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What's your current favorite restaurant dessert in St. Louis? —Byron K., St. Louis
Had the parameters simply been “favorite dessert in St. Louis,” I might have chosen something—anything—from Nathaniel Reid Bakery, where if you close your eyes and just point, you’ll score something you'll tell friends about.
That said, one of the city’s all time most craveable restaurant desserts has to be the Sticky Toffee Pudding from Schlafly Beer. Then I conjured another classic that's been around since its memorable rathskeller location at DeMun and Clayton: Bananas Foster at Cyrano's. A combination of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, dark rum, bananas, and Bacardi 151 rum are flambéed tableside and spooned over a mountain of French vanilla ice cream in a footed silver bowl. The aroma of that alchemy alone is worth the price. Even after 60-plus years, Cyrano's sugar-sparked presentation never fails to impress.
We also asked SLM’s dining team for their favorite desserts:
Bill Burge, SLM contributor: "For me, who's frequently accused of preferring desserts that can be consumed without teeth, the best dessert is any place I can get my hands on rice pudding. And the only place I know I can always get my hands on the good stuff is the Sutlija at Balkan Treat Box, a rice pudding with pistachios and rose petals."
Cheryl Baehr, SLM contributor: "I’m typically a savory girl more than a sweet one, but the Amaretto Cream Pie at Edera Italian Eatery blows my mind to places I didn’t know it could go. It’s so over-the-top—a creamy, almondy masterpiece. The base is a buttery shortbread shell that’s evocative of the amaretti cookies you get on The Hill. Alone, it would be enough to send your mind reeling, but the cookie crust is filled with almond custard and then topped with a mountain of swirly, light-as-air pastry cream. I’ll die on this hill: It’s the best dessert St. Louis has ever seen."
Dave Lowry, SLM dining critic: "My current infatuation is with the Churros at Idol Wolf. Churros gone bad are more common (though less annoying) than awkward dancing at a Taylor Swift concert. What arrives at tables here are the real thing: skinny, crusty brown fingers of what melts like deep-fried air, exquisitely cinnamon and sugary, perfect for dipping in that dark pool of fudgy sauce."
Lynn Venhaus, SLM contributor: "Caramel Brioche Bread Pudding with Cherry Bourbon Sauce at Cyrano's. Although you can't go wrong with anything on the dessert menu, especially the key lime pie or carrot cake with toasted coconut icing. I like the comfort that the same place we came to after formal dances in high school, although at a different location, is still serving World's Fair Eclairs and Cleopatras, and they're every bit as delicious—and shareable. A close second is the Coconut-Pineapple Butter Cookie at Lona's Lil Eats—the best cookie in all of St. Louis. If you don't see them when you order at the counter, then ask. The caramel-y, crispy, tropical texture is the perfect ending to their flavorful Asian meals or just a wonderful sweet treat to take home."
Abby Wuellner, SLM contributor: "My favorite restaurant in St Louis is the same today as it was 10 years ago, and if you ask me in another 10 years, I’ll probably still say Sidney Street Café. Maybe it’s the memories I have tied up in its dining room or the amazing staff that's been there for so long, but it also has a lot to do with the veal dumplings and perfectly crusted filet. The only thing that could make it better is if they brought back that Deconstructed Snickers that used to be on the dessert menu (hint, hint)."
Collin Preciado, SLM contributor: "I avoid dessert like the plague, but I do like to take my 3-year-old son to The Fountain on Locust, so he can get the World's Smallest Hot Fudge Sundae. By consumer standards, it's small, but it's more than enough ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream to satisfy the cravings of any child while avoiding the meltdowns that inevitably accompany sugar overload."
Amy De La Hunt, SLM contributor: "I don't really have a favorite dessert—I'm pretty easy to please because I love anything sweet to end a meal. But my most memorable dessert in STL is the House-Made Kit Kat at Three Sixty. Milk chocolate, hazelnuts, and crushed praline are served in several very sweet little stacks. When the sun is setting and you're eating it on the rooftop patio...mmmm."
Pat Eby, SLM contributor: "I don’t often order dessert at restaurants, but when I do, it’s got to be one of those ooey gooey, soft and silky ones, most often with chocolate. I like bread puddings, custard pies, and flourless cakes made all the more delicious with ice cream such as the lava cake at Clementine’s, but I am especially fond of the Chocoflan Cake at Dos Reyes. It’s a mashup of a very moist chocolate cake topped with a layer of flan, then capped with a swirl of real whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. It's big enough to share—and I do share it—but I could easily down the whole thing."
We also asked the opinions of some St. Louis chefs and restaurant owners:
Arlene Browne, Robust: "I am literally obsessed with the bread pudding choices at Balkan Treat Box. Yesterday was probably one of my favorites: Blueberry Bread Pudding with a Burnt Caramel Cream. Every bite was heaven, but what really topped it off was the crunchy bits: sesame and toasted somun brittle! I could eat that all day every day, and I'm not a huge sweets fan."
Qui Tran, Mai Lee and Nudo House: "There are so many great pastry shops in this town doing great things that I'm going to default to the most memorable dessert I had recently, which was the flan at Tacos La Jefa in Dutchtown. Good flan is hard to execute, and this one is excellent—perfect texture and not too sweet."
Gerard Craft, Niche Food Group: "Vanilla bean soft serve with Magic Shell from Peacemaker. It's perfect in any season and is a great example of how something so simple and so commonly done can be taken to the next level."
John Perkins, Sunday Best (formerly Juniper): "It would have to be the tiramisu at Trattoria Marcella. My wife and I used to walk down there when we lived on Pernod for an occasional date night, and we inevitably would order it at the end of our meal. We always had to get a second one to go to take home to our kids. There's nothing splashy or hip or about it, but it sure is delicious."
Carolyn Downs, Sugarfire Restaurant Group including Sugarfire Pie: "The panna cotta at Louie on DeMun."
Dave and Kara Bailey, Baileys' Restaurants: "From us, it's The Inebriation from Baileys' Chocolate Bar, with layers of chocolate stout cake and bourbon ganache accented with caramel and passion fruit—it's an item that's been on the menu for 18 years. Or The Salty Caramel shake from Range on Shaw. The shakes are all good, but this is the best one to dip your fries in and eat alongside a burger. If not from us, The OG Affogato from the original Atlas, the Strawberry Sundae from Cyrano's, Bourbon Slush from Peacemaker, Sutlija from Balkan Treat Box, and the Brown Ale from Civil Life."
Pat Rutherford-Pettine, former owner Sugaree Bakery: "The corn panna cotta at Trattoria Marcella. It’s the second year they have made it. They call me when it's on the menu. I make it with a sbriciolata crumble on top and fresh blueberries."
Christy Augustin, Pint Size Bakery & Coffee: "The black sesame semifreddo with matcha and blackberry from Sado. It’s a little savory from the sesame, a little earthy from the matcha, and bright and fruity with the blackberry. Plus, I just love [pastry chef] Sarah Osborne!"
Matt Wynn, Salve Osteria: "My favorite is the Floating Island at Brasserie. I love the balance of flavors and textures on the plate... the delicate meringue surrounded by sweet caramel, creme anglaise, and topped with toasted almonds. It's a very simple dessert, but it always feels so intricate and complex. I get one every time I'm at Brasserie!"
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