Edition: Favorite 30 Restaurants
Concierges' Favorite 30 Restaurants
Author: Roger Slavens
Our experts help you pick from St. Louis's best eateries.
Those who live in St. Louis take dining out seriously, which means there's a bounty of restaurants - ranging from Old World Italian to cutting edge contemporary to just plain fun - for visitors to choose from. Perhaps nobody in town has more experience and insight on the subject than the area's hotel concierges and visitor's service specialists. Collectively they make thousands of restuaunt recommendations every week, and keep close track of which eateries dish out the best food, atmosphere, service, and value. Concierge Preferred asked more than 100 of these experts to name their favorite restaurants to recommend, and then compiled the 30 most often mentioned. Consider it your "can't-miss" list of the best dining St. Louis has to offer. And, as you'll see, it includes a wide variety of choices for virtually every taste and budget.
Culinary Excellence
Expect topflight service, an elegant atmosphere, and fine Italian cuisine at Tony's (314-231-7007), which offers one of St. Louis's most decadent dining experiences. All the menu items - which include beef, chicken, veal, and seafood dishes, pastas and risottos, even the salads - take Old World classics to a new level. The food is matched by an extensive wine list, and by a wait staff trained to call you by name and anticipate your every need. The Sidney Street Cafe (314-771-5777) consistently draws rave reviews for its fresh, contemporary American cuisine and warm, romantic setting featuring exposed brick, street lamps and hardwoods. The dining room is intimate, so make reservations if you want to sample some of the best food - ranging from Asian-inspired fish and steak to freshly baked beignets - in town. The award-winning Harvest (314-645-3522) specializes in an eclectic menu of seasonal American cuisine ranging from hanger steak to oyster appetizers. Executive Chef Stephen Gontram makes everything a visual treat, too, with multi-tiered presentations of fresh, local ingredients emphasizing a variety of flavors and textures.
Meat and Potatoes
There used to be another St. Louis Cardinals team, this one of the football variety, and former stars Dan Dierdorf and Jim Hart own one of the city's top places to eat red meat. Dierdorf & Hart's Steakhouses (314-421-1772 and 314-878-1801) downtown and in West Port Plaza, specialize in enormous portions of aged Angus beef, as well as chicken, pasta, fish, and several shrimp specialty dishes. The atmosphere is clubby, relaxed and masculine. Reservations are highly recommended at area favorite Citizen Kane's Steak House (314-965-9005) in Kirkwood. Diners can select their steaks - the restaurant cuts its own meat - and pair them up with delectable sauces, or they can opt for chicken, seafood, or pasta specialties. The side dishes, salads, soups, and desserts are all musts, so wear your baggy pants. It could be hard to get into Annie Gunn's (636-532-7684) in Chesterfield where reservations are worth the effort. The steaks, chicken and pork are fresh as they can get. A throw-back of rustic, woody charm, the dining room serves up everything from sandwiches and salads to elegant entrees. Windy City import Morton's of Chicago (314-725-4008) has become a favorite of native St. Louisans who can't hold a grudge when it comes to steaks of this caliber. The seafood, wines, and desserts hold their own, too.
A Taste of Italy
St. Louis is famed for its Italian neighborhood, The Hill, and the amazing eateries that populate it. To many, Dominic's Restaurant (314-771-1632) is the prized gem among them, an upscale spot that draws long-time regulars with its elegant decor, top-notch service, and, oh yes, sumptuous foods that burst with flavor. The cuisine is formal, traditional Italian, and is served European style with a first course (usually a pasta; not to be passed up) and an entree. The full menu is mind-boggling - Zuppa di pesce and several veal dishes are favorites - as is the extensive wine list. Also on The Hill, Cunetto's House of Pasta (314-781-1135) serves up an amazing assortment of pasta dishes - including low cholesterol, low salt options - as well as seafood, chicken, beef, and veal from family recipes. It's great food at great prices, all at a location the regulars are quick to recommend to visitors. Next to Union Station resides Lombardo's Trattoria (314-621-0666), an upscale but comfortable spot for great American Italian cuisine. The place is famous for its toasted ravioli (a St. Louis invention) and made-to-order cannoli for dessert. LoRusso's Cucina (314-647-6222) is a local favorite for business or romance that offers a wide selection of pastas as well as home-style specialties such as alici, steak mudiga, spiedinin and risotto. The wine list is extensive and the dining room is festive, with an open view into the kitchen - which means you know the food has to be good.
Distinctly St. Louis
You'll find a thrill at Blueberry Hill (314-727-0880), a St. Louis institution located in the Loop that serves up hamburgers, malts and rock-and-roll in 1950s fashion. The memorabilia-plastered restaurant packs in the locals every day of the week, and turns into a night spot after 8 p.m. featuring live music and a dart room. Ever eaten a meal in a windmill? Bevo Mill (314-481-2626) is open only on Sundays and only for brunch, but the food and unusual setting are worth it. The food is German and Dutch inspired, ranging from goulash and spaetzle to more mainstream American selections. The beer is served in a Frozen Fish Bowl (trademarked, no less) and the plates sit on red-and-white checkered tablecloths at Rigazzi's (314-772-4900), a true icon of St. Louis's Italian heritage. The casual atmosphere drips with local flavor, as do the simple pastas and great pizza. Meanwhile, J. Buck's (314-725-4700 and 314-966-5700) features locations in Clayton and West County that honor the late and great St. Louis Cardinals announcer Jack Buck and his children Joe Jr. and Julie (both also in the radio biz). The place is hip, fairly casual, and draws in throngs of young professionals after work and on weekends. The American fare comes in huge portions, and ranges from salads to steaks. Another Cardinals legend, Ozzie Smith, has lent his moniker to a sprawling spot that caters to sports fanatics. Ozzie's Restaurant & Sports Bar (314-434-1000) in West Port Plaza features more than 50 TV screens and a massive menu of 80 comfort food items.
Dining Hot Spots
For pre-and post-event drinks and dinner at teh center of things, there's probably nor more happening spot than Harry's Downtown (314-421-6969). The setting is swanky, sophisticated and inviting, featuring a classy bar and classically up-to-date decor. Meanwhile, the outdoor patio provides a terrific view of the St. Louis skyline. The food is simple, but refined - ranging from meatloaf at lunch to fresh fish for dinner. On Friday nights, Harry's house band, the Shrinking Violets, attracts a big crowd. Sleek and modern, Chesterfield's Aquavin (636-532-9300) is a unique, sprqwling restaurant featuring waterfalls inside and out. Chef Dave Rook has whipped up a menu of steaks, pot roast, chops, chicken, fish, and pasta with eclectic influences ranging from Asia to Louisiana to the American Southwest.
Regional Character
No trip to St. Louis should be complete without a visit to nearby Historic St. Charles, which boasts Lewis & Clark's (636-947-3334), a comfortable, contemporary eatery named for the pioneers who started their Pacific expedition from St. Charles. In a three-story brick building with an enclosed dining patio overlooking Historic Main Street, the place serves Trailhead microbrews, as well as prime rib, burgers, salads, and a few Mexican dishes. Another option is to take the Gateway Arch Dinner Cruise (314-621-4040) which gives visitors a wonderful view of the St. Louis landscape - and some pretty good food - as you wind down and back on the Mississippi River.
Ethnic Eats
Pueblo Solis (314-351-9000) certainly isn't your average, run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurant. The place packs 'em into an expanded, hot pink storefront location for fresh guacamole, home-made tamales, fresh fish, and mole dishes. Instead of burning your tongue, the spices and flavorings are more subtle and complex than you'd expect. Parisian bistro specialties dominate Chez Leon (314-361-1589), a relatively new, chic restaurant in St. Louis's trendy Central West End neighborhood. One telling sign is that chefs from other local restaurants dine here regularly. The decor is French, the wine is French, and pardon my French, the food is damn good. Yia Yia's Eurocafe (636-537-9991) in Chesterfield abounds with Mediterranean-infused takes on seafood, steaks, chops, appetizers, and even wood-oven pizza. The modern dining room has a romantic flair and the bar is stunning. Also in Chesterfield is the super popular P.F. Chang's (636-532-0215), one of two St. Louis locations of the national, upscale Chinese chain restaurant. The atmosphere is sleekly modern, dark, and mysterious, and the menu features creative spins on traditional and not-so-traditional Chinese dishes. India's Rasoi (314-361-6911 and 314-727-1414) draws vegetarians and carnivores alike for its extensive, multi-regional Indian cuisine. It adds some contemporary flair to its dishes - salads topped with tandoori chicken is a prime example. Spanish appetizers, or tapas, abound at Modesto (314-772-8272), a lovely spot on The Hill that features vibrant colors, decor, and guitar music. It's a great place to go with a group and share a wide variety of small dishes of cold and hot specialties, ranging from sauteed shrimp to zesty potato salads. Zoe Pan-Asian Cafe (314-361-0013) adds flair to the restaurant scene in the Central West End with a corner-front eatery. The cuisine is diverse and creative, putting fresh, modern spins on Asian favorites.
