An Independent Guide St. Louis, Missouri est. 2026
  • Blues City Deli Sandwiches / Benton Park
    An iconic Blues-themed sandwich shop
    Blues City Deli is an absolute gem of a spot. You can expect to see a line when you go to visit, but you'll get to check out all the Blues memorabilia, portraits, and concert posters while you wait.…
  • Bono's Pizzeria Pizza / Southampton
    Deep dish and St. Louis-style pizza
    I was highly impressed with both the Chicago deep dish pizza and the St. Louis-style pizza at Bono's Pizzeria on Hampton. The St. Louis style had a crisp, almost tavern-style pizza like quality to…
  • El Jarocho Mexican / Twin Oaks
    Authentic street tacos in St. Louis
    One of the first things I needed to find after moving to St. Louis was authentic Mexican food. I've always been used to having endless options for authentic Mexican food, bakeries, snacks, and…
  • Faraci Pizza Pizza / Ellisville
    Brick-oven St. Louis-style pizza
    Faraci Pizza is one of the original Pizza spots in St. Louis. It began in Ferguson, Missouri and moved to Ellisville in West County in the '90s. Due to its original location, it has that "North side"…
  • Farotto's Pizza / Rock Hill
    My top St. Louis-style pizza
    Farotto's is a family-owned restaurant that has been making pizzas since 1956, making it one of the oldest ones as far as I can tell (Imo's began in 1964). It's my top-rated spot for St. Louis-style…
  • Kishimoto Mendo Ramen / University City
    Rich, comforting Tonkotsu ramen
    As a long time fan of Menya Rui, I've been hyped to try Kishimoto Mendo ever since it was announced. Kishimoto Mendo is the new Tonkotsu-style ramen concept from the chef-owner of Menya Rui. Tonkotsu…
  • Louie Italian / Clayton
    An upscale Italian restaurant
    Louie is an excellent restaurant at an excellent location. It's right on the strip on DeMun Ave in Clayton next to Clementine's Naughty & Nice Ice Cream, Sasha's Wine Bar, and a few other shops and…
  • Menya Rui Ramen / North Hampton
    Shoyu ramen worth waiting in line for
    Menya Rui was my first introduction to ramen in St. Louis, which was lucky for me since it's excellent. For a while, I went to Menya Rui once a week - even if this meant waiting in line for two hours…
  • Nicky Slices Pizza Club Pizza / The Hill
    A perfect Detroit-style pie
    I know St. Louis is the town of thin cracker-crust pizza, but I'm partial to the thicker, fluffier Detroit-style pie. When I first moved here, I tried Motor Town Pizza and the Detroit-style at the…
  • O'B'Que's BBQ / Chesterfield
    Texas-style brisket at a gas station
    Tucked away at a gas station in Chesterfield, O'B'Que's serves up Texas-style brisket and BBQ. I tried the ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, and all had a great wood-smoked flavor without being too…
  • Park Avenue Coffee Coffee / Lafayette Square
    Local coffee roaster and gooey butter cake specialist
    Park Avenue is a local coffee chain that has locations in Lafayette Square, The Hill, Midtown, and Downtown. They also make one of the better gooey butter cakes around town. The coffee from Park…
  • Sultan Middle Eastern / The Grove
    Our go-to spot for Middle Eastern
    This is our go-to spot for Middle Eastern food. Specifically, the beef kefta kabob is flavorful, tender, juicy, and just fantastic. Everything else is good, too - the saffron rice garnished with…
  • Telva at the Ridge Coffee / Webster Groves
    A Balkan-inspired cafe with a cozy chai
    Telva is a Balkan-inspired cafe from the owners of the famous Balkan Treat Box. I visited on the recommendation that it's one of the best chai teas around, and I have to agree! Telva's all around a…
  • Woofies Hot Dogs Hot Dogs / Overland
    A perfect Chicago dog and smash burger
    There are three staple foods of the Chicagoan's diet - the Italian beef sandwich, the Chicago-style hotdog, and deep dish pizza. You spend enough time in the Chicagoland area, and you think these…
  • Anthonino's Taverna Italian / The Hill
    Greek and Italian food on the Hill
    Anthonino's Taverna is an Italian and Greek restaurant on the Hill. It was once featued on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, particularly for the toasted ravioli.
  • Bud's Pizza & Beer Pizza / North Hampton
    Cozy pizza joint with my favorite t-ravs
    After my favorite New York-style pizza place in town closed down, I was on the lookout for a good pizza place. I heard of Bud's Pizza and Beer being comparable, so I went to check it out, and it did…
  • Carl's Drive-In Burgers / Brentwood
    No-frills Route 66 diner
    Carl's Drive-In is a charming, no-frills diner right off historic route 66. It's cash only and seating is very limited, so it can get packed during peak hours. The menu is small and to the point -…
  • Grace Meat & Three Chicken / The Grove
    Comfort-food fried chicken and sides
    Grace Meat & Three is a classic comfort food spot to get fried chicken and sides. It's located in The Grove alongside a few other good restaurants. Grace used to have some competition in the fried…
  • JJ Twig's Pizza & Pub Pizza / Southampton
    A Chicago thin-crust pizza spot
    J.J. Twig's is the only place in town that I know of that specifically makes a Chicago thin-crust pizza. They also make a "double decker pizza" - two pizzas stacked on top of each other with the…
  • La Pizza Pizza / University City
    An authentic New York slice
    La Pizza is one of the only places in St. Louis where you can get an authentic New York-style pizza. It's a small shop that is mostly set up for takeout with a few small tables for dining in. The…
  • Pappy's Smokehouse BBQ / Midtown
    Top-tier ribs
    It's hard for me to properly rate Pappy's, because I'm a bit torn on it. On the one hand, they have a great spot, always a line and a lot of energy, they're well known, and I love seeing that in St.…
  • Stacked STL Burgers / Carondelet
    A build-your-own burger in Carondelet
    I've been to Stacked a couple of times, and it's always good. I'll admit that burgers just aren't my favorite food, and if I'm going to have a burger, I prefer a smash burger (and Woofie's is my…
  • Taste of Lebanon Middle Eastern / Central West End
    Hookah and Lebanese food
    Middle eastern food in general is one of my favorite types of cuisine, and Lebanese in specific is possibly my favorite variation of it. I was excited to discover Taste of Lebanon right in Central…
  • The Stellar Hog BBQ / Holly Hills
    Intergalactic BBQ vibes and a big patio
    A really cool BBQ stop with a large outdoor patio and painted murals. The intergalactic BBQ vibes are fun, the sides are good, and there's a lot of good stuff on the menu. I think it's a great place…
  • Tikka Tangy Indian / Central West End
    Indian and Middle Eastern fusion
    Tikka Tangy is great for when you want a cozy night in with samosas and Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala. The curry is flavorful, rich, and consistently good. They also have pizzas, which I…
  • Failoni's Restaurant Pizza / Dogtown
    A 1916 spot for brick-oven STL-style pizza
    Recently, I saw pizzababble put Failoni's as his number one pizza place in the whole city, so I had to check it out. I've tried a few other places from his recommendations like "Providence by the…
  • Mac's Local Eats Burgers / Dogtown
    Mac's Local Eats is a local smash burger spot in Dogtown. They really take the smash is smash burger seriously - it's almost a thin smear of burger with very crispy edges. If you like your smash…
  • Vinnie's Italian Beef & Gyros Sandwiches / Lindenwood Park
    A solid gyro and an okay beef
    There's only a few places in all of St. Louis that do a rendition of an Italian beef sandwich, as seen in 4 Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches in St. Louis to satisfy fans of 'The Bear'. I've…
  • La Tejana Taqueria Mexican / St. Ann
    A hyped taqueria that fell flat for me
    One of the first types of cuisine I was on the lookout for when I arrived in St. Louis was authentic Mexican food. I saw La Tejana come up frequently in recommendations. It's located in one of the…
  • Adam's Smokehouse BBQ / Clifton Heights
    Slow-smoked barbecue and burnt ends
  • Balkan Treat Box Balkan / Webster Groves
    Wood-fired bread and Balkan street food
  • Beast Craft BBQ BBQ / Belleville
    Craft barbecue, smoked sausage, and pork steaks
  • Charlie Gitto's Italian / The Hill
    The Hill Italian classic
  • Comet Coffee Cafe / Midtown
    Coffee bar
  • Dalie's Smokehouse BBQ / Valley Park
    Barbecue from the Pappy's and Bogart's crew
  • Damn Fine Hand Pies Cafe / Shaw
    Sweet and savory hand pies
  • Gioia's Deli Sandwich / The Hill
    Famous Hot salami sandwiches
  • Hi-Pointe Burgers / Hi-Pointe
    Griddled smash burgers and wild specials
  • Himalayan Hut Indian / Rock Hill
    Indian and Nepali kitchen
  • King Doh Chinese / Kirkwood
    Peking and Szechuan cooking
  • Layali Halab Mediterranean Middle Eastern / Creve Coeur
    Authentic Syrian cooking
  • Lefty's Bagels Sandwich / Chesterfield
    Hand-rolled bagels and breakfast sandwiches
  • LeGrand's Market Sandwich / St. Louis Hills
    Deli sandwiches and fresh-cut meats
  • Manee Thai Thai / Ballwin
    Strip mall Thai kitchen
  • Mestiza Mexican / Northampton
    Street tacos from the Malinche team
  • Mom's Deli Sandwich / Lindenwood Park
    Longtime St. Louis classic deli
  • Nick & Elena's Pizza / Breckenridge Hills
    North side St. Louis-style pizza
  • Pirrone's Pizza / Florissant
    North side St. Louis-style pizzeria
  • Rozanna Mediterranean Middle Eastern / Manchester
    Syrian and Lebanese grill
  • Salt & Smoke BBQ / The Loop
    Barbecue and bourbon
  • Salvage Yard Pizza / Princeton Heights
    Chicago deep dish and St. Louis thin crust
  • Shortwave Coffee Cafe / Central West End
    Specialty roaster and espresso bar
  • Signature India Indian / Ballwin
    North Indian plates and bakery
  • Sugarfire BBQ / Olivette
    Famous St. Louis barbecue
  • Taj Palace Indian / Chesterfield
    North Indian cooking
  • Thai Sawadee Thai / Chesterfield
    Longtime Thai favorite
  • The Drip Community Coffee House Cafe / Tower Grove South
    Community coffeehouse
  • Affton Pizza Company Pizza / Affton
    St. Louis-style pizza and wings
  • Berix Balkan / Lemay
    Cevapi, doner, and Turkish coffee
  • Bevo Caffe Lounge Balkan / Bevo Mill
    Bosnian café with pizza and espresso
  • Blackthorn Pizza / Tower Grove South
    Deep dish and thin crust in an old corner pub
  • Brasserie American / Central West End
    Parisian-style bistro from the Niche group
  • Cate Zone Chinese / University City
    Northeastern Chinese comfort food
  • ChiliSpot Chinese / University City
    Fiery Sichuan cooking
  • Corner 17 Chinese / The Loop
    Hand-pulled noodles and soup dumplings
  • Ehsani's Hot Kabob Middle Eastern / Bevo Mill
    Persian kabobs cooked over fire
  • El Morelia Supermercado Mexican / Bridgeton
    Mexican grocery and taqueria
  • El Torito Mexican / Cherokee Street
    Taqueria and supermercado on Cherokee
  • Fonda La Poblanita Mexican / Bevo Mill
    Pueblan cemitas
  • Havana's Cuisine Cuban / Central West End
    Cuban sandwiches and slow-cooked classics
  • Indo Asian / Botanical Heights
    Thai-Japanese omakase and small plates
  • Kevin's Place Pizza / Cherokee Street
    St. Louis-style pizza with a patio
  • King Burrito Mexican / Overland
    Homestyle Mexican and burritos
  • Lefty's Fried Rice Chinese / Benton Park
    Chinese-American comfort food
  • Little Fox American / Fox Park
    Neighborhood bistro
  • Locoz Tacoz Mexican / Maplewood
    Mexico City-style street tacos
  • Mai Lee Vietnamese / Brentwood
    Vietnamese restaurant
  • Majeed Mediterranean Middle Eastern / Bevo Mill
    Shawarma, kababs, and falafel
  • Michael's Bar and Grill Greek / Dogtown
    Greek classics and American bar fare
  • Napoli Italian / Town and Country
    Old-school Italian
  • O/B Slices Pizza / Alton
    New York-style slices across the river
  • Olive + Oak American / Webster Groves
    New American plates
  • Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza Pizza / Soulard
    Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza
  • Sado Sushi / The Hill
    Omakase and creative sushi
  • Saffron Middle Eastern / Town and Country
    Indian and Pakistani plates
  • Sameem Afghan Restaurant Middle Eastern / The Grove
    Afghan kabobs
  • Sasha's Wine / Clayton
    Wine bar and small plates
  • Songbird Breakfast / The Grove
    Breakfast sandwiches and brunch
  • Tacos Wey Mexican / Affton
    Quesabirria and street tacos
  • TeeRak Thai Thai / Shaw
    Regional Thai and khao soi
  • The Gramophone Sandwich / The Grove
    Creative sandwiches and live music
  • The London Tea Room Cafe / DeBaliviere Place
    British teas and scones
  • Tiger88 Vietnamese / Des Peres
    Banh mi and boba
  • Zlatno Zito Balkan / Bevo Mill
    Bosnian bakery and deli