St. Louis Dining

[coastalrazorback]

Making a trip to St. Louis in a month. Looking for recommendations for restaurants.

[pigture perfect]

Shannon's near the ball park.

[McKdaddy]

Shannon's near the ball park.

Agreed

[Hogfly]

Posted this on the Rant as well:

We do periodic food trips up to St. Louis, so I'll just paste in some emails from my friend who lives up there and gives us recs. I apologize that he had linked URLs on a lot of these, so I'll just put the names of the places in parentheses where applicable. Also, it's a collection of emails, so it may be disjointed:


This place (Juniper) is doing the very much en vogue 'southern' style with a twist type of thing; we went and I loved it. The chef-owner was doing a series of pop-ups for a long while before finally going with a set name and a rotating menu. The menu here appears to be their newest one as it is slightly different from the one we had 2 months or so ago. Casual but need a reservation.



This place (The Tavern) is becoming a local 'empire' in a sense, in that they have three or four different places all under one ownership group. The Tavern does a lot of fish, which is nice. Last time we went I thought we had a fantastic meal. Also, it's the only place on my list here not in the city (about 10 mins away from our house).



This place (Bahn Mi So #1) is our favorite Vietnamese, I believe K has already mentioned it to you. It's a mom-n-pop type place and service is very slow. Pop runs the front and mom runs the kitchen, but it's fantastic. It's not glamorous in the least and the neighborhood is sorta bad also but, best curry shrimp I've ever had anywhere.



This place (Planter's House) we have not been to but it is owned by StL's most prominent mixologist (I can't believe I just typed that sentence...) and the reviews have been good. It is primarily cocktail oriented as you can imagine.



We haven't been to this place (The Libertine) either however it also gets good reviews, again as a southern-type thing. Chef was displaced from NOLA following Katrina, wound up staying...


Blood and Sand This is a membership only place. They allow non-members to try it out once before they join. We haven't been yet but have heard all great things. They post no prices, but I could call and get the range. I'm assuming entrees $20-35.

Niche is great--same owner and chef as the Brasserie where we went the night before the wedding. This is their nicer place, "fine" dining. We've been a couple of times, but not for their Monday night thing. It's a pre-fixe 3-course meal for $35 a person. I've heard that Mondays are "fun".


Farmhaus (known for fish, hot chef in town)

BBQ has exploded in StL the last couple years (along with whiskey bars). Pappy's sorta became a gold standard but, similar to Gerard Craft, they've had acoloytes go on to open their own, just as good (and not as crowded) establishments, like Bogart's (which we prefer) and a brand new place called Adam's Smokehouse.



Bogarts has awesome, awesome ribs and, strangely, pastrami, which is also fabulous. Adam's apparently does their own salami, in addition to all the regular bbq items. Both guys worked at Pappy's for a long time. We've not been to adam's.



Another BBQ place I know that is not Pappy's related at all is called Southtown Pub, basically up the street from where we used to be in the city. They do BBQ and oysters. BBQ was very good the one time I went, no idea on the oysters.

There's also the Fountain on Locust. We could take the boys for Vietnamese if you think they'll like that. In Maplewood there's a new place called Strange Donuts that might be fun to pop in, and there's a little pie place right next door to that. There are a half dozen or more really good local breweries here now, too--some are family friendly and have small menus of good food. Also there are a couple of delis that are very good if we just need a sandwich one day.



Other possibly good kid thing is Bailey's Range. Another outpost in one of our local, StL restaurant empires. Basically they do everything in house, burgers and ice cream/milkshakes, plus craft soda, booze, etc. Not our favorite burgers (altho they are pretty good, just overcooked) but seems like the type of place a kid would like.

[Hogfly]

A couple more that we tried on our recent trip:


For The Hill we went with an upstart rather than the old stalwarts: Anthonino's Taverna. It was really good. Does some Greek as well.

Also ate at Rooster which is part of Bailey's empire. It was great. Only open for brunch and lunch.

[Boog41]

If you like pasta, go to Charlie Gittos downtown. Been going there over 25 years and sent many folks there that loved it. If it tells you anything, the first time I was there Tommy Lasorda walked in to eat.

[OnTheHillHogFan]

I highly recommend Bogarts. Great food and atmosphere plus the heas chef is from Arkansas

[Horsesrus]

Many good suggestions thus far, but you might want to add what kind of price point you're looking for.  Shannon's is pretty expensive while many of the hill and bbq suggestions are moderate.  Another BBQ place to try is Sugarfire which is near the Clayton area at Olive and 170.  The Bogarts chef chatted us up at Pappys when he was still there because my daughter and I had Razorback gear on.  Bogarts closes early so it's not a dinner option, but it is very good as is Pappys, which stays open a little later.

Anthonino's was a good recommendation on the hill.  The popular cheap spot that the foodies sneer at but is always packed is Cunetto's House of Pasta.  Gioia's Deli is a good deli spot on the hill with the hot salami sandwich being popular (I don't like it but I love the Philly Beef).  Missouri Baking Company is good for desserts with the cannoli being my favorite. 

Back to downtown, Crown Candy Kitchen is a few miles from the stadium and has the best shakes, malts and BLT in town.  It's in a pretty rough area so I wouldn't go after dark, but there's frequently a police presence there.

[coastalrazorback]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will definitely do bbq at least once, and I am probably leaning Pappys, but I will consider Bogarts as well.

Many good suggestions thus far, but you might want to add what kind of price point you're looking for. 

I will probably look to do one meal that would be considered fine dining. The rest of the meals I would like to keep under $20 a plate.

[Horsesrus]

I'm not a fine dining guy, but many of Hogfly's suggestions are talked about often by the food critics so those would all be good choices.  Sidney Street Cafe is another of the fine dining places you might consider.  Most places on the hill will meet your price requirements and all of the BBQ places as well. 

I've lived here my whole life so you can PM or ask any other STL questions that come up.

Are you coming for a baseball weekend?

[coastalrazorback]

Are you coming for a baseball weekend?

Yes, Labor Day weekend.

[Horsesrus]

Day night doubleheader vs the Cubs on Saturday with the make up game of the 5/14 rainout being the afternoon game.  Enjoy your visit.

[coastalrazorback]

Day night doubleheader vs the Cubs on Saturday with the make up game of the 5/14 rainout being the afternoon game.  Enjoy your visit.

I've got tickets to the night game, thanks! Any suggestions on where to catch the Hogs/Auburn game before the Cards play?

[Horsesrus]

Ballpark Village across the street from Busch Stadium has several bars but many of those might have the Missouri game on that starts at 2:30 that day and also the Cardinals game being played that afternoon.  I would think one of the places would have the Razorbacks game on at least one television.  Flannerys isn't too far from the stadium on Washington Avenue and there is a Hooters just a couple blocks from Busch. There is also a $6 parking garage for the game at 7th and Chestnut just north of Hooters on 7th between Chestnut and Pine.

That weekend should be pretty busy with the 4 game set versus the Cubs and the Missouri home opener over in Columbia drawing some viewers at the bars.

The local Razorback Alumni Association has watch parties but the place they had them at last year in Clayton closed. If I hear where they will be this year, I will post it here.

[titan714]

Pappy's has great rib.  We also liked rooster downtown for brunch!

[GreenwayTigerHog]

http://www.johnnysinsoulard.com/

Where the food is better than it has to be. 

[Horsesrus]

Johnny's is guys only.  My wife was not pleased with the scenery there.  Great chicken wings and the food really is better than it has to be.

[razorcash2]

If you like pasta, go to Charlie Gittos downtown. Been going there over 25 years and sent many folks there that loved it. If it tells you anything, the first time I was there Tommy Lasorda walked in to eat.

I would follow his footsteps for pasta.

[Boog41]

I would follow his footsteps for pasta.

Yep, Tommy knows where the best pasta is in every National League city!

[toshortrock]

mcdonalds

[popcornhog]

Making a trip to St. Louis in a month. Looking for recommendations for restaurants.

We went to the Cardinals game yesterday and grabbed dinner post game at The Libertine.

It was very good and moderately inexpensive. We did dinner for two including cocktailx2 and beerx2 with a terrine board for a starter for about $75 total.

I had the pork shoulder.

As an aside, they offer a special 3 course fried chicken dinner on the second Sunday of each month that is amazeballs.

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[Hogfaniam]

Ferguson Quick Trip used to have a killer hotdog grill.

[old hog]

I work with a couple of people that.were raised in the St Louis area and they always talk about the great Italian food in the little "mom and pop" places on the Hill. What just curious what they are referring to?

[Hogfly]

I work with a couple of people that.were raised in the St Louis area and they always talk about the great Italian food in the little "mom and pop" places on the Hill. What just curious what they are referring to?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=the+hill+st.+louis

That being said, it's a traditional Italian neighborhood in St. Louis. Restaurants that have been there forever. That being said, a lot of the Italian there, imo, has been Americanized. It's about large portions and old bluehairs reliving the golden years. That's cruel to say, and it is a beautiful tradition, and my wife is from St. Louis and cries from nostalgia everytime we go back to the Hill and Ted Drewes and such.... but...

There are much better restaurants in St. Louis than the old ass Hill stuff.

If you do go to the Hill, I suggest Anthonino's. or Milo's Bocce Garden, just because they're a bit more than the Godfather Italian stuff.

[BR]

http://www.theshavedduck.com/ 


This place Rocks, great food, cold beer.  It's in the Tower Grove Neighborhood...

[Boog41]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=the+hill+st.+louis

That being said, it's a traditional Italian neighborhood in St. Louis. Restaurants that have been there forever. That being said, a lot of the Italian there, imo, has been Americanized. It's about large portions and old bluehairs reliving the golden years. That's cruel to say, and it is a beautiful tradition, and my wife is from St. Louis and cries from nostalgia everytime we go back to the Hill and Ted Drewes and such.... but...

There are much better restaurants in St. Louis than the old ass Hill stuff.

If you do go to the Hill, I suggest Anthonino's. or Milo's Bocce Garden, just because they're a bit more than the Godfather Italian stuff.

I've been in Milo's a few times for lunch. Was very good. Tony LaRussa walked in to pick up his lunch one of the times.

[BDSCT51]

 A little late for the OP in this case but............................ Kreis' Steakhouse out in West County is also a standout, old school type of place worth the time and expense. Best dead cow meat on the planet IMHO!