St. Louis is a food city that has never tried to be fashionable, which is a large part of its charm. The signature dishes are working-class, generous and a little odd, the neighborhoods that make them are still family-run, and the city's beer history is woven through the streets. This guide shows how to eat your way through a visit without needing a list of restaurants that will be out of date by next year, and it points you to the attractions that give the food its context.
Start with the local specialties
Toasted ravioli is the dish St. Louisans claim as their own: small squares of meat or cheese ravioli, breaded and fried until crisp, served with marinara for dipping. You will find it on bar menus all over the city, and it is the classic first order. Gooey butter cake is the other great local sweet, a dense, buttery, sugar-dusted cake with a soft center that is sold at bakeries and corner shops. St. Louis-style pizza, with a very thin cracker-like crust and a melty cheese blend, is cut into squares, and St. Louis-style barbecue means pork steaks and spare ribs with a sweet sauce. Frozen custard is a summer ritual. If you try only three things, make them toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake and a pizza cut in squares.
The Hill: the Italian heart
The Hill is the best single neighborhood for a food-focused afternoon, and it is easy to walk. Fire hydrants and crosswalks are painted in Italian colors, and old family businesses line the streets: Missouri Baking Company, family owned for about a hundred years and known for cannoli and gooey butter cake; Marconi Bakery, founded in 1968; Gioia's Deli, where the warm hot salami has been a draw since 1918; and grocers such as John Viviano and Sons and Urzi's Italian Market. Milo's Tavern is known for toasted ravioli and has an outdoor bocce court. Some bakeries take cash only and have no seating, and many shops close on Sundays or Mondays, so plan for a weekday or Saturday. A private guided tour of The Hill is available if you would like the stories as well as the snacks.
Soulard Farmers Market and the south side
Soulard Farmers Market, at 730 Carroll Street, is open Wednesday to Saturday and is at its best on Saturday morning, when the whole market is in operation. Buy fruit, cheese, baked goods and prepared food, and eat on the move, because seating is limited. Afterwards walk the surrounding streets of brick houses and corner taverns. The market is free to enter, and it is closed Monday and Tuesday.
The Central West End
For a guided introduction, the Central West End food and history tour combines tastings at several local spots with the story of one of the city's grandest neighborhoods, and it is a good fit for a first full day. Stay on for a drink or dinner in the sidewalk cafes and bars afterwards, since the district is walkable and close to Forest Park. If you prefer to dine alone, ask your hotel for current recommendations, because restaurants open and close more quickly than guidebooks update.
Beer: Anheuser-Busch and the Lemp story
St. Louis is a beer city. The Anheuser-Busch brewery tour takes you through a historic working brewery campus, with the Clydesdales, a beer tasting and a biergarten. At Grant's Farm, which has free admission, guests over 21 can claim a complimentary Anheuser-Busch tasting in the courtyard, and the farm is open from mid-March to the first weekend of November for general admission. The Lemp haunted neighborhood walking tour tells the story of the Lemp brewing family, whose mansion and caves are part of local legend, and it makes a lively way to link food, drink and history. If you plan to taste, arrange a driver or use rideshare.
A sample two-day food plan
On day one, take the Central West End food and history tour in late morning, walk Forest Park in the afternoon and finish with a casual dinner of toasted ravioli and pizza. On day two, visit Soulard Farmers Market on Saturday morning, drive to The Hill for cannoli and a deli lunch, and spend the afternoon at the brewery or the Lemp walking tour in the evening. If you have a third day, add Grant's Farm in season or a ballgame at Busch Stadium for a Cardinals night out.
Practical tips
Bring cash for bakeries and market stalls. Check opening days before you go, since many neighborhood places close on Sundays or Mondays. Book guided tours a few days ahead, tell the operator about dietary needs, and wear comfortable shoes. Expect generous portions, and pace yourself, because St. Louis rewards the hungry.
