Best Restaurants in Saint Louis: Where to Eat

TLDR

Saint Louis food is specific. Toasted ravioli, thin crust pizza cut into squares and topped with Provel cheese, gooey butter cake, and frozen custard from Ted Drewes. Beyond those local staples the city has serious barbecue, a full Italian neighborhood on The Hill, and enough craft beer to fill a week. This guide covers where locals actually eat, what to order, and roughly what it costs.

The Hill for Italian

The Hill is a 52 square block Italian-American neighborhood roughly 3 miles southwest of downtown. Yogi Berra grew up here. Joe Garagiola too. The bakeries, delis, and red sauce restaurants that built the neighborhood are still mostly family owned. Order toasted ravioli here at least once, it was invented on The Hill and every place claims the original.

Charlie Gitto’s on The Hill is the longtime sit-down choice for visitors. Book a week ahead for Saturday. Mains run 24 to 38 dollars. For something less formal, Zia’s on The Hill does the same red sauce classics at lower prices. Gioia’s Deli on Daggett Avenue is the takeaway hot salami sandwich that regulars line up for at lunch, cash only, closes mid afternoon. Expect 10 to 14 dollars for a sandwich and a drink.

Saint Louis Style Pizza and Pasta

Saint Louis pizza is thin crust, cracker thin, cut into squares, with Provel cheese instead of mozzarella. Provel is a processed blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, and it melts into a sticky layer that nothing else tastes like. Imo’s Pizza is the chain every local grew up on and there are over 50 locations in the metro. Order the deluxe with bacon added.

For something beyond Imo’s, try Pizzeoli in Soulard for a more traditional Neapolitan pie, or Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria in Rock Hill for a proper wood fired menu. Katie’s salumi board and their crispy ravioli are the locally-loved starters. Mains at Katie’s run 18 to 28 dollars. Pizzeoli is about 15 to 22 dollars per pizza and feeds one to two people.

Barbecue and Smoked Meats

Saint Louis has a specific barbecue style that is different from Kansas City or Texas. Pork steaks are the signature, not brisket. Ribs are typically Saint Louis cut spare ribs with the tips removed. Sauces are sweeter and tomato based. Sugarfire Smoke House is the small chain that put local BBQ back on the national map, original location in Olivette. Order the burnt end sandwich and a side of the white cheddar mac.

Pappy’s Smokehouse in Midtown is the older, more famous option, often ranked among the top BBQ in the country. Go at lunch, they close when they run out of meat, and they do run out. Ribs are dry rubbed. 17 dollars for a half slab plate with two sides. Bogart’s Smokehouse in Soulard is the sister restaurant and usually has shorter lines for similar quality.

Frozen Custard, Gooey Butter Cake, and Local Sweets

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on Chippewa Street is on Route 66 and has been open since 1929. Order a concrete, which is custard blended so thick the cashier hands it to you upside down to prove it. The Terramizzou with pistachio and chocolate is the regular order. Cash and card accepted, expect a 15 minute line on a warm night, much longer in summer.

Gooey butter cake is the other local dessert, invented here during the Depression. Park Avenue Coffee in Lafayette Square makes a dozen different versions daily and is the easiest way to try several. Pie Oh My and Missouri Baking Company on The Hill also do gooey butter. A slice runs 4 to 6 dollars. Bring some back for the hotel, it keeps well for a day or two.

Brunch and Coffee in Central West End and Soulard

Central West End around Euclid Avenue is where most visitors end up for brunch. Cafe Osage inside Bowood Farms has a garden patio and a farm driven menu, expect 14 to 20 dollars for a main and to wait 20 minutes on Saturday. Half and Half on Delmar Loop does strong coffee and griddle cakes in a cleaner, quieter setting.

Soulard brunch is rowdier. Hammerstone’s on Russell Boulevard has bloody marys the size of a small pot plant and live blues on weekends. Soulard Farmers Market, open Wednesday through Saturday, is the oldest market west of the Mississippi and a good walk before a Sunday brunch. Blueberry Hill in the Delmar Loop is the Chuck Berry venue where the duck walk stage still stands, burgers and beer, tourist friendly.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might also find these useful: Things to Do in Saint Louis, Saint Louis Neighborhood Guide, Where to Stay in Saint Louis.