St. Louis Food Guide

St. Louis has a specific food identity built on dishes that exist almost nowhere else: toasted ravioli (breaded and deep-fried, served with marinara), the St. Louis-style pizza with provel cheese (a processed blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone), and the frozen custard concrete at Ted Drewes. These sit alongside a nationally recognised fine-dining scene anchored by Gerard Craft’s restaurant group and a BBQ tradition that differs from Kansas City’s in meaningful ways.

St. Louis Originals

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard — 6726 Chippewa St, South St. Louis. Open since 1929. The custard is made fresh continuously; a “concrete” is thick enough to be held upside down and handed to you (a theatrical move the staff performs on request). The “Grand Margarita” (orange sherbet and vanilla custard) and the “Terramizzou” (cashews, coconut, marshmallow, and hot fudge) are among the signature concretes. A regular concrete approximately $5–$8 as of 2026. Cash only. Seasonal: typically open March through January (closes in the coldest winter weeks). Lines form from 7pm in summer; arrive early.

Charlie Gitto’s — 207 N Sixth St, Downtown; also a location on The Hill. Originated (or claims to have originated) toasted ravioli in 1947. The dish: beef or cheese ravioli, breaded, deep-fried, served with marinara and parmesan. Approximately $12–$15 per order. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Imo’s Pizza — Multiple locations throughout the metro; the most convenient downtown location at 20 S Tucker Blvd. St. Louis–style pizza uses provel cheese (creamy, mild, with a sharper aged note) on a cracker-thin crust. A medium approximately $12–$16 as of 2026. It is a polarising dish nationally; St. Louisans are fiercely loyal to it.

BBQ

Pappy’s Smokehouse — 3106 Olive St, Midtown. The most nationally prominent BBQ restaurant in St. Louis, regularly appearing in national top-10 lists. The style is Memphis-influenced — dry-rubbed ribs smoked over apple and cherry wood, no sauce during cooking — rather than Kansas City’s sweet tomato style. The ribs are the main event; the pulled pork sandwich is nearly as good. Half rack approximately $22; full rack approximately $38 as of 2026. Sells out daily; doors open 11am and close when the meat is gone (often 2–3pm). Cash and card. Closed Sunday–Monday.

Sugarfire Smoke House — 9200 Olive Blvd (Olivette) and multiple locations. A more accessible daily option than Pappy’s, open longer hours and with more menu variety: brisket, turkey, burnt ends (when available), and an expanding menu of sides. Brisket plate approximately $16–$22.

Salt + Smoke — 4175 Manchester Ave, The Grove; also additional locations. A newer-generation St. Louis BBQ restaurant with a more restaurant-style format: table service, a curated beer list, and BBQ flights. Half rack approximately $24; burnt end plate approximately $18.

Fine Dining

Vicia — 4260 Forest Park Ave, Central West End. Michael and Tara Gallina’s vegetable-forward restaurant has the most consistent national profile of any current St. Louis restaurant. The menu rotates by season; the kitchen uses the Missouri River Valley’s agricultural output. A tasting menu of approximately 8 courses runs approximately $95–$120 per person as of 2026. À la carte available at the bar. Open Tuesday–Saturday for dinner. Book at least 2 weeks ahead.

Pastaria — 7734 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton. Gerard Craft’s Italian restaurant — the most accessible in his portfolio — makes pasta in-house daily. The ricotta gnocchi, the duck ragu tagliatelle, and the seasonal dessert program are the consistently cited dishes. Pasta approximately $18–$28; mains approximately $24–$38. Open Tuesday–Sunday for dinner; Sunday brunch.

Brasserie by Niche — 4580 Laclede Ave, Central West End. Gerard Craft’s French brasserie format: steak frites (approximately $28–$38), moules marinière (approximately $22), and a wine list organised by French region. Open Tuesday–Sunday for dinner.

SqWires — 1415 S 18th St, Lafayette Square. In a 1904 wire factory, a neighbourhood restaurant with a consistent contemporary American menu and a deep wine list unusual for the price point. Mains approximately $22–$38. Open Tuesday–Saturday for dinner.

The Hill

The Hill (bounded roughly by I-44, the railroad, and Bischoff Ave) is an Italian American neighbourhood settled by immigrants from Lombardy and Sicily in the early 20th century. It retains its identity as a food destination.

Gian-Tony’s — 5356 Daggett Ave. Family-style Italian-American: red-sauce pastas, chicken parmesan, the kind of restaurant that doesn’t change its menu because its regulars would object. Mains approximately $16–$28.

Mama Campisi’s — 2132 Edwards St. Another Hill Italian standard, in operation since 1960. Toasted ravioli, manicotti, pasta sauces from recipes unchanged for decades. Mains approximately $14–$26.

Amighetti’s Bakery — 5141 Wilson Ave. The neighbourhood bakery and sandwich shop for the Hill since 1921. The Amighetti’s Special (house dressing, tomatoes, onion, and meat on crusty Italian bread) approximately $10–$13. Open daily for lunch.

Cherokee Street and Mexican Food

Cherokee Street (Cherokee and Jefferson area, south of Soulard) has developed as St. Louis’s Mexican American commercial and arts corridor.

El Torito — 1412 Cherokee St. Straightforward Mexican: tacos approximately $3–$4 each; combination plates approximately $10–$14. Regarded as one of the best value Mexican options in the city. Open daily.

Cantina Laredo — a chain; the real recommendation here is:

Milagro Modern Mexican — 20 Allen Ave, The Hill area. More composed than street-taco level, with mole-based dishes and mezcal cocktails. Mains approximately $18–$28.

Breakfast and Coffee

Rooster — 1104 Locust St, Downtown. A St. Louis breakfast institution with a long waffle and egg menu. Weekend lines; mains approximately $10–$16. Open daily until 3pm.

Comet Coffee — 6401 Clayton Ave, Richmond Heights. The specialty coffee benchmark in the city; pour-overs from single-origin beans approximately $5–$7. Open daily.

Foundation Grounds — 3030 Lemp Ave, Benton Park. A neighbourhood coffee shop in a converted building near Soulard. One of the better morning options south of downtown.