St. Louis has approximately 1 million Italian restaurants, but nothing like Acero. Here you don't choose between the red sauce or the white, and you won't find Provel on anything. Sample salumi from the nation's top artisanal producers, or share a quartino of Amarone wine with a special someone. Pasta dishes, especially, are exquisite —... More>>
If only all marriages produced as much happiness as that of Atlas co-owners Michael G. Roberts and Jean Donnelly. They collaborate on the wine list, the dessert menu and all points in between, and their simple one-room establishment can be counted on for fresh, seasonal items. The grilled New York strip with béarnaise butter and... More>>
You might visit this charming South Grand spot for banh mi — it's in the name, after all — delicious sandwiches with thinly sliced meat, pickled vegetables and sometimes pâté on a crusty baguette. Or you might decide to test the neon sign in the window that proclaims the best spring rolls in St. Louis. These, too, won't... More>>
A Cincinnati-based chain that doesn't look, act or taste like a chain at all, Dewey's ranked as one of St. Louis' better-quality pizza joints the moment it opened its doors in downtown Kirkwood. The pizza's ruler-thin crust resembles St. Louis-style visually, but blessedly it embodies New York-style's perfect crispness. Any of the dozen... More>>
Tom Schmidt thought he'd open a diner. After a reasonably priced meal at a trendy Manhattan restaurant, he realized what St. Louis really needed: hearty, affordable French bistro fare in the heart of Soulard. Chef Justin Keimon changes the menu weekly, drawing on the freshest, best ingredients from nearby Soulard Market. You'll find favorites... More>>
The Carretero family brings a little bit of Spain to the heart of St. Louis Italian country. Have a glass of sangría and feast on a big plate of paella, or nosh on several of the excellent, authentic hot and cold tapas: a platter of Serrano ham, chorizo and manchego cheese; croquetas ; tender albóndigas (meatballs) in a buttery,... More>>
Now in its second decade, Stephen Gontram's Big Bend mainstay continues to offer the attention to detail and generous spirit of a restaurant in its prime. Under the direction of Gontram and executive chef Nick Miller, the kitchen offers topnotch, seasonal versions of the rustic cuisine — call it New American, or call it Modern Bistro —... More>>
U. City's legendary In Soo remains one of the top five restaurants in the universe. Awe-inspiring proprietor In Soo Jung, famed for her cantankerous micromanagement of the dining experience, alternately hugs and chides her guests as they savor chef Steve Fung's flawless offerings from the Chinese/Korean menu. The best place in town for vegetable... More>>
It's a family affair. Owner Zahid Khan and his son Zack work the front of his house, while Khan’s wife, Shaheena, and daughter, Nazish, do the cooking. The Khans are originall from Karachi, Pakistan, so be sure to try the nahiri , one of Pakistan’s most beloved dishes. It begins with a powerful burst of ginger, lime and cilantro, follows savory... More>>
Korean barbecue isn't showy. The chef won't juggle knives or spear a sirloin in midair. It's simply good, whether you're talking classic kalbi (beef short ribs marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and green onion) or sinfully fatty sam gup sal (pork belly). KoBa also features a wide range of classic Korean dishes such as bibambap... More>>
Long lauded for its bread, brunches and decadent desserts, La Dolce Via now offers dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Chef Ramon Cuffie, formerly of Bar Italia and Jaboni's Bistro, selects the freshest produce, seafood and meat from local markets, then prepares each to highlight its natural flavor. The menu changes constantly; standouts... More>>
If you grade on a cost-benefit curve, La Vallesana might be the best restaurant in St. Louis. For less than $5 you can have three tacos al pastor: smoky pork, grilled pineapple, onion and cilantro on corn tortillas. Give each a squeeze of fresh lime and a slather of fiery red or green salsa, and you have the perfect meal. Can't live by tacos al... More>>
One of the newest additions to the Hill is a world away from the toasted-ravioli crowd. Young chef/owner Larry Fuse puts goat cheese in his rav appetizers -- no "toasting" here -- and for main courses he can stay true to tradition with classics such as osso buco or experiment with a new twist on an old fave, such as spinach gnocchi with... More>>
Like a hit of ecstasy on the sedate tongue of the Central West End, Moxy adds a little sex to the neighborhood’s graying restaurant scene. Chef Eric Brenner — who somehow manages to also run the kitchen at Chez Leon next door — has turned out a truly inventive menu, and serves up let-me-blow-your-mind creations (like salmon glazed with... More>>
A one-room establishment that seats 40, Niche embodies its name. The menu is brief but features a prix fixe option, via which you may choose any appetizer, any entrée and any dessert for a ridiculous $35 -- which puts the restaurant in a niche all its own. The New American fare ranges from solidly prepared to fantastic; a highlight is steak... More>>
Chef Noboru Kidera works a kind of alchemy at his University City restaurant. The deft movements of his hands as he works at the bar, chatting with diners, demonstrate just how complex the making of sushi is. But what you notice about a piece of Kidera's nigiri sushi is its utter simplicity: the small mound of rice, a brush of wasabi, and then... More>>
Pho Long offers ten kinds of pho , the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup — and not much else. But you don't need much more than a bowl of good pho for a fast, satisfying meal. Pho Long's is great: thin rice noodles, onions and scallions in beef broth, customized with your choice of meats — eye round steak or flank steak are the... More>>
Though Ruchi offers excellent versions of the northern Indian dishes you know and love, its menu features a wide selection of southern Indian fare. Dosa -- rice pancakes about as big as a small car’s tire, folded around chutney and vegetable or meat stuffing -- are excellent, and sambar, a hot, bright lentil soup softened with coconut, should... More>>
The strip-mall sprawl of suburban Manchester might not be where you'd expect to find some of the best Mexican food in St. Louis, but Señor Pique makes a convincing claim to the crown. The menu features numerous traditional dishes — simple tacos as flavorful as any from a Cherokee Street taquería, enchiladas in bittersweet,... More>>
Freshly made pasta is a revelation in this red-sauce, white-sauce town, and Jamey and Lisa Tochtrop's charming neighborhood café offers an oft-changing menu of fresh lasagna, long-cut and stuffed pasta dishes. You can also get the husband-and-wife team's pasta to go, and cook it yourself — though once you’ve had one of the... More>>
Though it’s pronounced "tureen," like the soup bowl, Terrene's name is meant to evoke earthiness — and both the name and the restaurant do. Terrene wears its social and eco-consciousness on its sleeve, noting in many a menu sidebar how the cooking and drinking water is filtered, how the kitchen scraps are sent to local compost heaps, and... More>>
The Cupcakery offers the Platonic ideal of the beloved birthday-party cupcakes of your childhood: perfect cake, moist and flavorful, topped with luscious buttercream. The best cupcake on the regular menu is the "Peanut Butter Cup," whose peanut-butter buttercream tastes exactly like the peanut-butter filling of its namesake candy -- and it comes... More>>
A big, bold pan-Latin restaurant with a breathtaking design, clockwork service and dishes that are always satisfying, often excellent. The best dishes play with the contrast between savory and sharp — beef tenderloin served with succulent langostino tails in a bright garlic sauce; adobo-seasoned chicken perked up with a "ceviche" of avocado... More>>
Central St. Louis County (29)