Food fuels our passions, travel among them. To really get to know a destination, you’ve got to taste it, smell it, savor it. To that end, Cheapflights has been focusing the past few weeks on culinary tourism. Today the target is St. Louis. Here are some of the best (and best-priced) places to eat. St. Louis Magazine and Riverfront Times unearth top restaurants constantly, and pointed us in the right direction.
Blues and big sandwiches: You owe it to yourself to visit the Benton Park neighborhood of St. Louis. That’s where you’ll find one of the city’s homegrown institutions, Blues City Deli. The po-boys are sumptuous and the Italian stackers are superb. Owner Vince Valenza says $8 will buy you a generous sandwich, chips and a drink. With your meal comes a healthy serving of the blues. Live music is part of what makes Blues City Deli a magnet for locals. The restaurant is located at 2438 McNair St.
Modern Mexican food: Restaurateurs across the country are consistently proving there’s life beyond mere Tex-Mex. Take the folks who operate Milagro Modern Mexican. Sure, you can get all the traditional staples at this moderately-priced Webster Groves restaurant. But look closely at the menu and you see why people pack this place. Try the chili-rubbed New York strip. It’s topped with huitlacoche butter and caramelized onions. Not a meat lover? Opt for Salmon Yucateco. The fish is marinated in achiote, and then grilled in a banana leaf. Finally, the topping: mango salsa. You’ll find Milagro Modern Mexican at 20 Allen Avenue, Suite 130, in Webster Groves.
Unbeatable BBQ: Geographically, St. Louis is in mid America. But a slice of its soul belongs to the south. Can’t be helped. For millennia the Mississippi has flowed through this town, ultimately emptying into the Gulf below New Orleans. BBQ is religion (masked as food) in these parts. If you’re in search of the best, head to Pappy’s Smokehouse. Dry rub ribs are the feature attraction. They’re so good owner Mike Emerson says, “We’ve got nothing to hide so the sauce is on the side.” The Travel Channel calls Emerson’s enclave at 3106 Olive St. one of the 101 best places to chow down in America.
Something French? St. Louis was founded by the French back in 1764. That’s when Auguste Chouteau set up a trading post. The Gallic influence stuck – especially the culinary contributions. One of the city’s best, and most reasonably priced, French restaurants is Brasserie by Niche. It’s located at 4580 Laclede Ave. Start out with a glass of wine and farmstead cheeses. Follow it up with an extraordinary bouillabaisse consisting of cod, calamari, mussels, clams and shrimp. The entrée will run you $20.
Bodacious brews: One of the best bargains in town, specifically in South St. Louis, is Iron Barley. Local restaurateur Tom Coghill is proprietor, and the guy knows his beers. Start out with an order of BBQ shrimp. Make the entrée Hot Smoked Trout. The cuisine here is classic American. Closed Sundays, Iron Barley can be found at 5510 Virginia Ave.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: stlbites)
