Note: This article appears in St. Louis Magazine’s October 2019 issue as part of the “Best New Restaurants” feature. Click here to purchase a copy of the issue or to subscribe.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect Rhone Rum Bar’s closure.
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Cobalt Smoke & Sea: The smoked meats–meet–seafood premise is bold but not as audacious as the bespoke sculpture of a pygmy sperm whale. 12643 Olive, Creve Coeur.
Kimchi Guys: Munsok So’s new venture on Laclede’s Landing has raised the bar in St. Louis for Korean fried chicken, double-fried for maximum crispness and coated in a sweet, sticky gochujang-based glaze. 612 N. Second, downtown.
Bemiston Cocktail Club: Each of the cocktail bar’s six dishes is a well-conceived upgrade of a familiar bar snack, from nuts seasoned with sugar and spices to a hot dog dressed with chorizo chili. 16 S. Bemiston, Clayton.
Open Concept: At this venue, you pay $10 for every hour you spend there—but the cocktails flow freely (one at a time, for the sake of moderation). 2712 Cherokee, South City.
Rhone Rum Bar: With around 130 rums, a sandy terrace, and an indoor volleyball court, Paul and Wendy Hamilton’s bar gives St. Louis a slice of Caribbean beach life. 2107 Chouteau, Lafayette Square. [Unfortunately, Rhone Rum Bar has since closed, except for private events. Read more about it here.]
