Must-Try STL Restaurants | 20 Greatest Restaurants in Saint Louis

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The greatest way to experience a city is to taste it. But what if there’s so much to try that you’re not sure where to begin?

St. Louis is a rising culinary destination! Food is an important component of what makes St. Louis a wonderful city. A broad range of ethnic dishes are provided in pleasant and realistic surroundings.

Decades of cultural variety have provided the city with a distinctively wide range of delectable foreign selections. The diverse spectrum of ethnic influences results in intriguing and inventive cuisine that satisfy everyone’s taste buds!

No town in America provides such a broad choice of possibilities that will have you going back year after year. Saint Louis has something for everyone, from traditional BBQ and soy sauce sandwiches to creative interpretations on Asian cuisine.

Thus, whether you’re a gourmet eager to sample the finest of 21st-century American cuisine or just looking to relax with a tasty dinner, these are the greatest restaurants in Saint Louis!

Visiting other places in Missouri? Check out our other tasty guides:

9 Best Lake Of The Ozarks Restaurants
8 Must-Try Restaurants In Springfield Missouri
10 Fun Things To Do In St. Louis MO
8 Best Restaurants In St Charles MO

The Top 10 Restaurants in St. Louis

Louie

+13143008188 706 De Mun Ave, Clayton, MO 63105

When was the last time you had a meal that made you happy? This is precisely what will occur if you dine at Louie!

Everything from the superb service to the practically faultless execution of the Italian cuisine will wow you.

Matt McGuire, a long-time restaurateur, has a talent for mixing superb ingredients, simple recipes, and seasonal tastes into tremendously enjoyable meals.

The environment is warm and inviting, ideal for a date or a night out with friends.

White Bean Hummus and Pomodoro Fresco Pizza are two of the menu’s hearty favorites.

Although the wine selection is broad, the bartender may suggest something that would go nicely with your dinner if you are looking for something more experimental. And keep in mind that everything on this menu is great!

The Southwest Diner

+13142607244 6803 Southwest Ave, St. Louis, MO 63143

Southwest Diner is a local restaurant with a Southwestern flair that you must visit if you like breakfast!

Its bright turquoise and burned red dcor are straight out of a Wes Anderson film. The actual lure, though, is the cuisine.

Local favorites include Jonathans Famous Fiery Scramble and buttermilk cornmeal pancakes, in addition to the typical New Mexico breakfast burrito loaded with house sausage and chorizo. So why not try them all?

OLIO

+13149321088 1634 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

The bohemian environment in Tel Aviv inspires olio’s particular energy and charm, and it is a popular gathering spot for creatives from all over the globe!

The refurbished 1930s Standard Oil filling station has embraced and conserved vestiges of generational deterioration and urban blight. Yet, Olio’s patio garden is a refuge of tranquility in the midst of this metropolitan industrialism.

This restaurant specializes on vegetarian cuisine that are rustic, robust, and comforting. A vibrant blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, both traditional and modern, is unparalleled.

The Famous Egg Salad, Chicken Shawarma, and Chicken Kefta Sinnia are among the menu options.

In addition, bread is produced by hand at this restaurant, on the wood-burning fireplace, by combining, shaping, and sculpting it.

They also specialize in traditional drinks that are ingeniously reinvented by their bartenders. With their broad variety of spirits, they have mostly focused on vermouth, aperitifs, Amari, and anisette throughout the years.

Olio’s wine-by-glass selection extends from well-known varietals to obscure locations and producers, giving it one of St Louis’ most diversified options.

Smoke + Salt

+13147270200 392 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108

When you go through Central West End on Euclid, you will see a stunning yellow sign beckoning you to proceed. It’s Salt + Smoke!

BBQ is a hallmark of Saint Louis, so you must try the world-famous ribs, brisket, and pulled pork served by restaurants all around the city. To fulfill your desires, go to Salt + Smoke in the Delmar Loop.

Despite its lack of recognition in comparison to other BBQ places, the food at this local eatery are just as wonderful, if not better.

My favorite menu items are the pulled pork sandwich, kale crunch salad, and their apple pie for dessert!

There are also numerous healthful and imaginative side and appetizer selections, as well as superb meat alternatives that will leave you wanting more. A drink selection with over 100 bourbons, cocktails, and beers is also available!

Tapas and Pizza at Guidos

+13147714900 5046 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Two city highlights you should not miss when visiting are Saint Louis-style pizza and toasted ravioli. It would also be a mistake to ignore The Hill, an area full with Italian restaurants and pubs. Guidos Pizza and Tapas, located in the center of this neighborhood, serves traditional family cuisine made with love!

Guidos has been owned and managed by the Carretero family since 1988.

This restaurant offers something for everyone, serving the finest of Mediterranean cuisine with a menu consisting of classic Italian meals and traditional Spanish tapas.

Guidos offers a variety of meals that will transport you to Spain in the center of Italy, such as handmade lasagna, pizza, sizzling tapas, and delicious caramelized flan.

When eating in St. Louis’ lovely Italian district, enjoy the best Italian cuisine in town!

Vicia

+13145539239 4260 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108

The Vicia is located on the second level of a bustling thoroughfare in the Central West End.

It’s a lovely restaurant both inside and out. As you enter Vicias dining room and bar, however, you will be met with a warm environment produced by a giant fireplace that heats the whole dining room throughout the winter months.

Vegetables are at the heart of outstanding food because they are locally sourced, seasonally inspired, and elegantly prepared by Vicia.

Vicia is a fantastic restaurant. Both the atmosphere and the cuisine are superb. I tried the Chefs Tasting Menu while I was there, and it was amazing.

The staff was kind and attentive. Since I like veggies, every thing on my plate was appealing to me.

The main dish, which was painstakingly prepared with great care, impressed me much. It had a rustic vibe about it, which contrasted wonderfully with Vicia’s austere appearance. I wholeheartedly suggest this establishment!

Local Eats at Macs

+13143937713 5656 Oakland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Mac Shackson, a former sous chef at an award-winning local restaurant, is the proprietor of the unusual burger idea. Macs Local Eats became a local legend the day it opened its doors in 2012.

Macs’ chefs are committed to quality, ordering from local farmers and butchers that promote sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.

Burgers are available in both meat and veggie types, but don’t miss out on the boudin balls, udon noodle salad, grit cake (cheesy grits topped with a fried egg), and macaroni au gratin.

During happy hour, beers are $5 and burgers are $5. They take pleasure in using raw milk from Burkhardt Farms and butter from Stolkholm Dairy.

Macs Local Food is a burger lover’s dream come true. They make one of the greatest burgers in town using local products like dry-aged beef. Macs also serves Cajun delicacies as well as weekly specials. It’s a true local hangout!

The Blues City Deli

+13147738225 2438 McNair Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104

Even if there is a queue out front, the sandwich waiting for you inside is worth the wait. It has become a Saint Louis institution thanks to owner Vinnie Valenza.

The diner is a traditional deli where you place your order and wait for your number to be called. The menu prominently displays blues music and culture, and the design stays true to the concept.

It is tough to know what to order: You’ll be back for more with a menu that includes PO-boys, muffulettas, New York deli sandwiches, Italian classics, and vegetarian alternatives.

Take a break from your job and enjoy a Po-Boy, Red Beans & Rice, an ice-cold beer or an Old Fashioned Coke while listening to some of the greatest blues music available. Every day at the deli is like a big old home party. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Stix and fork

+13148635572 549 Rosedale Ave, St. Louis, MO 63112

Fork & Stix has been bringing genuine Northern Thai food to the Midwest since 2007. The greatest thing is that it is not far from the city.

Fork and Stix is located on a side street, yet it is a hidden treasure worth discovering.

Salads with spicy pork and crispy rice, as well as pig belly curry and Nam Khao tod, are on the menu (spicy pork and crispy rice salad).

This egg noodle curry soup is a show stopper, with everything you could want in a bowl.

Loafers for Unions

+13148336111 1629 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Union Loafers is a bakery and café in the center of the botanical heights. They make organically leavened bread using old-world methods.

You may choose from a variety of freshly cooked sandwiches, soups, and salads. In addition, during supper hours, Union Loafers changes their bread bakery into a pizza selling wine and beer.

Here, you’ll discover simple, basic dishes that shine through with community spirit and great ingredients in every mouthful. Believe me. You will not be let down!

Creve Coeur Nudo House

+1314274804611423 Olive Blvd, St. Louis

Having spent years studying and developing, Nudo opened its doors in Creve Coeur in 2017 with a menu of seven distinct ramen varieties and a tiny quantity of pho.

The Traditional Nudo, a classic tonkotsu ramen, should be your first order. Its broth is clabbery and thick, like the interior of a cloud, and the noodles maintain their hard core, which is vital to tonk otsu.

Together with ramen, they provide cold Asian salads such as lotus root and shrimp salad and Vietnamese shredded chicken.

Every day, Nudos delivers spring rolls and crab rangoon, as well as four varieties of banh mis that are ideal for dipping into the brothas long as you don’t mind fussbudget foodies staring.

The enormous amount of effort, teamwork, and research that went into creating Nudo makes it even more delectable.

Nixta

St. Louis, MO +131489990001621 Tower Grove Ave

This vividly colored mansion seems to have been created by a high school art instructor disguised as Frida Kahlo (there is a portrait of Kahlo inside the house).

With its colorful decor and plenty mezcal flowing around, this Mexican restaurant in Tower Grove seems like a dinner party at a friend’s house, complete with shared meals and beverages.

While the menu is always changing, the ceviche, octopus, and guacamole are always delicious. If you only have time for one supper in St. Louis, this is the one place you should eat.

Smokehouse Pappy’s

+131453543403106 Olive St, Saint Louis

If you’re ever in St. Louis, Pappy’s is the place to go for barbecue. But, since many barbecue joints aim to be like this one in Midtown, expect to wait because it is a popular destination in a large radius.

They specialize in Memphis-style barbecue, and although they execute all the classics well, their house speciality is their ribs. When you come in a large party, you may get ribs, pulled pork, sausage, Frito Pie, plus a few sides.

While waiting is a part of the Pappys experience, if you are in a hurry, you may phone ahead and pick up your meal.

Blueberry Mountain

St. Louis, +131472744446504 Delmar Blvd

It’s difficult to find kid-friendly eating alternatives in St. Louis, but Blueberry Hill, situated in the Delmar Loop, is a great spot to bring kids throughout the day, particularly because many tables include board games.

In addition to ancient jukeboxes and Pez dispensers, there is a music venue called the Duck Room by Chuck Berry and a Pac-Man-themed wall.

It’s definitely less kid-friendly at night, with a large range of beverages and rows of dartboards. In addition to beverages, they provide cuisine such as mozzarella sticks, burgers, and a gooey butter cake for dessert.

Oyster Bar on Broadway

St. Louis, Missouri +13146218811736 S Broadway St

The Broadway Oyster Bar, set in an ancient downtown brothel from the 1840s, is the kind of place where you can go in the afternoon and stay for the next 12 hours.

Crawfish, poboys, and jambalaya may be found on the menu of this downtown eatery. It has the sense of a little taste of New Orleans.

Moreover, they are open until 3 a.m. every night, so you can have oysters and wings at 1 a.m. if those two items suddenly seem appealing.

Crown Candy Factory

+131462196501401 Saint Louis Ave, St. Louis, Missouri

Visiting Crown Candy Kitchen is the closest you’ll ever go to time travel without generating difficulties with parallel realities or history.

Their 1913 luncheonette manufactures its own confectionery, features a soda fountain, and offers sandwiches that your grandparents would have appreciated.

They are well renowned for its bacon-topped BLT sandwich, which has 14 slices of bacon and may cause you to rethink a few things.

The restaurant’s wooden booths, nostalgic decor, and traditional food make it ideal for individuals who wish they were born another decadeno DeLorean necessary.

Union Loafers Cafe And Bakery

St. Louis, MO +131483361111629 Tower Grove Ave

Because of its cracker crust and provel topping, St. Louis-style pizza is a must-have for everyone born in the 314 area. Nonetheless, some of the tastiest slices in town do not adhere to the local tradition.

Union Loafers is a bakery that makes old-world, naturally leavened loaves, as well as a full-service restaurant that serves pizza that falls between between New York’s chew and pull and the bubbly, blistered char of a Neapolitan.

There’s pepperoni pizza with Calabrian chilis and beautiful tiny cups of pepperoni, as well as mushroom pizza with pickled shallots and foxglove, which will convert mushroom haters.

During the day, sandwiches on Loafers bread are available, as are soups and salads, including the small jewel with fine herbs and shallots, which may match any salad youve eaten before.

Planters’ Cottage

St. Louis, Mississippi Avenue, +131469626031000

Planters House in Lafayette Square serves absolutely fantastic drinks that you’ll remember for days, if not years.

Ted Charak, Jamie Kilgore, and Ted and Jamie Kilgore run this restaurant and bar, which honors the legendary art of bartending.

In the main bar below, pair the Planters House burger with the Taco Cat: Milagro Blanco tequila, agave syrup, lime, and cilantro flavored with Old El Paso taco spice.

Down for the Count #2 is a drink made with Citadelle gin, Salers, Gran Classico, Cocchi Americano, celery bitters, and grapefruit tincture.

Despite the amazing drinks, wonderful food, and beautiful design, the bar exudes friendliness and laughter, and the atmosphere is never dimmed by snooty snots flinging about the word mixologist. Don’t miss the seasonal themed drink menus inspired by local roller derby teams and Ms. Dolly Parton.

Lobster and crab for Peacemakers

+131477288581831 St. Louis, Sidney St.

Fresh fish is unlikely to be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of landlocked Missouri, but Peacemaker is working to alter that.

This top seafood restaurant in Benton Park flies in fresh fish every day and offers everything from lobster rolls to steamers to poboys in an atmosphere reminiscent of Restoration Hardware and Cape Cod.

In this low-key establishment, you can have a frozen daiquiri and oysters while planning your next beach vacation.

The Fortunate Accomplice

St. Louis, Missouri +131435461002501 S Jefferson Ave

Thankfully for the public, Fox Park residents were unable to keep one of their favorite eateries hidden from the rest of the city.

Diners started to hunt for the warehouse storefront with a neon sign of a leaping rabbit blazing in the front window soon after restaurant partners Brian Schuman and Logan Ely established the Lucky Accomplice.

Shift, Ely’s first restaurant, cemented his reputation as a skilled, sometimes intellectual chef. This time, he provides meals that are attractive, energetic, and a little cheeky.

Consider the tater tot, a delectable blend of cured salmon, cream cheese, fresh dill, and various seeds on shredded potatoes that are soft but not too crispy.

The creative, varied setting, as well as the friendly, polite service, exude a lively, welcome spirit. Lucky has lately developed a popular brunch service that, like their evening service, you should certainly try.

A List of the Top Ten Restaurants in St. Louis

St. Louis is a foodie’s paradise! It goes without saying that this city is home to some of the top restaurants in the nation, with a plethora of selections accessible in every neighborhood.

St. Louis offers something for every palette and occasion, whether you want a casual lunch at a restaurant on the Delmar Loop or a more affluent meal at a fine dining institution downtown.

It might be difficult and time-consuming to locate your favorite eatery. If you’re planning a vacation to St. Louis, this list will show you where to dine!