhelming success story. St. Louis is still hungry for Lee’s cooking, as evidenced by the never-ending crowds that pack the Brentwood restaurant’s dining room. Anchored by a repertoire of approximately 200 dishes, Mai Lee has garnered a legion of loyalists who appreciate the way the kitchen balances authenticity with accessibility, making everyone feel welcome — from the most experienced noodle slurper to a pho novice. This welcoming spirit has made Mai Lee a sort of talisman of the St. Louis restaurant scene, and on any given day, you’ll find some of the city’s top restaurant personalities grabbing takeout — a testament to the quality of food coming out of the kitchen.
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salt + smoke alt + Smoke serves the best brisket in town. That’s not controversial. What may be a little more contentious, though, is an even bolder statement — Salt + Smoke serves some of the best brisket in the country. For those who protest that no brisket worth its salt comes from anywhere but the Lone Star State, consider this a challenge: Order a platter of Salt + Smoke’s fatty beef brisket and then fly down to the acclaimed Franklin Barbecue in Austin. Put on a blindfold, have a friend do the “cap dance” treatment to the plates, and see if you can tell the difference. Fact is, Salt + Smoke can put itself up against the Texan masters because it’s doing the exact same thing. Tom Schmidt opened this Loop barbecue spot in 2014, replacing his elegant Nico with a smokehouse. His regulars told him he was making a huge mistake; every food publication in town was noting the over-saturation of the barbecue market. But Schmidt knew he was on to something, and his killer ‘cue proves his point. He and pitmaster Haley Riley are not imitators of the Texas brisket gods; they are peers. From the type of wood used to smoke the beef (post oak, of course) to the almost day-long smoke time (eighteen hours, to be exact) Salt + Smoke is the real deal. And if you’re not barbecue person, order a dish of the white cheddar “Cracker Mac” and try not to fall in love. Just cancel your plane ticket to Texas already.
SALT + SMOKE BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
6525 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 1 4 -7 2 7 -0 2 0 0
southern hen you walk up to Southern, the scent of smoked meat coming from its adjacent sister restaurant, Pappy’s Smokehouse, is so intoxicating it might make you think about veering left. Don’t. Though it may not have such an aromatic siren song, Southern’s Nashville-style hot chicken is just as mouthwatering — and it will leave you enraptured. Headed by St. Louis’ comfort food genius, the James Beard-nominated Rick Lewis, Southern is part Nashville hot chicken shack and part Louisiana butcher counter. Fried green tomatoes, catfish, slowcooked greens with pork, sausage po’ boys — every last dish at this iconic spot makes your drawl become more pronounced. However, the hot chicken is the real draw here, its succulent meat, crisp skin and perfectly seasoned breading a study in fried chicken excellence. If you don’t want any heat, you can order it “original,” which comes with just a hint of white peppery spice. However, for the true Southern experience, you have to let Lewis give it at least a dunk in the fiery chile oil. There are four levels of heat, and even the mild packs a serious punch. It’s no one-dimensional burn. Lewis has created a blend of seasonings that is salty, spicy and a touch sweet, allowing you to taste nuance of flavor rather than being overwhelmed by the burn. It’s the reason you will continue devouring this beautiful fried bird even as your eyes water and beads of sweat trickle down your face. By the time Lewis is done with you, you won’t be able to smell what’s coming out of his neighbor’s smoker — and you won’t even care.
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SOUTHERN BY MABEL SUEN
3108 O L I V E S T R E E T , 3 1 4 -5 3 1 -46 6 8
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farmhaus
FARMHAUS BY MABEL SUEN
3 2 5 7 I VA N H O E AV E N U E , 314-6 47-3800 hef Kevin Willmann’s culinary fire was lit in the Florida panhandle where, as a teenager, he spent his days fishing, cleaning commercial fishing boats and learning everything he could about seafood. It’s where he first came up as a cook, and it’s what formed him as a culinarian. It’s funny, then, that his restaurant, Farmhaus, is one of the best representations of Missouri dining you’ll find in town. The James Beard nominee has a fierce commitment to local produce — and it’s no lip service. His menu is based on the best of what he can procure, his relationship with purveyors more likely to be defined by a handshake than an invoice. In Florida, that meant seafood, but in St. Louis, it’s the bounty of the area’s farms — the produce, the meat, the local cheese, and even the coffee and craft beer made by local artisans. As its name suggests, Farmhaus is about connection to the source, or, as Willmann explains it, a community approach to food. But as much as Farmhaus represents Missouri and his native southern Illinois, Willman can’t shake his love for the sea. You’ll find some of the city’s best seafood on his menu, cooked impeccably and so fresh, you’d swear you were at the waterfront restaurant in Pensacola where he got his start. Order the chef’s tasting menu to experience both the surf-and-turf sides of his culinary prowess.
planter’s house
PL ANTER’S HOUSE BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
10 0 0 M I S S I S S I P P I AV E N U E , 314-6 9 6 -2 6 03 sk anyone to name the godfather of modern mixology in St. Louis, and the replies will be unanimous: Ted Kilgore. Before he started pouring classic cocktails with fresh juices at the legendary Monarch, a mixed drink in most St. Louis bars was likely to consist of premade sour mix and a maraschino garnish. Kilgore changed that, and when he launched the bar program at Gerard Craft’s Taste, he expanded even further the city’s idea of what is possible in a bar glass. It’s no surprise, then, that Planter’s House is our local temple to the cocktail. Together with his wife and fellow bartender Jamie Kilgore and their partner Ted Charak, Kilgore has parlayed his expertise into the gold standard for bars in St Louis. Their bar is the place against which all others are judged, which alone would be enough to command a visit. However, the trio puts just as much thought into the food. The kitchen, captained by chef Sam Boettler, makes it possible to go to Planter’s House for a dinner of braised lamb or duck confit and leave satisfied even without having a cocktail. But this is Planter’s House, after all. Why on earth would you want to do that?
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pizzeoli cott Sandler is a man with an obsession. It started as a hobby he took up when he was searching for an artistic outlet. A real estate broker by trade, Sandler needed a way to express himself creatively. Pizza became his medium. After moving to St. Louis from California, his pizza-making pasttime expanded into a bona fide obsession with breadmaking. He learned everything possible about the craft — the yeast, the wheat, the type of mixer needed to make the perfect dough — and after dining at the Good Pie, Sandler realized that pizza and bread were basically two sides of the same coin. After a professional rough patch, he opted for a career change and opened his Neapolitan-style pizzeria, Pizzeoli, in the heart of Soulard. Since then, Sandler has been singularly focused on making the perfect pie, hand-stretching and tossing his own dough, making his own mozzarella and, much of the time, personally manning his 900-degree oven. But when he steps away from the flames, his passion for pie burns just as brightly — you’ll often find him chatting up diners on the virtues of a particular type of flour or explaining other pizza tidbits that might seem obscure to a casual observer. His zeal pays off in the city’s best Neapolitan pies, like the classic, flawlessly executed margherita. But his other versions — all vegetarian, some vegan — shine just as bright. After devouring the hauntingly simple “Bianca,” you’re likely to develop an obsession too.
PIZZEOLI BY MABEL SUEN
1928 S O U T H T W E L F T H S T R E E T , 314- 4 4 9 - 1 1 1 1
"The Ranchiest Place on Earth" -BUZZFEED
F E AT U R I N G 2 7 R A N C H F L AV O R S , M A D E I N - H O U S E DA I L Y 1730 S. 8TH STREET S T. L O U I S , M O 6 3 1 0 4 (314) 833-3450 T W I S T E D R A N C H . CO M 38 |
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goody goody diner discussion of St. Louis’ food scene is not complete without mentioning the many old-school diners that dot the city’s dining landscape. Everyone has their favorite — the place you go in your neighborhood or the spot you stagger into after a night of imbibing. However, there’s no question that the diner that reigns supreme over them all is the venerable Goody Goody, a vestige of restaurants past that does it up just like they did in the old days. For 70 years, this north St. Louis mainstay has been serving some of the best breakfast in town to hungry diners, whether from a car hop stand or a stool at the counter. Its plates are the stuff your morning-time dreams are made of: greasy hash browns, fluffy omelets, pre-buttered toast and hotcakes. And though it may have become trendy in recent years, Goody Goody has been doing the chicken and waffles thing for years. They’re nothing fancy — just salty fried chicken and a buttery Belgian waffle served with warm syrup so good, you’ll want to drizzle it over both. Goody Goody is such an institution, it’s a must-stop for celebrities who come to town. Even former Vice President Joe Biden couldn’t resist the call. Who could blame him? Certainly not the generations of diners who still pack the house on a regular basis.
GOODY GOODY BY MABEL SUEN
590 0 N AT U R A L B R I DG E AV E N U E , 31 4 - 383- 3333
Home of the BEST Margaritas in St. Louis!
313 N. EUCLID AVE IN THE CWE • 314-224-5371 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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Escape to the tree-top decks of Montelle Winery and enjoy award-winning wines with a magnificent view. Montelle, Missouri’s most scenic winery, aspires to reveal the pleasures of pairing fine wine and food. Choose from a wide selection of gourmet foods from its Klondike CafÊ, open daily, or book a Sunset Dinner served Fridays and Saturdays, May - September. Lose yourself in the view every season from 400 feet above the Missouri River Valley and rolling hills of Augusta, Missouri. Open year-round with free, live music weekends, April October.
201 Montelle Drive | Augusta, MO 63332 | 888.595.WINE (9463) | www.Montelle.com 40 |
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adam’s
BOOK EARLY FOR MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH MAY 14
smokehouse here’s your cue st. louis! Dine-In • Carry-Out Catering • Gift Cards Available
SKYLINE DINNER CRUISE ENJOY A DELICIOUS BUFFET, LIVE MUSIC AND THE BEST VIEW OF ST. LOUIS
MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS TODAY!
GATEWAYARCH.COM
877.982.1410
CRUISES RUN APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
2819 watson road • (314) 875-9890 • adamssmokehouse.com
60¢ Wing Tuesday!
We’re goin’ to need more napkins.
Come to Culpeppers every Tuesday and enjoy 60¢ wings! MARGARITA MONDAY! HALF PRICE MARGARITAS ALL DAY! Best House Margarita in Town!
TACO TUESDAY HALF PRICE TACOS ALL DAY Dine-in Only
WINE WEDNESDAY HALF PRICED BOTTLES OF WINE All Day Long
THURSDAY HOSPITALITY APPRECIATION
20% off for industry professionals
DINE-IN, CARRY-OUT OR CATERING! LET US BRING THE FIESTA TO YOU BRUNCH BUFFET SUNDAYS 9 - 2 636.856.8444 2 W. Pearce Blvd Wentzville, MO 63385 yolosmex.com
CWE • St Charles • culpeppers.com RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017 Culpeppers_RFT_60CentWinAd_THIS1.indd 1
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cleveland-heath 10 6 N . M A I N S T R E E T , E D WA R D S V I L L E , I L L I N O I S ; 6 18-307-4830
HAND TOSSED PIZZA - FRESH PASTA HOMEMADE TOASTED RAVIOLI AUTHENTIC ITALIAN & GREEK SPECIALTIES
VOTED #1 TOA S T E D R AV I L O I • OV E R A L L R E S TA U R A N T BUSINESS LUNCH 2 0 1 6 R E A D E R S R E S TA U R A N T P O L L
hen Jenny Cleveland and Eric Heath attended California’s Culinary Institute of America with the stated goal of opening a restaurant together, their instructors kept putting them into the same three-person working groups. After all, they reasoned, if the couple wanted to go into business together, they had to learn what it was like to work side-by-side every day, in all its unglamorous, high-pressure glory. Those teachers knew what they were talking about. For the past five years, the married couple has been making beautiful food together at their successful Edwardsville restaurant, Cleveland-Heath, which consistently serves some of the area’s best food. Cleveland and Heath are humble in the way they describe their restaurant; it’s a comfort food spot, they’ll tell you, as if they are serving up pot roast and ‘taters. In some ways, they are spot-on: The menu is peppered with such dishes as pork chops or roasted chicken or pulled pork. However, Cleveland and Heath bring to bear their serious culinary chops on locally sourced ingredients, elevating these simple dishes into masterpieces deserving of white tablecloth treatment. Quite simply, Cleveland-Heath serves the type of food you want to eat — just the best version of it. This is what gives this eastside spot such staying power — though that trial by fire in cooking school certainly didn’t hurt.
TOASTED RAVIOLI
CL
HAND TOSSED PIZZA
HOUSE SALAD W/ WILD CAUGHT SHRIMP
2 2 2 5 M A C K L I N D AV E N U E (314) 773-4455
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the crossing he St. Louis restaurant scene is virtually unrecognizable today from when Jim Fiala opened the Crossing in 1998. Back then, the city boasted a handful of fine dining eateries, but it was a far cry from the culinary boomtown we enjoy in 2017. With so much change, it’s hard to believe that the Crossing has stood the test of time — remaining not only relevant, but holding its own in the city’s crème de la crème. Jim Fiala owes his staying power to his beautiful fusion of French and Italian cuisine and his prowess with classical techniques, exemplified by such dishes as his luscious three-cheese egg ravioli or pan-seared foie gras with berries. However, “classical” for Fiala is not simply defined by knowing his mother sauces. Fiala does things the way they’ve been doing them in the Old Country for years, using the best local, seasonal ingredients and building relationships with farmers. He’s been doing “farm to table” since before it was a buzz word. Does that mean he was ahead of his time? Perhaps, but at the Crossing, the word that comes to mind is timeless.
THE CROSSING BY MABEL SUEN
7823 F O R S Y T H B O U L E VA R D , C L AY TO N ; 314- 7 21 - 7 37 5
olympia kebob house & taverna lympia is just a simple Greek tavern — the sort of place where you wash down a plate of moussaka with an icy bottle of Mythos beer on the patio. There’s no pomp and circumstance, just some resin tables, a menu of Greek standards and a wood-paneled dining room that hasn’t really been updated since the restaurant opened 35 years ago. Why then, you might ask, does such a place deserve to be in the pantheon of great St. Louis restaurants? Because its food is simply outstanding. Olympia may not be flashy, but it knows what it is and executes that vision exceptionally well. Its name is synonymous with Greek dining in St. Louis, and if you’ve had the magnificent gyro — thick garlicky meat covered in an even thicker, even more garlicky tzatziki sauce — you’ll understand why this is so. The restaurant ticks all the boxes of what makes a great Greek spot. It has the dolmades, the pastitsio, the souvlaki, and of course, the flaming cheese that, no matter how busy your server, still has him yelling “opa!” with gusto while lighting it on fire. No one says Olympia is fine dining, but it’s the finest of dining if you’re looking for St. Louis’ best Greek food.
OLYMPIA COURTESY OF OLYMPIA
1543 M CC AU S L A N D AV E N U E , 3 1 4-7 8 1 -1 2 9 9
five bistro hen chef Anthony Devoti opened Five Bistro in the Grove twelve years ago, words like “local” and “seasonal” were only beginning to enter the dining lexicon. These days, you can’t swing a bushel of locally grown rutabaga without hitting a chalkboard menu giving a shout-out to a farmer. Heck, even corporate menus dare to use language like “farm to table.” From Five’s current digs on the Hill, Devoti must smile to himself when he sees this state of affairs — partially because other restaurants are finally showing respect for a style of cooking he always believed in, but mostly because he knows he was there long before it was a trend. The grandson of Italian immigrants, he grew up helping out at their north county restaurant, recognizing at an early age that the kitchen was where he was meant to be. He’s honed his craft from coast to coast, but put down his roots in the soil he knew best. Though he’s been doing this for over a decade, nothing about Five Bistro or Devoti’s rustic-meets-classical French and Italian cooking feels stale. Perhaps this is because the menu changes daily based on what’s available. If you’re keeping track, that’s more than 3,000 menus Devoti has prepared — a daunting task for any less talented a chef.
FIVE BISTRO BY MABEL SUEN
5100 DAG G E T T AV E N U E , 3 1 4-7 7 3 -5 5 5 3
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crown candy kitchen ure, you could take your out-of-town guests to a St. Louis-style pizzeria or one of the many mom-and-pop Italian joints that claim to have invented toasted ravioli. But though those caricatures of St. Louis dining will certainly suffice, your better option is to head over to Old North for the real taste of St. Louis. Since 1913, Crown Candy Kitchen has existed as the city’s culinary equivalent of the Arch. The place is an institution — an old-fashioned soda fountain and chocolatier frozen in time. When you’re there, you really get a feel for what it must have been like to dine out in the old days. Chocolate confections of every shape and size entice you in a display case like fine jewels, and the old-time soda fountain makes it impossible to resist ordering a massive “World’s Fair Sundae” with heaps of whipped cream and a cherry. But it’s not just the sweet side that has put Crown Candy on the map. The restaurant’s aptly named “Heart-Stopping BLT” is stacked with so many slices of bacon, it’s nearly an architectural feat. Feast on this masterpiece, and you’ll almost be tempted to skip dessert. Almost.
CROWN CANDY BY MABEL SUEN
1401 S T. L O U I S AV E N U E , 3 1 4 -6 2 1 -9 6 5 0
brasserie by niche hen we think of Gerard Craft, we think of a chef who’s constantly evolving. Whether it’s closing his flagship Niche and rebranding it as the more casual Sardella, expanding his wildly successful Pastaria to Nashville or redefining what’s possible with fast-casual Italian at Porano, Craft is a dynamic culinary personality always looking for ways to keep his concepts fresh and relevant. For nearly a decade, however, his lovely French restaurant Brasserie has been a constant of dining excellence. It’s no wonder that the concept has remained virtually unchanged since 2009. How can you improve on food so traditional that you might as well be dining at a sidewalk cafe in Paris? From flawless onion soup to quintessential steak frites, Brasserie exists as an homage to a more casual style of French dining that needs no improvement. And if you are so lucky to have tried the cassoulet, you’d loudly lament the day anyone tried to take it away from you. The white bean, sausage and duck stew is one of the best things to eat in St. Louis, exemplifying how a flawlessly executed classic can continue to stand the test of time.
BRASSERIE BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
4580 L AC L E D E AV E N U E , 3 1 4-45 4 -0 6 0 0
juniper hen chef John Perkins first started out, his dinners were clandestine affairs, gourmet meals cooked in his home kitchen and served at secret locations around town. But word of his cooking prowess spread; the underground dinners turned into pop-ups and then, four years ago, the brick-and-mortar Juniper. These days there’s nothing secret about what he’s up to — everyone knows that Perkins is one of the city’s best chefs. At Juniper, his cooking is a study in how to make a Low Country dining experience elegant. It’s not just the food; when you walk into his restaurant, you feel like you’ve stepped into a hoedown put on by Restoration Hardware. As the food starts to arrive, the high-low mix continues. There’s chicken and waffles, enlivened by fish sauce and caramel; Ritz Cracker-crusted catfish with preserved lemon tartar; and pickled shrimp with chanterelle mushrooms. Each dish could be at home at both a Southern picnic and a white tablecloth affair. No wonder Perkins could no longer keep his cooking secret.
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JUNIPER BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
360 N O R T H B O Y L E AV E N U E , 3 1 4 -3 2 9 -7 6 9 6
sidney street cafe
SIDNEY STREET CAFE BY MABEL SUEN
2 000 S I D N E Y S T R E E T , 314 - 771- 5777 idney Street Cafe existed before Kevin Nashan bought it, though it’s hard to imagine the restaurant as anything but the house he built. For sixteen years, the Benton Park mainstay had a successful run as a meat and potatoes spot, garnering a winning reputation and loyal following in the process. In 2003, Nashan took the place over from its longtime owners, gambling that his newfound customers would come along for the ride as he reinvented the place as a bastion of modern cuisine. And what a ride it’s been. Nashan’s cuisine is revelatory, though with a pedigree that includes training in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain and under the esteemed Daniel Boulud, you wouldn’t expect anything less. It’s hard to pin down Nashan’s style. There are elements of his native New Mexico, bits of the Mediterranean, a lot of classical French and even nods to comfort food. No, Nashan’s food is defined less by a particular genre than by a feeling — a sort of refinement of texture and flavor 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. And yes, you can still order a steak with béarnaise, just like the old days, although it too will be infinitely better once it’s been given Nashan’s Midas touch.
elaia
EL AIA BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
16 3 4 TOW E R G R O V E AV E N U E , 314-9 32 -1088 n November 2012, Ben Poremba descended upon a forgotten swath of the city called McRee Town and opened a small, fiercely ambitious restaurant in a former drug house. At the time, Poremba was a relatively unknown chef, but he armed himself with a menu of elegant, Mediterranean-inflected cuisine, a world-class wine list and impeccable service standards, and boldly placed that restaurant, Elaia, in the pantheon of the city’s best restaurants. His food, both in style and substance, was breathtaking, as Poremba demonstrated the ability to transform ingredients into otherworldly pieces of art or, conversely, to exercise the utmost restraint and allow them shine on their own — and he could switch between these styles in the course of one majestic tasting menu. It didn’t take long for folks to catch wind of the masterpieces coming out of his kitchen, and as the accolades came in, Poremba was thrust into the national spotlight, with James Beard award nods and recognition in Food & Wine Magazine. Since then, he’s launched a mini-empire of restaurants that represents the best of the city’s dining scene, and McRee Town (now called Botanical Heights) has become a major dining destination. But through it all, Elaia has remained his flagship, a gallery of culinary elegance. Though Poremba has stepped out of the kitchen to take on the role as full-time restaurateur, he’s left Elaia in the capable hands of culinary Olympian Ben Grupe, who has done the impossible — he’s improved upon perfection.
broadway oyster bar uch like the city that inspires it, Broadway Oyster Bar is a place that stimulates every one of your senses — and usually all at the same time. Visually, this New Orleans-style mainstay located just south of downtown will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a shack on the bayou. The pre-Civil War structure’s creaky wooden floors, strings of lights and Mardi Gras beads, randomly slapped up photos and concert posters make you feel like you’ve arrived at a perpetual party. BOB, as those in the know call it, also has a distinct soundtrack — a mix of blues, zydeco, jazz, reggae, funk or all the above wrapped into one played from its outdoor stage. But no matter how good the act, the smell of BOB’s authentic Cajun fare will lure you back into the dining room, where the taste of its crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and gumbo serve as the best NOLA food in town. Most importantly, though, BOB is a feeling. The thumping bass beat from the funk band on stage that beats in your chest, the buttery fingers you get from picking apart crawfish, the sweat that pours down your face as you dance into the night — this St. Louis landmark knows how to give you the feels.
BROADWAY OYSTER BAR BY MABEL SUEN
73 6 S O U T H B R OA D WAY , 3 1 4 -6 2 1 -8 8 1 1
Delicious Jamaican Cuisine
De Best Jerk Chicken In The Lou!
PAT I O OPEN!
Lunch•Dinner•Catering
8631 Olive, U-City MO 314-432-5171
depalmtreestl.com
Located in the Heart of “The Hill” THE BEST OF MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE,
CLASSIC ITALIAN FARE AND TRADITIONAL SPANISH ENTREES AND TAPAS. “A Taste of Spain in the Middle of Italy”
5046 SHAW AVE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63110 (314) 771-4900 • GUIDOSSTL.COM 46 |
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Pearl Cafe Thai Cuisine • St. Louis, MO
innovating st. louis’ thai dining experience!
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seoul taco
PEARL BBQ FRIED RICE
6665 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 1 4 -8 6 3 -1 1 48 hese days, St. Louis’ food truck scene could not be more vibrant, and Korean-Mexican fusion is taken as a given. That wasn’t the case back in 2011 when David Choi took a chance and opened Seoul Taco. Though the trend, sparked by L.A.’s Kogi BBQ truck, was taking the West Coast by storm, Choi didn’t see anything similar in town, save the generic hamburger and hot dog carts that dotted downtown’s streets. Realizing St. Louis was an untapped market, he sold his car, bought a food truck, pulled up to Tower Grove’s “Food Truck Fridays” and opened for business. Within minutes of opening his window, he had a line of 50 people waiting to taste his modern-fusion fare — instant validation that he was onto something big. From that day on, Seoul Taco became one of the defining trucks of St. Louis’ roving food scene. It’s been so popular, Choi has opened a brick-and-mortar spot, moved to larger digs down the street and then expanded to Columbia, Champaign and Chicago. If you’ve ever had his bulgolgi burrito, packed with mouthwatering kimchi fried rice, you’ll see why this once humble truck is on the verge of becoming a Korean-Mexican empire.
PHORITTO over 400 craft bottled beers, single malt scotch whiskies, bourbon & rum!
4 BIG SCREEN TV’S • CARRY OUT OPEN MON-SAT FOR LUNCH & DINNER
8416 N. LINDBERGH BLVD • 1 mile north of 270 • 314.831.3701
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LONA’S LIL EATS BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
FRANK & HELEN’S PIZZERIA BY MABEL SUEN
frank & helen’s pizzeria 8111 O L I V E B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 314- 9 9 7 - 0 6 6 6 ess a restaurant than an institution, Frank & Helen’s Pizzeria has been firing up its charcoal broiler since 1956, and in doing so has solidified its place as the go-to spot for University City families. That’s nearly three generations, and on any given Sunday, you’re likely to see each one represented in the dining room — some at the same table, as grandparents bring the kids’ kids for a taste of how things were back when they were teenagers. Not much has changed here since those days. Though the Seitz family has long since retired (yes, there really was a brother and sister team named Frank and Helen, although you shouldn’t leave out Frank’s wife Betty), new owners Patrick and Rebecca Horvath are fierce guardians of the old ways. That means the same cheesy-baked pastas, the same char-grilled ribeyes with sides of fettuccini 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, perhaps the best version of St. Louis’ signature thin-crust pie in town. Don’t just take our word for it: Ask the people who’ve been coming here every week for 60 years, and they’ll tell you the same thing.
We love it!
lona’s lil eats 2 19 9 C A L I F O R N I A AV E N U E , 314-9 2 5 -18 8 8 o call Lona’s Lil Eats “Chinese food” is to call a premier cru Burgundy “grape juice.” Sure, it’s technically correct: Lona Lao is from China, and her food is “Chinese.” However, if you go into this Fox Park gem expecting the cloying orange-coated chicken nuggets that so often get passed off to unsuspecting American diners, well, you’ll be blown out of the water. Lao hails from the remote southwestern part of the country — 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 draws its inspiration from her paternal heritage, but those other influences are woven wonderfully into its fabric as well. The restaurant had humble beginnings: About five years ago, Lao and her husband Pierce Powers began selling her dumplings out of a small stand in the Soulard Farmers Market, but the pair gained such a following that the food stall could not contain their business. They opened their fast-casual brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2014 and have been wowing diners ever since. The menu is simple: dumplings, wraps and plates, but Lao’s flavor combinations are so unique and multi-layered, your mouth will be dancing long after you finish your meal.
Everyone loves that world famous taste!
2009-2016
Winner Favorite Gooey Butter Cake!
Proudly Serving St. Louis for 11 Years! Baked From Scratch Daily
6726 Chippewa 314-481-2652 48 |
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4224 South Grand 314-352-7376 OPEN SUMMER ONLY
| RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
Pick Your Own Box! — Birthday, Holidays Whole Cakes • Individual Servings Corporate Gift
6483 Chippewa
(1/2 mile east of Ted Drewes)
314-352-CAKE (2253)
Authentic Hong Kong Style Cuisine HOUSEMADE POT STICKERS
OPEN DAILY
SZECHUAN CHICKEN
11AM-10PM
DIM SUM
EVERYDAY 11AM-3PM
8116 OLIVE BLVD. • (314) 567-9997 • WONTONKINGSTL.COM
, Fun Food, Happy People Great Drinks!
106 main st. • edwardsville, il 618.307.4830 www.clevelandheath.com RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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PORK BELLY PHOTO BY ED ALLER
WINNER RFT FAVORITE IRISH/ENGLISH/SCOTTISH 2006-2016 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK LUNCH & DINNER FULL MENU AVAILABLE UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRI & SAT
SAT & SUN BRUNCH 10-3PM ENDLESS MIMOSAS BLOODY MARY BAR
8 S. SARA H ST R EE T, ST. LOU IS • 3 1 4 -535 -0 551 • WWW.TH E SCOTTI SH A R M S.CO M
B B Q , F O L K
&
S O UL
SLOW SMOKED MEATS • 50+ CRAFT BEERS HAND ROLLED FLATBREADS PATIO SEATING • LIVE MUSIC H O URS MON 11AM - 9PM TUES - FRI 11AM -10PM SAT 11 AM -10 PM | SUN CLOSED TRI-TIP SANDWICH
SMOKED RIBS
SMOTHERED FRIES
29 0 0 V I R G I N I A AV E N U E , ST. LO U I S • 3 1 4 -7 76 -1 4 07 • WWW.T H E S H AV E D D UCK.CO M
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â„¢
20 SOUTH BELT WEST | BELLEVILLE, IL | 618.257.9000 | WWW.BEASTCRAFTBBQ.COM RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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JUST SOME OF THE REASONS WE SELL OUT QUICKLY: 8 Grilled, Pulled, Smoked, & Rubbed Meats• 7 Twists on Classic Sides 6 House-Made Sauces • Selection of Local & Craft Brews
2727 S. 12TH STREET • ST. LOUIS, MO 63118 • (314) 772-1180
LUNCH • CATERING & TAKEOUT • WED-SUN 11AM-3PM Book Your Next Event at Our Venue,
St. Louis’ Premier Art Gallery and Courtyard
For Catering call Elisa (314) 295-8220 3 1 0 8 O L I V E S T. | S A I N T L O U I S , M O 6 3 1 0 3 314.531.4668 | STLSOUTHERN.COM
WE DELIVER •SANDWICHES • SOUPS • SALADS • PIZZAS • CATERING
ORDER ONLINE www.picklemans.com
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BEST WEST COUNTY
BBQINRESTAURANT meat ST. LOUIS me at 2951 Dougherty Ferry Road Tues. - Sat. 11 am - 8 pm St. Louis, MO 63122 Sun. 11 am - 4 pm
pappy’s BOOK YOUR PARTY NOW.
SmOkIn’ GoOd TiMe (314) 621-3107
Call 314.607.2446 or catering@pappyssmokehouse.com
DINE IN OR CARRY OUT 3106 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 pappyssmokehouse.com 314.535.4340
#1 RATED BAR B QUE RESTAURANT ZAGAT, 2013 & 2014
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HOURS: 1627 S. 9th Street St. Louis, MO 63104 bogartssmokehouse.com
sMoKiNg uP tHiS jOiNt sInCe FeBrUaRy 18, 2011
FOR ALL YOUR CATERING NEEDS
Mon. – Sat. 11 am – 8 pm* Sun. 11 am – 4 pm* *May close earlier if we sell out of food.
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even more places
we adore
sump coffee cott Carey is to coffee what a James Beard award-winning chef is to food. The bearded genius behind Sump Coffee is unquestionably the city’s premier java master, having brought to St. Louis a coffee experience far beyond anything being served before his arrival. A lawyer who also has a master’s degree in chemistry, Carey worked as a patent attorney in New York before returning to his hometown to open Sump in south city. And though it may seem as though he left his former life behind, the scientific precision Carey brings to coffee is right in line with his chemistry background. At Sump, coffee is not merely a mechanism for caffeine delivery, but a way to connect to the place from whence it came. In this sense, Carey is less a coffee preparer and more of a medium, channeling the soil of Ethiopia or Colombia through his brewing methods. You can call it “third-wave coffee,” but even this description feels incomplete for someone as committed as Carey — it’s more like “third-wave-plus.” You may venture into Sump for a simple cup of joe, but you’ll leave a better-versed coffee consumer — sort of like sitting at the chef’s table in a fine restaurant.
SUMP COFFEE BY MABEL SUEN
370 0 S . J E F F E R S O N AV E N U E
la patisserie chouquette n the culinary field, the word “artist” is thrown around so loosely it seems like anyone who can compose a decent plate gets the name. Simone Faure, however, deserves the title. The moment you walk into her magical shop in Botanical Heights, La Patisserie Chouquette, you are awestruck by the array of edible beauty that surrounds you. Jewel-like macarons are displayed in glass cases, cakes that double as elegant sculptures entice you from their pedestals, and edible confections shaped like fine handbags and shoes will make you do a double take. Faure is the Michelangelo of St. Louis pastry, with a portfolio that would be just as appropriate at an art gallery as a pastry shop. But what’s even more impressive than the sheer beauty she produces is the fact that her masterpieces taste as wonderful as they look. Faure honed her craft as a pastry chef for the Ritz-Carlton, and her luxurious creations show a mastery of both flavor and presentation — a feast for both eyes and palate.
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L A PATISSERIE CHOUQUETTE BY MABEL SUEN
162 6 TOW E R G R O V E AV E N U E , 3 1 4-9 3 2 -79 35
pint size bakery
PINT SIZE BAKERY BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
3133 WAT S O N R OA D , 314-6 45 -7 14 2 hristy Augustin and Nancy Boehm have created such a cool, down-home vibe at Pint Size Bakery, you almost forget for a moment that you’re in a world-class pastry shop and not Grandma’s kitchen. But unless your grandmother is a world-class baker, there’s no way she — or any mere mortal, for that matter — is capable of producing the delectable marvels that come out of Pint Size’s ovens. Every last thing produced by this south city bakery is outstanding: the cupcakes iced with farm-fresh buttercream, the melt-in-yourmouth brown sugar crumbcakes filled with seasonal fruit, the savory scones stuffed with local eggs and bacon. However, if there’s one thing Pint Size does better than anywhere else, it’s the salted caramel croissant, a sugar-encrusted butter pouf that is arguably the single best pastry in St. Louis. Pint Size only serves them on Saturdays, and they only make a few batches at that, so experiencing one of these beauties means dragging yourself out of bed early on a weekend — a small price to pay for edible bliss.
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hodak’s
a taste of our menu 1/2 Golden Fried Chicken Dinner ........................................... 8.55 Wing Appetizers ............................................................................ 7.50 southwest chicken salad ........................................................ 7.95 8 oz Pork Chop Dinner ............................................................... 7.35 Chicken parmesan ........................................................................ 7.95 Charbroiled Salmon Dinner ................................................ 11.95 Black Angus Chopped steak dinner ..................................... 7.25
weekday luncheon specals only $7
2100 GRAVOIS AVE • 314.776.7292 HODAKS.COM • OPEN 7 DAYS 56 |
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nathaniel reid bakery 11243 M A N C H E S T E R R OA D , K I R K W OO D ; 3 14-858- 1 0 1 9 athaniel Reid is about as big a deal as they come in the pastry world: He’s a graduate of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, an alum of some of the world’s most prestigious hotel properties (the Ritz-Carlton at Dana Point, the Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon in Paris), the 2010 U.S. Pastry Chef of the Year and one of 2012’s top ten pastry chefs, according to Dessert Professional Magazine. The accolades would guarantee him a fawning clientele anywhere in the world, yet you’ll find him behind the counter of his neighborhood storefront, Nathaniel Reid Bakery in Kirkwood, serving espresso drinks and chatting up guests about macarons. Reid is so humble, casual and fiercely committed to providing hospitality to each and every person who walks through the door that you might forget you are in the presence of greatness. But then you try one of his offerings — an “Amber Cake” made with silken caramel and caramelized pecans, a “Spiced Pear Helene” with poached fruit and almond crumbles, an impossibly buttery almond croissant — and you realize that this is a place like no other. Even the chocolate chip cookies and brownies are otherworldly, and his savory offerings show he’s just as proficient serving lunch as dessert. Reid may spend his career collecting accolades, but you’re the one who will feel like an award-winner when you score one of his tasty treats.
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salume beddu hilosopher-turned-turned-screenwriter-turned-charcuterie-master Mark Sanfilippo got his start in Los Angeles at the hallowed Osteria Mozza. At first, he was relegated to scaling fish and peeling garlic all day, but when the cured meats position became available, he maneuvered himself into the role and found his calling. He converted the closet of his tiny L.A. apartment into a curing room and began experimenting with all things charcuterie. When he learned that Batali got his pork from southern Missouri, Sanfilippo decided to return to his native St. Louis to open a charcuterie business of his own. If the best pork in the country came from his home state, he reasoned, the best salami could be produced here, too. Salume Beddu proved his theory was correct. From his tiny Hampton Avenue storefront, Sanfilippo built what would become the city’s premier cured meats company, earning a reputation for excellence with products like fiery and spreadable ‘nduja, fennel-kissed finocchiona, luscious guanciale and some of the best bacon you’ll ever taste. As demand for his wares outgrew the space, Sanfilippo acquired a large production facility and, next month, will move his storefront sandwich business to Parker’s Table in Richmond Heights. But despite the growth, his commitment to producing the best artisanal meats remains unwavering. It’s no wonder top chefs seek out Sanfilippo’s products — just as the name promises, this is beautiful salami.
SALUME BEDDU BY MABEL SUEN
34 6 7 H A M P TO N AV E N U E , 3 1 4 -3 5 3 -3 1 00
St. Louis’ Most Authentic Mexican Cuisine
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Candy • Salt Water Taffy • Gifts • Posters Tin Signs • Over 400 + Sodas • Gags & More!
Camarón Yucatán 887 Kingsland Ave
(Just North of Delmar Blvd)
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“Adults are only kids grown up.” -Walt Disney
Sandwiches ~ Salads ~ Wraps 24 Flavors Edy's Grand Ice Cream
OPEN 24 HOURS #2 Maryland Plaza ~ In The Central West End TheCoffeeCartel.com
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La Vallesana AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD MADE WITH 100% FRESH INGREDIENTS HOMEMADE DESSERTS AND ICE CREAM FULL B AR
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 10AM-10 PM 2801 CHEROKEE STREET • 314-776-4223
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GREAT CANS & SMALL BUNS
GOURMET SLIDERS, SALADS & SIDES
9528 MANCHESTER ROAD, ROCK HILL | 314-942-6445 @SLIDERHOUSE
@THESLIDERHOUSE
SLIDERHOUSESTL
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ices plain & fancy hen you walk into Ices Plain & Fancy, you might think you’ve accidentally wandered into a science experiment. Plumes of liquid nitrogen rise from the hands of the mad scientists behind the counter, their work shrouded in fog. But when the nitro cloud settles, it reveals the most luscious ice cream around, created by flash-churning the ingredients at minus 321 degrees, which forms impossibly tiny ice crystals. The method makes even the simplest flavors transcendent, but you may want to branch out a little — non-dairy options like coconut milk German chocolate are a fun diversion for even staunchest devotees of milk and cream. There is little the folks at this Shaw neighborhood gem could do to improve on such edible perfection, but they give it a try by adding Sump Coffee for an ice creamy buzz. And that’s not the only buzz on offer: There’s also a list of ice cream cocktails that could have been cribbed from the town’s top mixology programs. Clearly, Ices Plain & Fancy has sweet treats down to a science.
ICE’S PL AIN & FANCY BY MABEL SUEN
2256 S O U T H 39 T H S T R E E T , 3 1 4-6 0 1 -3 6 0 4
world’s fair donuts f any one place could possibly personify the charm of St. Louis’ myriad old-fashioned doughnut shops, it would be World’s Fair Donuts. There’s no denying the legacy of this Southwest Garden institution. There’s the name, a nod to both the shop’s address and the city’s history. There’s the screen door entrance and the weathered white paint that hasn’t been touched up in years — if ever. And of course, you can’t talk about World’s Fair without mentioning its matriarch, Peggy Clanton, whose signature vintage ‘do is as iconic as the store’s vanilla-laden buttermilk cake doughnuts. It’s a symbol of the old days that perfectly encapsulates Worlds Fair’s oldschool style, much like the weathered speed racks and mixing equipment that still churn out the store’s daily offerings. Buttermilk cake doughnuts are a must, but the blueberry, chocolate long johns and simple glazed versions make it hard to choose a favorite. Thankfully, you don’t have to make such difficult decisions. Just get one of each, a strawberry hand pie and a cup of Styrofoam coffee — and don’t forget the cash. Clanton accepts only old-fashioned bills and coins, which she places into her vintage cash register. Would you expect anything else?
WORLD’S FAIR DONUTS BY BRITTANI SCHL AGER
1904 S O U T H VA N D E V E N T E R AV E N U E , 314- 7 7 6 - 9 9 75
piccione pastry f you ask around about where to grab some amaretto-flavored Italian cookies or an authentic Sicilian-style cannoli, chances are you’ll be directed to the Hill. In this town, it’s easy to assume that the south city neighborhood has a monopoly on Italian food. Piccione Pastry begs to differ. This corner bakery, which sits on the northeast corner of Skinker in the Loop, may not boast the right zip code, but the Italian pastries coming out of its ovens are every bit as authentic and delicious. And authenticity isn’t the only thing that makes Piccione so special. The bakery creates an array of classic Italian delicacies — a decadent, espresso-soaked tiramisu, a luscious sfogliatella riccia — with a refined hand, elevating them to a level usually associated with elegant French pastries. At Piccione, you have permission to devour these goodies for breakfast, though you may want to resist that temptation in favor of another: Savory offerings, including a frittata or flatbread rustica, are just as delectable. Piccione started as a way for Richard Nix to honor his grandmother, who owned a theater on the Loop. It’s fitting that he’d celebrate her legacy in her neighborhood, making this little slice of Delmar Italian through and through.
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PICCIONE PASTRY BY MABEL SUEN
6197 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , 3 1 4-9 3 2 -1 3 5 5
MIDTOWN
SUSHI & RAMEN Offering the Best Quality Sushi in Stunning Contemporary Surroundings!
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bolyard’s meat & provisions 2810 S U T TO N B O U L E VA R D , M A P L E W OO D ; 3 14-6 4 7- 256 7 hris Bolyard will ruin you on eating meat. Not in the sense that he’ll make you become a vegetarian — far from it. His Maplewood butcher shop will leave even the most adamant plant-eater salivating. No, Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions will ruin you in that, once you’ve feasted on his wares, there’s no going back to the sad, shrink-wrapped meat you’ve been picking up at the grocery store all these years. Whether it’s a real-deal pork chop from Bolyard’s (so vibrant pink and beautifully marbled, you’ll have to dodge flames when you throw it on the grill), a melt-in-the-mouth grass-fed strip steak or even a succulent whole roasted chicken, you’ll be shocked by how different his meat is from everything else that gets passed off as such. And it’s no accident that his meat is the best around; that’s what happens when you personally vet every farm and purveyor you deal with, as Bolyard does, to ensure that it lives up to the highest standards. The meats he selects are pasture-raised on small-scale farms without hormones or antibiotics, so customers know they’re getting the best possible product. It may cost a little more, but meat this good is priceless.
HAND ROLLED SUSHI: YELLOWTAIL, SALMON, TUNA
LUNCH & DINNER
NEW APPETIZERS & SMALL PLATES COMING SOON! HAPPY HOUR TUESDAY-THURSDAY 5-7PM 3674 FOREST PARK AVE | (314) 328-2452 | midtown-sushi.com RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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side project cellar f you’ve yet to be initiated into the club of craft beer, Side Project Cellar may seem intimidating. After all, this is Cory and Karen King’s place — an establishment that serves Cory’s Side Project Brewing barrel-aged beers with the reverence they deserve. It’s a place where you know you’ll run into the city’s beer intelligentsia, making it impossible to fake your way through a tasting, and a place that was nominated in 2016 as the James Beard Foundation’s best bar program, for goodness’ sake. This is sacred ground for beer lovers. But then you walk into the Cellar, and you are greeted by hospitable employees who see themselves less as bartenders and more as craft beer sherpas, there to guide you as you feel your way around Cory’s creations. Sure, you will enjoy your beer out of the perfect glass, served at the ideal temperature, but more importantly, you will get to drink some of the city’s best beers without judgment. And did we mention they taste pretty darn outstanding, too?
SIDE PROJECT CELL AR BY MABEL SUEN
7373 M A R I E T TA AV E N U E , M A P L E W OO D ; 3 1 4-2 2 4-5 2 1 1
THANK YOU
St. Louis for Voting Us #1 VIETNAMESE IN 2016
- R F T B E S T O F S T. L O U I S R E A D E R S P O L L A N D R F T R E S TA U R A N T R E A D E R S P O L L
and For Your Support of Local & Independent Restaurants
SUSHI
Tues-Thurs & Sun: 11am-9pm • Fri & Sat 11am-10pm 8396 Musick Memorial Drive • 314.645.2835 • www.maileestl.com
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comet coffee & microbakery t Comet Coffee & Microbakery, owners Mark Attwood and Stephanie Fischer source the best coffee from the country’s premier roasters, brew it to exacting specifications and serve it up with so much geeky information about the beans, your head will spin. This alone makes Comet worthy of distinction. But Fischer’s baking prowess also earns the place status as a must-visit food destination. Quite simply, Fischer is a pastry genius who quietly produces some of the best sweet treats around. Her riff on Momofuku’s “Birthday Cake” is simply stunning, her blueberry muffins dazzle, and her croissants and pain au chocolat are so flaky and buttery, you won’t find a better representation of the form outside France. However, if there is one thing you must try at this tiny bakery, it’s Fischer’s legendary chocolate chip cookies — thick discs of pure bliss that could quite possibly be the best chocolate chip cookies ever made. The exteriors are crisp and lightly browned, with the interiors slightly softer, and somehow she manages to make the flat, dark chocolate rounds stay molten. A few sea salt flakes sprinkled on top are all you need to enjoy these pieces of perfection — well, a cup of coffee on the side wouldn’t be a bad pairing either.
COMET COFFEE & MICROBAKERY BY MABEL SUEN
5 70 8 OA K L A N D AV E N U E , 3 1 4 -9 3 2 -7 7 7 0
Mi Lindo Michoacan M E X I C A N R E S TA U R A N T & F U L L B A R
PINA COLADA/MARGARITA
FEATURING NEW LUNCH SPECIALS MENTION THIS AD IN RFT FOR 10% OFF DURING LUNCH
11AM-3PM
GARLIC SHRIMP
MOLCAJETE
SEVEN SEAS SOUP
“As Authentic as it Gets!” K A R A O K E - E V E R Y F R I D AY 9 P M - 1 : 3 0 A M H A P P Y H O U R M O N D AY - F R I D AY 2 - 7 P M 453 4 GRAVOIS AVENUE - 314.224.5 495 -
3153 MORGANFORD RD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63116 | (314) 772-9800
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Served in St. Louis Finest Restaurants & Coffeehouses
WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO. Chauvin Coffee Company 314.772.0700 chauvincoffee.com
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Uncle Bill’s Pancake and Dinner House
VOTED #1 BREAKFAST FOR 23 YEARS AND GOING! -RFT Restaurant Guide 1993-2016
WE DO MORE THAN PANCAKES!
3427 S. KINGSHIGHWAY (314) 832-1973 14196 MANCHESTER RD. (636) 394-1416 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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favorite breakfast
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 700 D E M U N AV E N U E , 314-727- 9 9 5 5 Kaldi’s flagship is located just across from the Concordia Seminary Park in De Mun, arguably the most adorable neighborhood in Clayton. The 23-year-old cafe is busy nearly all times of day, with small tables and cozy corners for reading inside, as well as several patio tables outside. Kaldi’s serves a small menu of baked goods and vegetarian items like quiche, salads and breakfast burritos, and of course the main attraction: coffee. The homegrown company specializes in sustainably sourcing and roasting the finest coffees from around the world. A rotating selection of drip coffee is supplemented by seasonal lattes. Kaldi’s has six other locations in the St. Louis area, plus outposts in Columbia and Kansas City, and has even expanded south with three locations in Atlanta — giving the rest of the country a chance to sip St. Louis’ favorite cup.
pastries/donuts VINCENT VAN DOUGHNUT
10 72 TOW E R G R O V E AV E N U E A N D 40 N O R T H C E N T R A L AV E N U E , C L AY TO N ; 314-899-9500 Yes, the original “Square Beyond Compare” is a cracker-thin crust topped with Provel and tomato sauce, but we can’t help but think the slogan could apply equally well to another St. Louis-based delicacy
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— Vincent Van Doughnut. The donuts at this local favorite are soft, square and at least twice as big as any others in town, which is fortunate, since it’s simply impossible to stop eating them once you’ve had a bite. Originally a food truck, Vincent Van Doughnut put down roots in Clayton in 2015 and opened a second outpost in the city’s Grove neighborhood in February, offering not only its signature doughnuts but also breakfast kolaches, doughnut ice cream sandwiches and affogato. Owner Vincent Brian Marsden says the next step will be obtaining a liquor license, in order to add a line of boozy shakes. As if the shop wasn’t already deliriously tempting!
brunch ECLIPSE
617 7 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , 3 1 4 - 7 2 6 - 2 2 2 2 The Moonrise Hotel isn’t just a great spot to drink under the stars, although its rooftop bar will always be one of our favorite places to do just that. You can also greet the morning with its brunch offerings — whether you’re rising at 6:30 a.m. and starting your day with a spinach salad or rolling out of bed at 11 a.m. to take down a plate of steak and eggs and a bloody mary. On the weekends, Eclipse serves its brunch menu all the way til 4 p.m., so it’s impossible to sleep through this one. And hey, guess what? The rooftop opens again at 5 p.m. So fuel up on a “Brunch Burger” — eight ounces of meat, cheddar, a fried egg and “Comeback sauce” — and get ready to start the party all over again.
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diner CITY DINER
3139 SOUTH GRAND BOUL E VA R D , 3 14 - 7 7 2 - 610 0 In the heart of South Grand’s international district, City Diner stands as a celebration of nostalgic American dining. Opened in 1992 by Peter Spoto as an inclusive place with “something for everyone,” the restaurant has built a reputation as the go-to breakfast spot for south city residents in search of classic American fare. Pancakes, slingers and hash browns abound, but it’s the creative touches that make City Diner stand out from the other oldtimey diners that populate St. Louis’ dining landscape. Omelets aren’t merely “Denver” or ham and Swiss; why not try one filled with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and milk gravy?
And why settle for any old bacon and sausage when you can head to City Diner and pair your eggs with a pork chop or spicy salsiccia? And City Diner doesn’t just have you covered for breakfast. This readers’ favorite follows in the footsteps of classic New Jersey diners with blue plate lunch and dinners that are every bit as tasty as the breakfast fare. Or you could just order them both at the same time — say, mozzarella sticks with a side of pancakes at 3 a.m. on a Saturday. Does it get any better than that?
For a full list of the categories with winners and runners up, see page 96.
CIT Y DINER BY ERIC FRAZIER
favorite coffee KALDI’S
VINCENT VAN DOUGHNUTS BY KELLY GLUECK
readers’ poll
CIT Y DINER BY ERIC FRAZIER
5980 SOUTHWEST AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63139 314-645-2088 South City
NOW 2 Locations Serving Your Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch Favorites
100 N TUCKER BLVD ST. LOUIS, MO 63101 (314) 977-4615 Downtown
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Voted #1 Indian Restaurant in St. Louis!
We Do It All For You! BULK ORDERS FOR ANY OCCASION! Dine-In • Carry-Out Catering • Open 7 Days 3628 S. BIG BEND • 314-781-2097 • www.porterschicken.com
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open tuesday-sunday
RESTAURAN TS 2016
WINNER
lunch buffet 11-2:30, dinner buffet 5-8:30 regular menu always available
DINE-IN • CARRY OUT • CATERING 9720 Page Ave | 314.423.7300 | havelistl.com
B A N Q U E T F A C I L I T Y U P T O 1 0 0 • PAT I O C AT E R I N G •
Mama Campisi’s “ON THE HILL”
H o m e o f t h e To a s t e d R a v i o l i
2132 Edwards • On The Hill 314-776-3100 MAMASONTHEHILL.COM mamasonthehill@gmail.com
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readers’ poll
barbecue SUGARFIRE SMOKEHOUSE
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 9200 O L I V E B O U L E VA R D N O. 114, O L I V E T T E ; 314-997 - 2 3 01 Sugarfire Smokehouse is relatively new on the St. Louis barbecue scene, but it has quickly made its presence known with six locations throughout the area, and counting. Known for its outrageous how-do-you-eat-that specials, Sugarfire offers a wide menu of smoked meats, sandwiches, sides and desserts, including options for vegetarians. The chefs make most of the condiments in house and work with local ingredients whenever possible. The genius behind the growing Sugarfire empire, Mike Johnson, worked in restaurants from New Orleans to Chicago to France before making his way to St. Louis. He’s always coming up with new barbecue concoctions that aren’t to be missed. Where else can you find brisket rangoon or a brisket and gravy sandwich with cheese curds? Starters, too, excel, with options including smoked fried artichokes and pork belly hush puppies. No wonder readers say it’s No. 1.
mac & cheese SALT + SMOKE
6 525 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 314-727-0200 Salt + Smoke is a bit more elevated than your average barbecue joint — you won’t find disposable plates here, and there’s a server to assist you rather than a long line snaking out the door. The Loop location is elegantly rustic, with a menu that
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features both the classics (brisket, pulled pork) and inventive surprises, like a falafel burger or the fried jalapeño and cheddar bologna. While you can’t go wrong with just about anything on the menu, the “white cheddar cracker mac” is both the signature side and readers’ favorite in the whole damn city, for good reason. Made with white cheddar cheese and sprinkled with oyster crackers that provide a nice crunch amidst all that gooey, cheesy deliciousness, this addictive version of macaroni and cheese bears little resemblance to the orange stuff in a box that you grew up with — and you’ll be very glad that’s the case. Wash it down with bourbon and feel pure bliss.
pizza PI PIZZERIA
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 400 N O R T H E U C L I D AV E N U E , 3 14 - 3 67 4 3 00 We’ve forgotten most of what we learned in math class — but we have no problem remembering how delicious a circle can be. Mathematically named Pi Pizzeria proves this to the nth degree over and over and over again. Whether you’re going thin-crust for a decidedly non-St. Louis-style pizza pie (or pi, as it were) or tucking into a delightfully deep-dish cornmeal-crust extravaganza, you’ll be filling up on incredibly fresh toppings that pack flavor into every bite. Maybe the all-veg Lincoln Park is your scene, with thin crust, zucchini, tomato, feta, basil, garlic olive oil and mozzarella. Or perhaps you’re a bit of a traditionalist and go for the South Side Classico, a deep-dish pie with Berkshire
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SUGARFIRE SMOKEHOUSE BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
favorite foods
sausage, mushrooms, green pepper, onions and mozzarella, all topped with a chunky tomato sauce. No matter your selection, no matter your dining location, Pi will leave you plenty full, very happy and better at math (no guarantees on that last one).
fried chicken HODAK’S
2 1 0 0 G R AV O I S AV E N U E , 3 14 - 7 7 6- 7 2 92 Thirty years ago, people were lining up to get a taste of Hodak’s crispy fried chicken. Five years ago, every hip restaurant in town was clamoring to serve fancy fried chicken as the trend du jour — and Hodak’s still had a line. These days, that fad has come and gone and, you guessed it: There’s still a line out the door at Hodak’s. Since 1962, when the former owner’s wife made chicken to feed hungry patrons at their little tavern,
people have been flocking to this nofrills restaurant on the south side for its deep fried bird, makings Hodak’s as much a St. Louis food icon as toasted ravioli and Ted Drewes. And what’s not to love? For less than nine bucks, you get slaw, half a fried chicken, and fries served piping hot out of the deep fryer (like a place this busy has time to let the food sit around!). It’s nothing fancy: Just succulent meat, crispy skin and a lighter-than-most batter that’s seasoned with just a little salt and pepper, but what it lacks in culinary innovation it more than makes up for in staying power.
deli sandwich BLUES CITY DELI
2 4 3 8 M C N A I R AV E N U E , 3 14 - 7 7 3 - 8 2 2 5 For residents of Benton Park, Blues City
BLUES CIT Y DELI BY MADELINE AZAR ANTHONINO’S BY ERIC FRAZIER
Deli is a corner sandwich shop — the sort of place you walk to with your dog, run into friends and where the owner knows your order by heart. For the rest of St. Louis — well, it sort of feels that way too. Owner Vince Valenza and family have somehow managed to make Blues City Deli the neighborhood sandwich shop for all of St. Louis. Part of this is the sandwiches themselves: the best muffulettas and po’ boys this side of NOLA, a glorious homemade meatball sandwich, Italian beef topped with piquant giardiniera and everything in between. No one disputes that Blues City Deli is serving the best thing between bread in town. But a lot of the deli’s appeal has to do with its atmosphere. It’s welcoming, friendly, efficient, and it always seems like there’s a party going on. This is especially true on Thursdays and Saturdays when live blues music fills the space and turns this corner of McNair and Victor Street into a street party. This place is the total package. No wonder readers voted it to the top of two key categories.
toasted ravioli ANTHONINO’S TAVERNA
2225 M AC K L I N D AV E N U E , 314-773-4455 Many restaurants claim to be the originator of St. Louis’ iconic toasted ravioli. Perhaps they argue for those bragging rights because one place in town has already shored up the title of “best.” The beloved Italian-Greek tavern Anthonino’s on the Hill has perfected the art of the city’s legendary finger food. Here, the chefs make the ravioli fresh in-house, beginning with an egg and semolina shell that is filled with ground beef, spices and pecorino cheese. The secret, however, is the addition of ricotta into the mixture, giving the filling a rich, creamy texture. These golden beauties are deep-fried so that the outside gets crispy and the interior cheese gets molten and gooey. Fresh grated cheese is sprinkled over the top when they’re hot, forming a second coating,
and tangy marinara sauce adds a zesty flavor that cuts through the richness. Who cares who did it first when you can eat the very best?
soup PICKLES DELI
701 OLIVE STREET, 3 14 - 2 4 1- 2 2 5 5 A N D 22 NORTH EUCLID, 3 14 - 3 61- 3 3 5 4 At a place known for such fantastic sandwiches as Pickles Deli, you’d expect soup to be an afterthought — an offering on the menu in case someone wants a heartier side than chips to go with their reuben, but not the star of the show. However, Pickles is also quietly serving up an ever-changing array of unique, from-scratch options that would make you think you’ve wandered into a place dedicated to soup, not sandwiches. This is not your standard chicken noodle sort of place (though when it’s
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on the menu, it’s outstanding). Pickles serves everything from curried lentil to white bean with chicken sausage to cheesy smoked poblano. And who would’ve thought that the best lobster bisque in St. Louis might be served out of a to-go container from a sandwich shop? You may go into Pickles for a ham and Swiss on rye, but there’s no way you’ll be able to resist a side of its outstanding soup. Heck, maybe you’ll even skip the sandwich.
appetizer selection RETREAT GASTROPUB (TIE) 6 NORTH SARAH STREET, 3 14 - 2 61- 4 4 9 7
BLUEBERRY HILL (TIE)
6504 DELMAR BOULEVA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 3 14 - 7 2 7 - 4 4 44 Retreat Gastropub, the stylishly rusContinued on pg 74 tic spot on the
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44 N Brentwood Blvd. Clayton (314) 721-9400 oceanobistro.com
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CULPEPPER’S COURTESY OF CULPEPPER’S
Happy Hour Monday – Friday 4:00pm – 6:30pm; Saturday 2:00pm – 4:30pm Now Serving Sunday Brunch Light & Healthy Menu Available
FOODS
Continued from pg 73 edge of the Central West End, offers a wide range of small plates, perfect either for starting your meal or for fueling up while you’re having a drink at the bar — from killer french fries to savory pork toasts to cedar-smoked trout. Readers rave about the experience at Retreat, from the modern cocktails to expert service, but if you can’t manage to score a table (an all too common occurrence at this popular spot), readers also love the more traditional bar eats on offer at Blueberry Hill. Nosh on pretzel sticks with nacho cheese, fried pickles with a side of ranch, or cheddar cheese balls, fried and served with a side of salsa, and remember why this oldie is always a goodie. Whether you like your appetizers with a side of rock & roll nostalgia or as a prelude to one of the city’s hottest-ticket dining experiences, one of these spots will always have you covered.
wings CULPEPPER’S
300 N O R T H EUCLID AVE N U E, 314-361-2828 A N D 3010 W EST CL AY, ST. CH AR L E S; 636-916-3102 The wings at this popular restaurant are a perennial winner on our readers’ choice list, and it’s easy to see why. Crispy on the outside, incredibly moist on the inside, they’re so delicious that it’s impossible to stop gobbling them up once you’ve tried one. No wonder Culpepper’s sells them in batches as big as 50! Try the original hot, gold, chipotle BBQ, sweet and spicy, or honey mustard sauce — and, to really mix things up, pair any of the above options with a boneless version. Either way, you can dip them in your choice of ranch or bleu cheese. Readers will happily attest to the fact that you’ll leave sated.
For a full list of the categories with winners and runners up, see page 96.
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ADVERTORIAL
PRASINO: CREATIVE LUNCH OFFERINGS INCLUDE A “CHICKEN CAPRESE” ON TOMATO-BASIL FOCACCIA. | PHOTO BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
BELLA VINO: TAPAS OFFERINGS AT THE WINE BAR INCLUDE FLATBREAD PIZZA. | PHOTO BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
St. Charles: A Destination for Food and Drink WRITTEN BY ERIC BERGER t used to be that food lovers visiting St. Charles had one direction to go after exiting Interstate 70 -- north. That’s where you’ll find the lovely walkable district of Old Town, with noted restaurants including Bella Vino, which offers tapas and a wine bar, and Tony’s on Main, offering Italian/American cuisine. But these days, there’s good reason to visit both sides of the highway. To the south, in the Streets of St. Charles, is a growing collection of dining options, including Prasino St. Charles, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, and Tucanos Brazilian Grill. Mission Taco Joint, the West Coaststyle taqueria beloved by St. Louis diners, plans to open a location there in June. And now there’s a trolley to connect both sides of the interstate. The service, which runs from Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., reopened last month after a seven-year hiatus. For Jackie Miller, an owner of Bella Vino, excitement is in the air.
“It definitely has become more diversified within the three years that we have been open,” says Miller. “Originally, it was very hard to draw people to come across the bridge from St. Louis and Chesterfield; now we have more shopping and dining experiences.” By stopping at Bella Vino, visitors can try chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon with romesco sauce and maple syrup or a new special of filet mignon with homemade gnocchi topped with a mushroom red cabernet reduction. The entree special has “sold out every night that we have run it,” Miller says. The restaurant also features a wine list offering a range, from a “nice, sweet wine to something that is very dry and bold,” like a zinfandel or merlot from Rombauer Vineyards in Napa Valley. Miller also regularly sends her customers across the bridge to Prasino, a farm-totable restaurant recently named one of the 100 hottest in the country by OpenTable. Her favorite item is the lobster avocado starter with mango salsa and chile beurre
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blanc. She also loves the handcrafted cocktails, such as the “Prasino Paloma,” made from reposado tequila, lemon, agave and Stiegl Radler Grapefruit. The restaurants draw customers from events such as Festival of the Little Hills, an annual celebration in August that features hundreds of craft and food booths, and the Christmas Traditions festival in December. “The little things that Historic St. Charles has incorporated have upped the game in the area,” says Miller. Those things are part of a long history. St. Charles has been attracting visitors traveling along the Missouri River since 1769. All these years later, it remains a great place for shopping, strolling and enjoying a terrific meal. Says Miller, “People are looking for experiential things. To come to St. Charles and have a trolley take you around while you learn about the history of the area and see all the different individual storefronts and restaurants is really cool.”
n A c i x e M c i t n e h t u A Food, Beer, And MArgAritAs!
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Fresh Gulf Coast Seafood
1820 Market St. #350 Union Station 314.231.4040 LandrysSeafood.com RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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restaurant seafood cajun/creole BROADWAY OYSTER BAR
73 6 S O U T H B R OA D WAY , 3 1 4-621-8811 How beloved is Broadway Oyster Bar? Not only did it make our critic’s list of “40 Restaurants We Love,” but readers also voted it to the top of no less than three categories, including the big kahuna: best seafood, best Cajun/Creole and best restaurant. Phew! Here, you’ll find marvelously quirky decor and live music seven nights a week. Broadway Oyster Bar first opened its doors more than 35 years ago, and recently underwent a renovation — it now boasts two patios that can be heated and covered in cold or rainy weather, all the better to handle the revelers and diners who regularly pack the place. It’s a must-visit whether you’re hungry for a taste of New Orleans or simply eager to let the good times roll. The seafood-heavy menu features Cajun and Creole dishes, including crab cakes, peel-and-eat shrimp, fried alligator, po’ boys, fried crawfish tails, jambalaya, red beans and rice, gumbo, and of course, oysters — fried, grilled and freshly shucked. Dining here isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience.
NEW RESTAURANT VISTA RAMEN
26 0 9 C H E R O K E E S T R E E T , 3 1 4-797-8250 Unlike most chefs who’ve come to the ramen trend, Chris Bork didn’t obsess over Japanese tradition. Sure, Bork
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studied the craft of ramen and familiarized himself with the original ways of doing things, but instead of trying to mimic, he took that knowledge as a jumping-off point for doing his own thing. It’s why you’ll see everything from the traditional-leaning Vista bowl to the Latin-inspired pozole — each one a celebration of the art of ramen. However, Bork’s biggest departure from traditional ramen at Vista is the fact that the magnificent Cherokee Street restaurant he cooks for isn’t a ramen shop at all. As good as the food in the bowls at Vista is, it’s what Bork serves as small plates that’s the most exciting part of dining here. Dishes lean Asian, but there are nods to everything from classical French to Mexican to the Mediterranean as well, sometimes on the same plate. His ability to combine flavors — ‘nduja and orange marmalade; crab caramel; green curry and watermelon — results in tastes that are as intellectually stimulating as they are flavorful. Though he’s at a restaurant where he could have been pigeonholed, Bork instead shows his full range as a chef. It’s what makes Vista one of the most thrilling places to open in the last several years.
romantic restaurant
KEMOLL’S
2 1 1 N . B R OA D WAY , 3 1 4 - 4 2 1 - 05 5 5 For native St. Louisans, our relationship with the Arch is a lot like a marriage. Sure, there was a time when you looked at it lovingly, eager for a chance to get up close and personal. But over time, the novelty fades and you find yourself looking past it, confident in the knowledge that it’s always going to be there. Then something shifts, and you suddenly find yourself
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CHINESE WONTON KING
8 1 1 6 O L I V E B O U L E VA R D , UNIVERSITY CITY; 3 14 - 5 67 - 9997 If you walk into a Chinese restaurant and hear Cantonese coming from a bunch of regulars, you know you’ve struck gold as far as the food is concerned. This is the scene at University City’s Wonton King, as diners flock to the restaurant for its authentic Hong Kong-style cuisine. But even if this is your first time dining here, don’t be shy. William Huynh and his wife Ling make sure that, whether you’ve been here twenty times or twice, you are welcomed like an honored guest in their home. Together, they ooze a hospitality that is typically associated with white-tablecloth restaurants — and they serve food that is deserving of such accolades as well. Huynh is a master of flavor, approaching his cuisine like a scientist. The results show in multi-layered dishes that reveal something new in each bite. Dim sum is a “must” here; what it lacks in breadth it makes up for in quality. And no one’s Peking duck is better than Wonton King’s — the bird is so large and plump, it will make you shake your head at anything else being passed off as such. The place is packed, and you’ll often have to wait for a table during dim sum hours, but once you taste Huynh’s delicious food, you’ll understand why.
MIDDLE EASTERN RANOUSH
6501 DELMAR BOULEVARD, UNIVERSITY CITY; 314-726-6874 Forget the spare tables, bare walls and refrigerated display cases at many Middle Eastern spots around town. Our readers’ choice for favorite Middle Eastern restaurant, Ranoush, isn’t just a feast for the mouth, but also the eyes. Striking murals adorn the walls, ornate hookahs and tapestries lend an exotic air, and large windows face the street parade on Delmar — making it that rare spot where the view is as good as the food. And the food is quite good. Opened by Syrian immigrants in 2009, Ranoush has outlasted many Loop competitors by providing top-quality meze, or appetizers, and expertly grilled meats. The RFT’s critic called the lamb shish kebab “a carnivore’s dream,” and that remains just as true today as eight years ago.
Continued on pg 80
BROADWAY OYSTER BAR BY JON GITCHOFF
favorite
KEMOLL’S COURTESY OF KEMOLL’S
readers’ poll
looking at your love with fresh eyes. Maybe it’s the elevator ride that takes you to Kemoll’s dining room on the 40th floor of the Metropolitan Square Building that makes its grandeur smack you across the face. Maybe it’s a porcelain dish of saffron and lobster risotto, or a platter of delectable fried artichoke hearts. Maybe it’s the way the lights of downtown shine through the floor-to ceiling windows and dance across the polished glassware and elegant china. Whatever the reason, there’s no chance you’ll leave dinner at Kemoll’s without falling in love with the icon of St. Louis’ skyline — and in the process, with whomever is lucky enough to be dining with you, too.
Balaban’s Springs For You! Monday Night Bargain 3 Courses, No Corkage Fee, $25
Tuesday Nights BBQ Plates at $16 & $20
Unwined Wednesdays Wine Tastings 5:30-7pm, $25
Thursday Nights
1772 CLARKSON RD at Baxter CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017
Pasta Specials for $18
www.balabanswine.com
I PHONE: 636.449.6700
Be still here The Nature of the Divine: May 19-21, 2017 Nature Wandering as Spiritual Practice with Belden Lane: June 2-4, 2017 Dog Is My Co-Pilot Day of Recollection: June 25, 2017
BROADWAY OYSTER BAR BY JON GITCHOFF
The Marianist Retreat & Conference Center Eureka, MO - (636) 938-5390 - mretreat.org
RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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DINING
Continued from pg 79
IRISH/ENGLISH/SCOTTISH 8 SOUTH SARAH STREET, 3 1 4-535-0551 When you walk through the door of the Scottish Arms, you get the feeling you’ve left the Central West End behind and are entering, Narnia-style, a pub in the British Isles. Its interior features an ornate pressed tin ceiling and lots of dark wood, with a bar offering beers on tap from numerous Scottish, British and St. Louis breweries. The menu changes seasonally and features dishes made with ingredients from sustainable local farms, many that you can’t find elsewhere in town, like Scotch eggs, haggis fritters, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and Cornish pasty. You can sample Scottish fare at brunch, too, with dishes like the “Highland Hangover” (Scotch egg, forfar bridies, smoked salmon and home fries). Of course, it wouldn’t be a true pub without a cocktail and spirits menu, and the one here includes an enormous selection of whisky. It’s no wonder that readers named it their favorite in St. Louis even in a crowded category.
INDIAN HAVELI
9 720 PAG E AV E N U E , OV E R L A N D ; 314-4 2 3 - 7 3 00 Years ago, the space now occupied by Haveli Indian Restaurant used to be a Shoney’s. In fact, if you look at the floor in the center of the dining room, you can still see the outline of the old salad bar. These days, there is still an all-you-can-eat buffet, but rather than iceberg and ranch dressing, it’s filled with some of the best Indian food you can get this side of Kolkata. Haveli hews to the standard Indian restaurant playbook with tandoori chicken and lamb, various curries and vindaloos, and vegan and vegetarian dishes, including channa masala and saag paneer. However, there is nothing ordinary about
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LULU’S LOCAL EATERY BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
SCOTTISH ARMS
Haveli’s flavors. Its chefs have the ability to play with aromatic spices that only comes with a mastery of Indian cooking. Dishes like vindaloo, so often filled with one-dimensional spice, are here a symphony of flavor thanks to their well-trained hands. As exciting as the food is at Haveli, readers also love the pleasant customer service, with servers who greet you as if you are a guest in their home. It’s a breath of fresh air that fills this former chain burger joint.
mous portions of pasta swimming in flavorful sauces and hearty Italian entrees. Cunetto’s traditional comfort foods are served in a traditional dining room — no Edison bulbs in faux-industrial chandeliers here. But you’ll need to arrive early or be prepared to wait in the bar area where patrons are always packed like sardines. Despite — or maybe because of? — the lack of what’s supposedly “hip” and “modern,” people line up around the block for Cunetto’s down-home Italian cuisine.
ITALIAN CUNETTO HOUSE OF PASTA
VEGETARIAN LULU’S LOCAL EATERY
5 45 3 M AG N O L I A AV E N U E , 3 1 4 - 7 81 - 1 1 3 5 Visiting Cunetto House of Pasta on the Hill is a bit like stepping back in time; it hasn’t changed much since opening in 1972. But there’s comfort in knowing what to expect: a big St. Louis-style Italian salad, enor-
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3201 SOUTH GRAND AV E N U E , 3 14 - 3 0 0 - 8 2 15 Lulu’s Local Eatery is many a St. Louis vegetarian’s happy place. Much of their menu is vegan, and all of it is both vegetarian and delicious. Lulu’s started as a food truck and expanded to a brick-and-mortar on South Grand in 2014. Owners Robert Tucker and Lauren Loomis work
with local farmers to provide the highest quality, freshest ingredients to their customers. They’re thoughtful of customers’ dietary needs; soyfree and gluten-free items are noted on their menu. Inventive offerings include buffalo cauliflower bites, sweet potato falafel and bánh mì tacos. Wash it all down with a local craft beer under the string lights on the charming patio and see why readers named it their favorite vegetarian spot in the city.
THAI KING AND I
3155 SOUTH GRAND AV E N U E , 3 14-77 1 -1 77 7 Many think of King and I as St. Louis’ essential Thai restaurant: It’s been serving up flavorful dishes since 1980 and claims to be the city’s first Thai restaurant. Located on South Grand, it features several dining rooms (both of which got a striking remodel in recent years) and a small carry-out Continued on pg 82
lunch dinner brunch cocktails craft beer
RFT reader’s choice 2016 winner: FAVORITE NEW RESTAURANT RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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THE GRAMOPHONE BY MABEL SUEN
DINING
SPIRITS, MUSIC & BISTRO
for all walks of life
St. Louis’ Favorite Outdoor Patio
Continued from pg 80 area. The large menu showcases the cuisine of central Thailand, from curry to stir-fry to the requisite pad Thai. Signature dishes include Thai fajitas, the chef’s special red curry duck and the four kings of Thailand: shrimp, beef, chicken and pork stirfried in a medley of red bell peppers, onions and carrots, and glazed with a roasted chili sauce.
Dog Friendly Patio & Wheelchair Accessible!
SPIRITS:
Premium Craft Cocktails, 54 Available Spirits, 22 Beers & 14 Nice Wines
MUSIC:
LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC 4 DAYS A WEEK! Thurs 6-9 • Fri 6-9• Sat 6-9 • Sun 2-5
BISTRO:
Fresh gourmet entrees, salrads and sandwiches. Live music four nights a week. 2732 S 13th St. | St. Louis, MO 63118 | 314-349-2850 82 |
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OUTDOOR DINING JOHN D. MCGURK’S
1200 RUSSELL BOULEVARD, 314-776-8309 John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub is popular for its Irish beers and music, and perhaps most of all for its sprawling patio. With two bars, wrought-iron tables, a charming fountain and even a small waterfall, the rustic brick-lined spot invites year-round drinking (to make that possible in this four-seasoned city, some areas are covered and heated when the weather calls for it). It’s the perfect backdrop to enjoy the fine beer of Ireland, Guinness, and St. Louis classics like toasted ravioli — or fish and chips, if you prefer. Come join the party.
FAST-CASUAL THE GRAMOPHONE
4243 MANCHESTER AV E N U E , 3 1 4-531 -570 0 While simple in concept, the sandwich can be challenging to execute well. There’s the meat-to-cheese ratio to consider. Condiments can easily swing from insignificant to overwhelming. Bread — the critical foundation of the entire enterprise — can be too tough, too thin or too boring. Fortunately, the folks at the Gramophone have sandwiches down. At this bar-turned-fast-casual-hangout, quality ingredients are perfectly proportioned, sauces and condiments are applied with a skilled hand, and the style of bread always suits the type of sandwich. But there’s also a next-level artfulness to sandwich-making that’s unlocked with every Gramophone creation. The condiments and spreads are inspired — we’re talking red wine aioli, Cholula mayo and spicy jalapeño-cilantro sauce, to name just a few —and the variety and originality in these sandwiches makes them infinitely satisfying. Want chips on your sandwich, so you don’t have to crunch on them separately? Done. Pescatarian or vegetarian? No problem. Interested in all of the meats? The GramoContinued on pg 84
sports bar food that is truly
Spinach Artichoke Dip with grilled Pita points
Grilled Shrimp & Crawfish tail Po’ Boy
Full Menu served 11:00 pm daily Bar 1:30 am (midnight Sundays) Free Shuttle Cards & Blues Serving Brunch every Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am 2:00 pm
Duke’s Famous Crab Cakes Benedict 2001 Menard (Corner of Menard & Allen) in the Heart of Soulard Tel: 314.833.6686 | Facebook: R E S T Adukesinsoulard URANT GUIDE 2017 | RIVERFRONTTIMES.COM
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Continued from pg 82 phone’s got you covered there as well. Yummy soups and sides — and local brews — perfectly complete the menu.
greek/mediterranean
as the burgers. (If you’re having a hard time deciding between the two, try the gyro burger for a meat-stravaganza.) Greek staples like kebobs, dolmades, hummus and spanakopita also are reliably scrumptious, and the béchamel-covered pastitsio and moussaka elevate comfort food to nearly mythological levels. Opa!
mexican OLYMPIA KEBOB HOUSE AND TAVERNA MI RANCHITO 1 5 4 3 M CC AU S L A N D AV E N U E , 314-781- 1 2 9 9 Many Greek restaurants have a celebratory vibe, what with the flaming cheese and the potent ouzo and all, but Olympia Kebob House and Taverna outshines every one of them. Cozy inside, with a great patio outside, this longtime St. Louis classic offers diners so much more than just crave-able fried kasseri — but, nevertheless, you should always treat yourself to this appetizer to start. From there, move on to Olympia’s gyros, which are as fantastically filling
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887 K I N G S L A N D AV E N U E , UNIVERSITY CITY; 3 1 4 - 86 3 - 1 880 Cherokee Street isn’t the only spot in St. Louis to find delicious Mexican eats. Readers love the soul-satisfying south-of-the-border-style dishes served up at University City’s festive Mi Ranchito, too. Maybe you start off your meal with some queso fundido, complete with chorizo and chips — a little bit rich, a smidgen spicy and a lot melty — yum! It’s the perfect tastebud teaser for the chori pollo, a chicken and chorizo entrée offer-
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ing a bit of heat and plenty of flavor, with fresh guacamole and tortillas on the side. For a less heavy nosh, consider trying the shrimp cocktail, with plump shrimp, pico de gallo, avocado and hot sauce — cool but spicy, light but filling. Wash whatever you choose down with a Mexican beer, and sweeten things up before you go with cinnamon-sugary churros and ice cream.
steakhouse TUCKER’S PLACE
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S INCLUDING 2117 SOUTH 12TH STREET, 3 14 - 7 7 2 - 5 97 7 Here’s the thing with steakhouses. Sometimes their fanciness outweighs the tastiness of the food. For Tucker’s Place, it’s the opposite — and that’s a very good thing. Whether it’s your first time at one of the three locations, or you’re a regular, it’s easy to settle in and feel right at home. But don’t be fooled by
the comfortably casual ambiance. Tucker’s serves up steaks and other meaty entrées (think pork chops, chicken and fish) that are outstanding, memorable and affordable, with perfectly baked potatoes on the side. Lunches here are no joke, either. The midday sandwich special includes your choice of side and a drink — we’re talking soda, beer, wine or a well drink (don’t mind if we do, thank you very much!). And for you non-steak lovers out there, you’ve got a friend in the steak business. Tucker’s thin-crust pizza also hits the spot.
vietnamese MAI LEE
8396 MUSICK MEMORIAL D R I V E , B R E N T W OO D ; 3 14 - 64 5 - 2 8 35 Mai Lee is consistently readers’ favorite Vietnamese joint in St. Louis, and why shouldn’t it be? For a little investment, diners are rewarded exponentially, no matter what they or-
TUCKER’S BY ERIC FRAZIER
Lil Gio’s
Taqueria
Happy Hour M-F 3-7PM
authentic mexican cuisine!
25% Tapas & Wine
1 off domestic beers & well cocktails
$
7344 MANCHESTER BOOGALOOSTL.COM 314-645-4803 AVOCADO TACO
336 SOUTH MAIN STREET ST. CHARLES (636) 896-4377 LILGIOS.COM
der. The menu breaks things down in an easy-to-understand way, with several photos included to guide the way. There are multiple soup sections and appetizers, rice plates and noodle bowls, sandwiches and salads, plus beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetarian entrées. House specialties range from pad Thai to frog legs, and there’s even a whole Chinese food menu as well. When deciding on your meal, keep the following in mind: The brightly favored pho will warm you from the inside out, the banh xeo appetizer — crispy crêpes with shrimp and pork— is definitely worth a try, you can never go wrong with a noodle bowl, or bun, and if you’re feeling brave, you can try rolling your own spring rolls.
7344 MANCHESTER | 314-645-4803 | BOOGALOOSTL.COM
FULL CATERING IN HOUSE OR OUT HOME OF THE FAMOUS
OVERSTUFFED SANDWICH The “Best” Sandwiches in St. Louis! Meats piled high, tender & juicy.
MONDAY - GOUDA BACON BURGER/MEATLOAF/50 CENT WINGS TUESDAY - 9” PIZZA + SALAD/TURKEY CLUB WRAP/REUBEN WEDNESDAY - FIERY FRENCH DIP (PEPPER CHEESE + HORSE RADISH)/ PATTY MELT/PIZZA BUFFET ( LAST WED. OF THE MONTH) THURSDAY - FRIED CHICKEN FRIDAY - POLISH SAUSAGE & KRAUT SATURDAY - BOGO PIZZAS SUNDAY - $5 BURGERS
Since 1969
6401 Clayton Rd (314)721-2393 www.carlsdelistl.com
For a full list of the categories with winners and runners up, see page 96.
Mon-Fri 9-5:30 Sat 9-4
12314 Natural Bridge Rd. • Bridgeton, MO 63044 • 314-739-2344 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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readers’ poll
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 1919 PA R K AV E N U E , 314-621-4 02 0 If you’re seeking out St. Louis’ beloved gooey butter cake, readers say there’s no better spot to visit than this cute coffee shop, which has expanded from its Lafayette Square digs to include locations downtown, on the Hill and in the Cortex Innovation District. Sure to cause a sugar crash an hour later, gooey butter cake is as decadently rich as it sounds. Park Avenue Coffee’s version has a dense, cake-like crust topped with a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar and naturally, butter. While the original gooey butter cake is the St. Louis classic, Park Avenue makes many flavors including banana split, blackberry, butter pecan, banana chocolate chip, amaretto and apple cinnamon. They’re the perfect companion to Park Avenue’s coffee, made by air-roasting beans in small batches.
idea, and had Ted Drewes Frozen Custard for dinner instead? Things certainly would be a lot sweeter. And if we chose a custardy creation like, say, the “All Shook Up” concrete, with peanut butter cups and fresh bananas, we would at least be covering a couple of food groups, in addition to satisfying our sweet tooth. A classic win-win. A tip for Ted Drewes’ neophytes: Do yourselves a favor and check out the menu online before getting in line, so you aren’t overwhelmed with options. Still, no one will mind if you try to make a game-time decision — even with those lines, the people who are about to consume St. Louis’ best sweet treats are a pretty jovial crew.
For a full list of the categories with winners and runners up, see page 96.
PARK AVENUE COFFEE COURTESY OF PARK AVENUE
gooey butter cake PARK AVENUE COFFEE
ice cream TED DREWES FROZEN CUSTARD
6 726 C H I P P E WA S T R E E T , 3 1 4-481-2652 A N D 4 2 2 4 SOUTH GRAND BOULEVA R D , 314-352-737 6 When you think of heading to Route 66’s iconic frozen custard stand (or its smaller outpost deep in south city), you’re likely longing for a dessert after a summer’s supper of pork steaks and corn on the cob. But what if we all flipped that
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TED DREWES BY KELLY GLUECK
favorite desserts
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FREE
ADMISSION & PARKING
Live Music
O’Fallon’s Sports Park 3589 Highway K
Friday, June 2 5:30–8:30 PM
CRAZY SHAKES
CHECK OUT THE TRUCKS AT
www.ofallon.mo.us FREE
ADMISSION & PARKING
CREPES
O’Fallon, MO
Ozzie Smith Sports Complex
Free Concerts by National Artists Country Music on July 3rdrd Rock ’N Roll Music on July 4thth
SPRINGTIME SALAD
Fireworks on July 3 and 4 rd rd
th th
Side Shows & Attractions Carnival Rides & Midway Food & Drink Vendors
Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Café 8509 Delmar Blvd. • (314) 993-5455
EVENT SPACE - CALL FOR AVAILABILITY
Jilly’s Ice Cream Bar 20 Steps to the left of Cupcake Bar (just around the corner)
heritageandfreedomfest.com
J I L LY S C U P CA K E B A R . C O M RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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readers’ poll
favorite drinks
BLUEBERRY HILL
6 50 4 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y ; 314-727-4444 A one-of-a-kind St. Louis destination, Blueberry Hill features a dart room, walls brimming with vintage paraphernalia, and a concert venue (the Duck Room) in the basement where the late, great Chuck Berry played monthly for many years. Several dining and bar areas mean plenty of room to grab a meal before the show, while outdoor tables provide plenty of people-watching opportunities. There’s something for everyone on the huge menu, including St. Louis classics like toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake. The burger — which readers chose as the city’s best — has been a local favorite since 1974, with seven ounces of 100 percent ground chuck on a fresh sesame seed bun. Add the cheese of your choice (yes, Provel is an option) for $1, or a host of other toppings for just a bit more. And while the Blueberry Hill experience has changed little in 40 years, this is a kitchen that knows how to keep up with the times: A gluten-free bun is an option.
bloody mary THE SHACK
M U LTIPLE LOCAT ION S I NC LUDING 731 SOUT H L I ND BE RG H BO UL E VA R D, F RO NT ENAC; 314-736-9500 The blood mary at the Shack only
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sounds like a drink. It’s really more like a meal with a liquid base. This west county hotspot offers two options: a “Veggie Mary” with cucumber vodka, olive, asparagus and carrot; and a “Meaty Mary” with cucumber vodka, bacon, cheese cube and a beef jerky straw. The Shack serves breakfast, lunch and brunch with lots of creativity, and in turn lets its patrons use their creativity, offering colorful permanent markers for use in decorating the reclaimed wood walls. The brunch drinks don’t stop with bloody marys – at the Shack, you can get alcoholic cereal shakes, like the “Captain Crunch” with rumchata, Captain Morgan, yogurt and crushed Captain Crunch, or the “I Do What I Want” with Coco Puffs, yogurt, Bailey’s and Frangelico. Drink up.
happy hour sushi DRUNKEN FISH
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S INCLUDING 1 MARYLAND P L A Z A , 3 1 4 - 3 6 7 -4 2 2 2 The Drunken Fish is known for its creativce drinks, which you can get in a glass or, if you’re feeling especially thirsty, a 53-ounce fish bowl. The restaurant’s win for favorite happy hour surely has something to do with the fact that it offers not one, but several happy hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday 10 p.m. til close. During those times, select beers are $4, martinis/cocktails are $6, and some wines and sakes are only $5, plus appetizers are $6 and rolls are $11. But happy hour Continued on pg 90
| RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
THE SHACK COURTESY OF THE SHACK
bar/pub burger
The Original Craft Cocktail Bar Barrel Aged Sours Beers Poured Daily 1409 WASHINGTON AVE.
•
314-621-BEER (2337)
S E C O N D L O C A T I O N O P E N I N G F A L L 2 017 I N T O W E R G R O V E S O U T H WWW.ALPHABREWINGCOMPANY.COM
Award Winning Bloody Marys & Martinis
Rotating Seasonal Drink Menu WINERY & EVENT VENUE
The Region’s Premier Relaxation Destination
LUNCH DINNER WEDDINGS EVENTS PATIO SEATING
OPEN WED - SUN ONE MILE EAST OF ECKERT’S
FOLLOW US ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
1780 East State Rt 15 Belleville, IL 62221 www.theweingarten.com • 618-257-WINE
5213 Chippewa St Saint Louis, MO 63109 (314) 832-2211 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
| R I V E R F R O N T T I M E S . C O M | 89
MISSION TACO JOINT BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG
A ST. LOUIS FAVORITE
FOR 28+ YEARS! Thank you for voting Broadway Oyster bar as a Riverfront Times Restaurant Guide winner/finalist: CAJUN/CREOLE
OVERALL RESTAURANT
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
SEAFOOD
OUTDOOR/PATIO
1989, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
2013, 2014
ATMOSPHERE
1989, 1998, 2005, 2013
NAMED 2015 RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR MISSOURI RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
736 S. BROADWAY, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 314-621-8811 • BROADWAYOYSTERBAR.COM
DRINKS
Continued from pg 88 isn’t the only thing on offer here: Readers also voted Drunken Fish favorite sushi, thanks to a menu that includes dozens of sushi rolls, plus soups, salads, sashimi and nigiri, in addition to entrees like stir fries, sesame tuna steak and shrimp tempura. Locations in Ballpark Village, Westport Plaza and on one of the busiest corners in the Central West End mean you can always see and be seen while expertly deploying your chopsticks here.
margarita MISSION TACO JOINT
M U L T I P L E L OC AT I O N S I N C L U D I N G 6 2 35 D E L M A R B O U L E VA R D , 3 14 - 93 2 - 5 4 3 0 The margarita just might be the supreme year-round drink. Hear us out. Sure, most people think about kicking back with a marg, or three, in the summer or while on a beachy va-
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cay, but indulging in a citrusy tequila cocktail in the wintertime brings that tropical feeling to the fore and encourages it to wash right over you, right here at home. Our readers’ favorite margarita spot, Mission Taco Joint, knows this. This growing local chain revels in that lively, laid-back, Mexican vacation vibe, offering up all sorts of innovative street tacos that please meat lovers and vegetarians alike — and, just as importantly, lay a sturdy foundation in our bellies for our liquid holidays. The top-shelf Maestro Margarita is where it’s at here, with fresh-squeezed juice and Maestro Dobel tequila, a special blend made especially for the taco joint. You won’t even remember what store-bought margarita mix and rail tequila taste like after trying these — and we guarantee you can’t stop after just one.
For a full list of the categories with winners and runners up, see page 96.
Fresh seafood and Cajun specialties including fresh oysters, crab legs, and fish, along with fabulous Cajun favorites like Gumbo, red beans & rice, and Jambalaya.
BEST STEAK SANDWICH IN TOWN! 20+ LCDHD TV’S & A 10FT PROJECTION TV PRIVATE ROOM AVAILABLE FOR EVENTS! $14 DOMESTIC BUCKETS DURING ALL CARDINAL GAMES KARAOKE EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY 9 PM-CLOSE 20 DRAFTS ON TAP KITCHEN OPEN UNTIL 10 PM EVERY NIGHT $2 UV BOMBS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY! MON 11AM-1:30AM • CLOSED TUE • WED-SAT 11AM-1:30AM • SUN 11AM-MIDNIGHT
KEETONS RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR 5625 MANCHESTER AVE.• ST. LOUIS 63110
happy hour specials! monday-friday 3-6pm
$3 domestic beer & $2.50 Well drinks 1/2 off select appetizers
live music 7 days a week. 365 days a year. complimentary SHUTTLE TO ALL Cardinals & BLUES GAMES Visit 1860Saloon.com for music schedule and special event calendar
1860 S. 9 TH STREET RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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Tapas All Day Sangria All Night!
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©2017 The Coca-Cola Company.
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Breese Publishing Official Print Partner of the RFT
AMERICA’S #1 COMEDY CLUB PRESENTING THE FINEST IN STAND UP COMEDY FOR 30 YEARS 614 WESTPORT PLAZA • 314-469-6692 S U N D AY - T H U R S D AY 7 : 3 0 • F R I D AY 7 : 3 0 & 1 0 : 0 0 S AT U R D AY 7 : 0 0 , 9 : 3 0 , & 1 1 : 3 0
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PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE @ STLOUISFUNNYBONE.COM RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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readers’ poll
winners & runners up
[ FAV O R I T E S O U P ]
[ FAV O R I T E I N D I A N ]
P I C K LES D E LI
H AVE LI
2. BRASSERIE BY NICHE
2. HOUSE OF INDIA
3. GROVE EAST PROVISIONS
3. RASOI
4. NORA’S
4 . M R . C U R R Y ’ S I N D I A R E S TAU R A N T
5 . F O U N TA I N O N L OC U S T
5 . E V E R E S T C A F E , TA J M A H A L
[ FAV O R I T E I R I S H / E N G L I S H / S C O T T I S H ]
[ FAV O R I T E B R U N C H ]
[ FAV O R I T E D E L I ]
[ FAV O R I T E T O A S T E D R AV I O L I ]
ECLIPS E
B LU ES C I T Y D E LI
A N TH O N I N O’S TAV E R N A
S COT TIS H A R M S
2. R OO S T E R
2. P I C K L E S D E L I
2. IMO’S
2 . J O H N D. M CG U R K ’ S 3. DRESSEL’S PUBLIC HOUSE
3. T H E S H AC K
3. M O M ’ S D E L I
3 . C H A R L I E G I T TO ’ S
4. T H R E E M O N K E Y S
4. G I O I A ’ S D E L I
4 . L O M B A R DO ’ S
4. LLWELYN’S PUB
5. BRASSERIE BY NICHE, UNCLE BILL’S,
5 . L E G R A N D ’ S M A R K E T & C AT E R I N G
5 . T R AT TO R I A M A R C E L L A
5 . PAT CO N N O L L Y TAV E R N
[ FAV O R I T E F R I E D C H I C K E N ]
[ FAV O R I T E W I N G S ]
[ FAV O R I T E I TA L I A N ]
SOUTHWEST DINER
[FAVORITE COFFE E ]
K ALDI’S
HO DAK ’S
C U LP E P P E R’S
C U N E T TO HOUS E OF PAS TA
2. S O U T H E R N
2 . T U C K E R ’ S P L AC E
2 . A N T H O N I N O ’ S TAV E R N A
2. PA R K AV E N U E
3. B Y R D & B A R R E L
3. BLUEBERRY HILL
3. ZIA’S ON THE HILL
3. CO F F E E C A R T E L
4. PORTER’S CHICKEN
4 . S T. L O U I S W I N G CO.
4 . T R AT TO R I A M A R C E L L A
4. S U M P CO F F E E
5. G U S ’ S F R I E D C H I C K E N
5. NICK’S PUB
5 . C H A R L I E G I T TO ’ S
[ FAV O R I T E M A C ‘ N C H E E S E ]
[ FAV O R I T E A P P E T I Z E R S E L E C T I O N ]
[ FAV O R I T E J A P A N E S E / S U S H ] I
5. NORTHWEST COFFEE ROASTING CO.
[ FAV O R I T E D I N E R ]
CIT Y DINE R
SA LT + SM O K E
R E TR E AT/ B LU E B E R RY H I LL
D RU N K E N FIS H
2. S U G A R F I R E S M O K E H O U S E
2 . A N T H O N I N O ’ S TAV E R N A
2 . TA N I S U S H I B I S T R O
2. CO U R T E S Y D I N E R
3. S O U T H TO W N P U B
3 . TA S T E
3 . C A F E M OC H I
3. S O U T H W E S T D I N E R
4. S W E E T I E P I E ’ S
4 . B R OA D WAY O Y S T E R B A R
4 . WA S A B I S U S H I
4. P E ACOC K D I N E R
5 . P E E L W OO D - F I R E D P I Z Z A
5 . V I S TA R A M E N
5 . S U S H I A I , S A P P O R O 2,
5. E AT-R I T E D I N ER, KI N GSIDE DINER
[ AV O R I T E P A S T R I E S / D O U G H N U T S ]
VI NCENT VAN DO U G HNU T
B L U E OC E A N S U S H I
[ FAV O R I T E P I Z Z A ]
[ FAV O R I T E C A J U N / C R E O L E ]
PI PI Z Z E R I A
B ROA D WAY OYS TE R B A R
M I R A NC HITO
2. IMO’S
2 . G U L F S H O R E S R E S TAU R A N T &
2. W O R L D ’ S FA I R DO N U T S
3. K AT I E ’ S P I Z Z A & PA S TA
GRILL
2 . C H AVA ’ S
3. DO N U T D R I V E - I N
4. DO U G H OC R AC Y
3 . B OOG A L OO
3 . M I S S I O N TACO J O I N T
4. S T R A N G E DO N U T S
5. P E E L W OO D - F I R E D P I Z Z A
4. THE KITCHEN SINK, EVANGELINE’S
5. P I CC I O N E PA S T R Y
[ FAV O R I T E B A R B E C U E ]
SUGARFIRE SMOKE HO U SE
4 . E L B U R R O L OCO 5 . R O S A L I TA ’ S C A N T I N A
[ FAV O R I T E S A N D W I C H ]
[ FAV O R I T E C H I N E S E ]
B LU ES C I T Y D E LI
WO N TO N K I N G
[ FAV O R I T E M I D D L E E A S T E R N ]
R ANOUS H
2. T H E G R A M O P H O N E
2 . C H I N E S E N OO D L E C A F É
2. PA P P Y ’ S S M O K E H O U S E
3. P I C K L E S D E L I
3 . B O F U N G C H I N E S E K I TC H E N
2. THE VINE
3. B E A S T C R A F T B B Q
4. G I O I A ’ S D E L I
4. CHEF MA’S CHINESE GOURMET
3 . C A F E N ATA S H A
4. S A L T + S M O K E
5. F O Z Z I E ’ S S A N D W I C H E M P O R I U M
5 . CO R N E R 1 7
5. B OG A R T ’ S S M O K E H O U S E
[ FAV O R I T E B U R G E R ]
BLUEBERRY HI L L
4. SHEESH 5 . L AY L A , S A M E E M
[ FAV O R I T E S E A F O O D ]
[ F AV O R I T E G R E E K / M E D I T E R R A N E A N ]
B ROA DWAY OYS TE R B A R
OLYMPIA KEBOB HOUSE & TAVERNA
[ FAV O R I T E FA S T C A S U A L ]
TH E G RA M OPHONE
2. D R U N K E N F I S H
2 . A N T H O N I N O ’ S TAV E R N A
2. B A I L E Y S ’ R A N G E
3. P E AC E M A K E R
3. SPIRO’S
2 . P O R A N O PA S TA
3. O ’ CO N N E L L ’ S P U B
4 . OC E A N O B I S T R O
4. MICHAEL’S BAR & GRILL
3 . F I V E S TA R B U R G E R S
4. F I V E S TA R B U R G E R S
5. D E M U N O Y S T E R B A R
5. APOLLONIA, RANOUSH, MOMO’S
4. GIOIA’S DELI
G R E E K TAV E R N
5 . S AU C E O N T H E S I D E
5. L AY L A , S TAC K E D S T L
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| RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
[ FAV O R I T E N E W R E S TA U R A N T ]
[ FAV O R I T E V I E T N A M E S E ]
V IS TA RAM E N
MAI LEE
2. O L I V E + OA K
2. P H O G R A N D
3. S A R D E L L A
3. K I N N G A N
4. C I R C A S T L
4. LEMON GRASS
5. CO R K & B A R R E L
5. PHO LONG
[ F AV O R I T E O U T D O O R D I N I N G ]
[ FAV O R I T E G O O E Y B U T T E R C A K E ]
JOHN D. MCGURK’ S
PA RK AVE NU E CO FF E E
2 . B R OA D WAY O Y S T E R B A R
2. C Y R A N O ’ S
HATS-N-STUFF HATS-N-STUFF Sports Merchandise • Adults/Children’s Wear • Gift Ideas
Sports Merchandise • Adults/Children’s Wear • Gift Ide GEAR UP
3. M O L L Y ’ S I N S O U L A R D
3. G OO E Y L O U I E
4. H AC I E N DA
4 . M I S S O U R I B A K I N G CO.
5. V I N D E S E T
5. BANANA YUMMIES BAKES AND
FOR SUMMER!
BURGERS
[ F AV O R I T E O V E R A L L R E S T A U R A N T ]
B ROADWAY OYSTE R B AR 2. D R U N K E N F I S H
[ FAV O R I T E I C E C R E A M / C U S TA R D ]
T E D DR EWES
3. T U C K E R ’ S P L AC E
2. S E R E N D I P I T Y
4. A N T H O N I N O ’ S
3. C L E M E N T I N E ’ S C R E A M E R Y
5 . H O WA R D S I N S O U L A R D , R E E D S
4. S N O W FAC TO R Y
A M E R I C A N TA B L E
5. F R I T Z ’ S
[ F AV O R I T E R O M A N T I C R E S T A U R A N T ]
[ FAV O R I T E B A R / P U B ]
KEMOLL’S
B LU E B E RRY H I LL
2. V I N D E S E T
2. D U K E ’ S
3. B A R L E S F R E R E S
3. T H R E E K I N G S P U B L I C H O U S E
4. S I D N E Y S T R E E T C A F E
4. THE POST SPORTS BAR & GRILL
5. T E N D E R L O I N R OO M
5 . B R OA D WAY O Y S T E R B A R
[ FAV O R I T E S T E A K H O U S E ]
[ FAV O R I T E B L O O D Y M A R Y ]
T UCK ER’S PL AC E
T HE SHAC K
2. C I T I Z E N K A N E ’ S
2. B R OA D WAY O Y S T E R B A R
3. T E N D E R L O I N R OO M
3. FA M O U S B A R
4. A N N I E G U N N ’ S
4. S CO T T I S H A R M S
5. S A M ’ S S T E A K H O U S E
5 . R OO S T E R
[ FAV O R I T E T H A I ]
[ [ FAV O R I T E H A P P Y H O U R ]
K ING & I
DRU NKE N F I S H
2. P E A R L C A F E
2. C U L P E P P E R ’ S
3. F O R K & S T I X
3. F L A M I N G O B O W L
4. T H A I 20 2
4. M I S S I O N TACO J O I N T
5. S E N T H A I
5. T H E L I B E R T I N E
FAV O R I T E V E G E TA R I A N
[ FAV O R I T E M A R G A R I TA ]
LULU’S LOCAL E AT E RY
M I S SI O N TACO JO I N T
2. T R E E H O U S E
2. C H AVA ’ S
3. F R I DA ’ S
3. H AC I E N DA
4. S E E D Z
4. E L B U R R O L OCO
5. T H E V I N E , S Y M B O W L
5 . F U Z Z Y ’ S TACO S H O P
SPORTS MERCHANDISE FOR LOCAL TEAMS ADULTS/CHILDREN’S WEAR GREAT GIFT IDEAS @ UNBELIEVABLE PRICES 6366 DELMAR BLVD. - IN THE LOOP S T. L O U I S , M O 6 3 1 3 0 H AT S - N - S T U F F. C O M - ( 3 1 4 ) 7 2 7 - 5 2 5 5 & F I N D U S AT S O U L A R D FA R M E R ' S M A R K E T O N S AT U R D AY S !
BURGERS - HUMMUS - WRAPS 4317 MANCHESTER RD IN THE GROVE 314.553.9252
LAYLASTL.COM RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
| R I V E R F R O N T T I M E S . C O M | 97
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Don’t trust just anyone with your DWI defense. Contact the law firm of Travis Noble, P.C., by e-mail or call us at 314-450-7849 or 866-794-0947 to schedule your free consultation with a St. Louis DWI lawyer to discover that you have more options than you imagined. We 8000 MARYLAND AVENUE, SUITE 350 accept all major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
ST. LOUIS, MO 63105 PHONE: 314-721-6040 Travis Noble, P.C. TOLL FREE: 866-794-0947 8000 Maryland Avenue, Suite 350 | St. Louis MO 63105 Phone: 314-721-6040 | Toll Free: 866-794-0947 The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Missouri.
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The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Missoui.
DATE NIGHT
SNEAKING OUT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, AGAIN THE KIDS WITH HER PARENTS AND THE NIGHT YOU FIRST MET.
RESTAURANT GUIDE 2017
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Your Most Elevated Place To Celebrate... Everything.
One S. Broadway 360-stl.com One S. Broadway 314.241.8439 4+MORE VIP 360-stl.com
RESERVATIONS 314.241.8439 Monday -Thursday 360-stl.com 360Rooftop -12 A 4P @ Friday & Saturday 4P - 2 A Sunday 4P -11P
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