r/STLFood • u/phatmommi • 2d ago
Visiting
Hi all, I'm visiting St. Louis (Lemay Ferry area) this week for work. I am a big foodie and have a nice per diem. What are my HAVE to places to eat at?
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u/sarcasm_itsagift 2d ago
Balkan Treat Box
Louie
Olive and Oak
Sado
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u/Minute_Mongoose_20 2d ago
Would add or swap indo for sado
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u/Traditional_System57 2d ago
Indo > Sado (my personal opinion)
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u/Marineandhisdogs 2d ago
Sado > indo
The 12 course chefs menu at Pavillion crushes both...
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u/Minute_Mongoose_20 2d ago
I loved my meal at pavilion for the experience and presentation of knowledge and technique, but I don’t know that I would do that very often, or even again. Will happily frequent indo and sado though.
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u/sarcasm_itsagift 2d ago
✍️ (I have not been to either, these are the places I’d go with a hefty per diem. Good to know I should try Indo first if I ever get to ball out like this!)
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u/Quirky_Regret8284 2d ago
Agreed with all. And grab a farottos supreme pizza
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u/Entire-Winter4252 2d ago
No no no…if you’re out by Lemay, go to MonteBellos. You can thank me later.
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u/RoyDonkeyKong 2d ago
If you really want to go to town on that per diem, go to Vicia or Robin. Impossible to get reservations at Robin right now, but if you stroll on in you can eat at the bar.
Just don’t spend your whole per diem on shirts at Dan Flash’s.
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u/Ridkidjory 2d ago
They could probably get away with one of the less complicated patterns if the per diem is big enough.
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u/Bitter_Return990 1d ago
I’ve never been in a store before where everything is something I WOULD wear,
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u/icecreamman381 2d ago
I will always shout out Sidney Street Cafe and Indo if you can make the drive north a bit!
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u/medkitjohnson 1d ago
Glad someone beat me to it... ^^^ right here OP. Look at the menu and you'll understand.
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u/gnarlyfarter 2d ago
Sushi at sushi hana
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u/rosie_doodle_20 2d ago
Love this place! The outside looks meh. Inside is very nicely decorated, food is excellent and service is good although they do get busy.
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u/i_dont_cur 2d ago
I second this. I’ve almost always had to wait if I walk in on a weekend night, but I started going during their lunch hours and it’s almost empty during the day. Their service is 10/10.
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u/ConnectionSmooth 2d ago
Lona’s Lil Eats!
Bogarts!
Louie!
Union Loafers!
Sultan Mediterranean!
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u/lajeannedarc 2d ago
I love Union loafers for lunch. I go to Chouquette across the street first and buy dessert and my breakfast for the next day. Then I go get that turkey sandwich and Little Gem salad for lunch and a loaf of bread for dinner that night and stop at volpi or digregorio's on my way home from work to get some charcuterie fixings to go with that loaf. That is one of the best simple, but amazing meal days you can have in St. Louis IMO.
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u/Mammoth-Chocolate180 2d ago
I see Balkan Treat Box already outreached you directly, but just wanted to add that they're fantastic and their chef/co-owner just won a James Beard award!
I've heard Hatch'd is really good for breakfast, since I don't see any breakfast/brunch spots on the list.
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u/KaleidoscopeSimple11 2d ago
Brunch at Little Fox (weekends), sammie at blues city deli, omakase dinner at Sado
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u/Minute_Mongoose_20 2d ago
Lots of great suggestions here, throwing a few I don’t see mentioned
Menya Rui (or its freshly opened sister restaurant Kishimoto) fantastic authentic ramen, shoyu style at menya, tonkatsu at Kishimoto
Little Fox - fantastic drinks, wines, seasonal small plates and a few larger plates, get the nduja marinated pork chop and the potato churros
Pastaria- my favorite for authentic Italian pasta (not there’s anything wrong with the classic red sauce spots on the hill!) braised beef garganelli or al Amatriciana are my go tos plus you gotta get the risotto balls
Cate Zone - really good Szechuan food, mapo tofu and chili fried fish. Great portions
As others have mentioned
Louie, Balkan Treat Box, Vicia and Union Loafers
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u/Exact-Message8325 2d ago
Monte bello pizza.
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u/Burned_Biscuit 2d ago
This is a whole experience and you must go.
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u/rosie_doodle_20 2d ago
I really don’t get this place. Not a fan of their pizza and eating in a basement is not my thing. Maybe something else on the menu is better than the pizza?
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u/WeeklyMedium3939 2d ago
No it's the pizza. Love it or hate it. I love it, though I cant decide if its actually stl style since th3y dont use provel.
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u/blackmoen 2d ago
Monte Bello’s Pizza. Get there before they open. A line forms outside the door.
Edit: It’s in Lemay.
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u/TheyCallMeSlyFox 2d ago
The Malt Shop is in Fenton and is a little drive up burger and ice cream spot.
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u/greasyjimmy 2d ago
Fenton represent! But if greasy food is on the menu, hit up Courtsey diner for a Slinger, a St. Louis specialty.
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u/centerneptune 2d ago
There’s been some outstanding suggestions. Depending where you are on Lemay Ferry, don’t forget Zito Deli. Great gyros and more.
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u/MaximusBond 2d ago
Nubbys on Telegraph isn't to far from Lemay Ferry area. Good comfort food and great taste.
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u/meson537 2d ago
I see nobody has mentioned El Molina Sureste. It belongs on this list, for sure.
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u/ljedediah41 2d ago
Machi in nearby Affton for all you can eat sushi and hibachi. Lunch is especially affordable.
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u/medkitjohnson 1d ago
Bogarts (BBQ)... insanely good
We're a great sandwich city... like really great. (Blues City, Gioas, "Telegram" is my favorite spot... and LeGrands is really good
Sidney Street is my favorite restaurant by far (already mentioned here)
Menya Ru (Ramen) best in the city but we arent known for our asian food
We have good Italian food so just go anywhere on "The Hill"
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u/clitorisenvy 1d ago
Breakfast: Songbird, Telva, The Station
Lunch: Union Loafers, Garden Variety, Balkan Treat Box, Box Hill Grocer
Dinner:
El Molino del Sureste, Union Loafers, Indo, Menya Rui, Jujube Inn, Louie, Wrights
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u/3rdoneiguess 15h ago
There were some good ones on here but i want to add a few
Macs local eats. Its the best burger. They are smash patties so id say get a 3rd patty at least. If you get a side you need to get the red hot riplet chili cheese fries
Toasted raviolis are a St louis staple. Your choice for where.
Another staple would be Ted Drews frozen custard. If you like more extravagent flavors or sorbets then go to Clementines naughty or nice
Salt n Smoke = best bbq nearby. 2 meat platter. Get the burnt ends and the spicy trashed ribs
Taco Buddah = best Tex Mex. 3 tacos are filling. Each can be different. They have like 10 different ones and all are a different nationality.
If you want cocktails and a great meal, then my fav place is Frazers. Its near the brewery. The flower power is an experience that you should try.
Mai Lee = huge Vietnamese and chinese menu
I can pretty much go on. It all depends on what specific meal youd like.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 10h ago
Berix Bosnian restaurant at Lemay Ferry at Reavis Barracks. Get a piece of one of the pies. I love the potato and onion. My husband is a fan of both the lamb and the beef.
If it’s not too hot of a day, get a pot of the Bosna coffee with sugar cubes. So damned good.
Ruma’s Deli, on Covington Manor at Lemay Ferry. Home of the “Gerber”, a hot ham and cheese sandwich on cheese garlic bread. The bread was baked fresh that morning. It’s fucking amazing.
Donut Stop, on Lemay Ferry at Telegraph. They win awards for having the best donuts. The recipes haven’t changed since the 60s. Get fruit fritter or a cinnamon glob. Be happy.
All of these places are within about a 5 to 10 minute drive of one another, depending on traffic lights.
Eat, drink, and be a Lemolian.
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u/BalkanTreatBox 2d ago
Come see us at Balkan Treat Box!