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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Nixta
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Vicia
Not one but two St. Louis restaurants made Bon Appétit's list of 50 finalists for the best new restaurants in America. The national food magazine named Vicia and Nixta to its annual list.
Vicia, Michael and Tara Gallina's vegetable-forward restaurant in the Cortex district, debuted in March. It was also just named to Eater's roundup of best new restaurants last week. Bon Appétit's editors rave that the Gallinas give "the utmost attention to oft-overlooked vegetables (this is your moment, turnip tops!), turning out thoughtful, precise shared plates." And the magazine describes Vicia's vibe as "grown-up and polished through and through—with all the warmth you’d expect from our country’s heartland."
Nixta, located in the former home of Old Standard in the Botanical Heights neighborhood, debuted last November and serves elevated Mexican fare. Owner Ben Poremba oversees other critically acclaimed restaurants, including Parigi, Elaia, and Olio. Bon Appétit praises Nixta's "ambitious cooking that combines bold flavors from various regions of Mexico with stellar ingredients." The magazine dubs it "that cool, colorful, always lively restaurant that everyone talks about in Oaxaca…except it’s in St. Louis."
St. Louis is one of only two cities on the Midwest section of the list with multiple restaurants. (The other: Chicago.)
