St. Louis, Missouri's largest city and one of the oldest, offers a wide variety of local cusine. Whether you're seeking fine dining or something simple, the city of St. Louis offers many dishes that will tickle your tastebuds.
Upscale diners will delight in the creative cuisine at Faust's inside the Adams Mark Hotel downtown. In addition to innovative dishes served with a flair, Faust's extensive wine list offers a vintage to compliment any entree. Chefs utilize the freshest local produce and create memorable, unique dishes.
Meat lovers will find succulent steaks at the St. Louis Steakhouse at llth Street at Walnut. USDA choice steaks, Maine lobster, poultry, lamb, pork, and seafood are among the menu choices in this restaurant housed in a 1902 brick building that includes a subterrean dining room.
Mark special occasions with dinner courtesy of Rail Cruise America. This special dinner train boards at Union Station and offers fine dining while traveling through Missouri and/or Illinois.
Reservations are required and the inclusive price includes parking, meal, and round trip.
Family style dining can be found at Connelly's Goody Goody Diner on Natural Bridge Road. Serving St. Louis for more than fifty years, the Goody Goody offers homestyle cooking with a local flair. Try the homemade meat loaf or try one of the hamburgers guaranteed to be good. Chili Mac - a local dish that combines the spicy taste of chili with pasta - is on the menu along with Toastamales. Breakfast is served all day in the traditional diner. Order "The Wilbur" for an ultimate omelet loaded with chili, fried potatoes, peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Wash it down with Goody Goody's own famous rootbeer.
For a taste of Italy, head for St. Louis' Italian neighborhood and Zia's On The Hill. At Zia's (Italian for "aunt"), diners find classic and gourmet Italian dishes served in a former Italian grocery.
If barbecue suits your fancy, try it St. Louis style when the meat is slow simmered in sauce. Many places serve it but one of the best is Phil's Bar-B-Que in south St. Louis. They've been smoking and simmering meats for more than 40 years and are considered by many to serve the best barbecue in town.
Four generations of the same family have been making ice cream and other treats at the Crown Candy Kitchen at 1401 St. Louis Avenue. A local landmark since 1913, the Crown Candy Kitchen offers handmade candy, ice cream, and deli sandwiches. Local favorites include Ruebens and the diner's choice of ham, egg, or tuna salad but the traditional soda fountain remains the favorite of most visitors.
Another local favorite for a cool treat can be found at Ted Drews Frozen Custard at Grand Boulevard and Chippewea along what was once Route 66. The Drews family has been serving up their concretes, malts, sundaes, cones, and more since 1930 and the present location has operated since 1941.
Those brave enough to try true local flavor can try an old time St. Louis favorite - a brain sandwich - still available at a few sites through the city. Try The Back Door, one of two South Side taverns still making brain sandwiches.
Another local sandwich not found elsewhere is the St. Paul sandwich, an oriental egg deep fried delight. They can be found at many locations but one of the best is Mai Lee's on Delmar Road.
Although not exclusive to St. Louis, White Castle hamburgers are available at many outlets through the city. So are the juicy hamburgers at Steak N Shake where the menu claims "it's not a hamburger, it's a steakburger." Thick shakes and thin cut fries accompany the steakburgers for a real treat.
International and ethnic cuisine are popular but two of the farthest apart in origin are Dressel's Pub, an English style eatery known for its' stew, soups, and homemade potato chips on Kingshighway Boulevard and Pho Grand Vietnamese Restaurant. Located on Grand Avenue, the Pho Grand is operated by the Trinh family who offer a true taste of Vietnam. Cha Gio (Vietnamese egg rolls) are excellent as are the other aromatic, delicious offerings.
Any visit to St. Louis is enhanced by trying a taste of some true local flavor and these are but a few of the many eateries available.
Bon appetit!
