What ‘casual but nice’ restaurants do you recommend in St. Louis? —Martha S., University City
This is the second most asked question of this food writer. The only one more popular is ‘What’s your favorite restaurant in St. Louis?’, which is maddening because there are no parameters. So I’m happy to answer this one, adding a few parameters of my own.
When most people ask this question, they’re looking for what I call a ‘Tuesday night restaurant,’ a place you go when you’re too tired to cook and don’t feel like dropping $100.
It’s a niche that I wish was better represented in this town: a place nicer than the corner bar and grill but doesn’t require changing into better clothes or gearing up for a new culinary adventure. A place serving contemporary American or Italian cuisine. (Most Mexican, BBQ, tapas-style, and dine-in pizza restaurants qualify as well, but for this discussion I’ve not included them.) A place where entrées are generally less than $20, beers are about $5, cocktails slightly more, and wine glasses less than $10.
In no particular order, here are some recommendations:
Pastaria: Gerard Craft’s popular pasta joint claims it’s ‘sorta close to Italy.’ (It helps that it’s sorta close to my house.) If I’m stretching the category to include Pastaria, then Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria and Basso should absolutely be on this list as well.
Big Sky Café – Over the years, this oldie but goody in the shadow of the train tracks in Webster has kept food and wine prices low and quality high. Now 25-years-old, BSC is a place many diners overlook, regrettably.
Winslow’s Home – At Home Wine Kitchen, Josh Renbarger assembled an unusual and novel wine list. As GM at Winslow’s Home, the tradition continues with chalkboard glass wine offerings in the $7-8 range. Paired with the short, but delicious, evening menu, Winslow's is under-radar dinner dining at its best.
Almond’s: Devotees (many of whom are well-heeled enough to dine anywhere in town) appreciate the wide selection of reasonably priced entrées and the elevated brick patio.
The Block: Both locations rate high on the bang-for-buck scale. Meats are butchered on site, and those economies are reflected in menu prices.
Louie’s Wine Dive: I’ll be honest: At Louie’s, we tend to eat light, drop more coin on the beverage component, and arrive before 6 p.m., when happy hour prices are still in force.
Retreat Gastropub: It’s a real gastropub, which means truly elevated food and beverage. No reservations are accepted, so call ahead to take the pulse.
Reeds American Table: We can’t rave about this place enough. A host of talented staffers are all playing at the top of their game. Reeds is one of the city’s best restaurants.
Acero: Jim Fiala’s restaurant is run by chef Adam Gnau, who makes friends faster than that guy handing out free solar eclipse glasses. Quartinos of wine do cost more than $10, but remember that it’s a quarter of a liter, which equates to a heavy glass pour.
Water Street: Nestled between Reed’s and Acero—and sporting an appealing menu and incredible cocktail list—Water Street somehow remains a sleeper, though we've never understood why. Ponder the query before 7 p.m., when martinis are only $6.
Tucker’s Place: Several meat offerings are less than $20 and the 8-ounce filet (served with salad, baked potato, and dinner rolls upon request) is $21.95, which affords it the status of ‘best steak deal in town.’
Cyrano’s: Entrée prices are inexpensive enough, so you can splurge on one of Carolyn Downs’ desserts without breaking the bank.
As I said, this a popular but somehow underserved restaurant segment here. Additional suggestions are welcome in the comments section below.
Follow George on Twitter @stlmag_dining or send him an email at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
