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Here’s the countdown, chosen to represent a range of restaurants within St. Louis Magazine’s four-tiered pricing structure, beginning with the least expensive.
$ Entrees Under $10
Blues City Deli
Lord knows you’ve got the right to sing them. You can at this popular deli. Better yet, spend your time more profitably by eating here. Concert posters and blues memorabilia festoon the walls. Sandwiches are featured: Muffulettas (with handmade olive dressing), Italian beef, Memphis-style pulled pork and a variety of lettuce-and-tomato–dressed subs, including a superb meatball, all attract a faithful following. Pleasant patio seating and live jazz on weekends add to
the attractions. 2438 McNair, 314-773-8225, bluescitydeli.com
Gyros House
From the gyro-scopic view, St. Louis has several good locations. A charming hole-in-the-wall best is the Loop’s Gyros House. It seats only about a dozen, but the prices and food are unbeatable. Meat (taken only from free-range gyros) is folded into creamy, soft pita discs along with onions and crumbles of feta and painted with tzatziki. Also available is some of the tastiest hummus among us, and the falafel ain’t awful. Baklava? You bet. 571 Melville, 314-721-5638
Pho Grand
Don’t converse. Just breathe in the aroma of your bowl of pho while it’s still vaporously hot. That meaty, savory broth. The sharp tang of fresh basil. The cilantro kick of ngo gai. Stir in the chili nibbles and crunchy bean sprouts. Eat. Savor. Get the pho dac biet special, combining beefy textures of rib-eye, brisket and tripe. There are other Vietnamese specialties available. Try them. But not until you’ve mastered the joy of pho here. 3195 S. Grand, 314-664-7435, phogrand.com
The Pitted Olive
Tile floors and cool interior colors give this unique spot a Mediterranean feel. Garlic frites or a platter of olives, mozzarella and capers are splendid starters, followed by salsiccia lasagna or the continually changing chicken, pork or fish special. Sandwiches, like an andouille grinder on sea-salted ciabatta, are a welcome contribution. A good, affordable wine selection and desserts like a sticky toffee pudding add considerably to the equation. All-season patio dining is particularly pleasant. 5815 Hampton, 314-832-6548, thepittedolivedeli.com
Pueblo Nuevo
The widescreen’s set to Latin American soccer; red and green sauces are set to “stun.” There’s little not to like in this unprepossessing strip-mall jewel. Moist chubby tamales and enchiladas, a smoky, peppery goat stew and flaky-crusted empanadas are authentic. Pork chicharones swimming in an incandescent salsa verde are among the region’s top guilty pleasures. Margaritas may have the power to restore life, but the liquid flames in the squeeze bottles for chips can take it away. 7401 N. Lindbergh, 314-831-6885
Pumpernickles Deli
There is no better place to have a late, leisurely breakfast than this quintessential Creve Coeur deli. It’s loud, crowded, fun … and delicious. Crisp latkes, eggy rich challah French toast and cheese blintzes compete for your affection. Struggle with the decision between crumbled matzoh and scrambled eggs or corned beef hash. Or go with an exquisite Rueben, the corned beef piled impossibly high, the toasted rye buttery. The nova lox with cream cheese? Nisht geferlech (we’ve had worse). 11036 Olive, 314-567-4496, pumpernickles.com
Rooster
Breakfast re-achieves elegance in an intimate downtown crêperie. Savory crepes, Kate Moss–light, are wrapped around good stuff like gooey brie and roasted apples, slices of ham and sirloin, or juicy German-style sausages. Fresh berries, liquor-poached fig cream and Nutella make memorable dessert crepes. Eggs, French toast and sandwiches like a grilled croque-monsieur are available for the crepe-challenged. Cappuccinos, Americanos and lattes are the sweet battery acid necessary to charge your morning motor. 1104 Locust, 314-241-8118, roosterstl.com
Stellina Pasta Cafe
Wood floors, brick walls and a pressed tin ceiling make for an attractive atmosphere. Homemade pastas and wonderfully constructed sandwiches make for fine dining. The pasta menu changes daily. Always offered: some kind of lasagna, a long-pasta dish (like fettuccine with sausage, red peppers and spinach) and a stuffed one. Try the Hog Wild sandwich, loaded with ham, bacon, apple slices and cheddar, grilled with spicy mustard. The place is small and imminently worthwhile. 3342 Watson, 314-256-1600, stellinapasta.com
