Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Left to right: Bart Saracino, Tony Lombardo, Joe Sanfilippo, Charlie Gitto Jr.
Bart Saracino
“We have a long history here,” says Saracino, noting that his father opened both LaCino’s and the original Bartolino’s on Hampton Avenue years ago. “We have a mixed clientele, not just the guests and special events from the hotel but [also] longtime customers. Today, we often serve the children whose parents first came to our restaurants with their grandparents.”
Bartolino’s Osteria · The Drury Inn & Suites, St. Louis at Forest Park, 2103 Sulphur
Tony Lombardo
“Eighty percent of our dinner business comes from people staying at other hotels. Guests want to see the town,” says Lombardo. “Angelo’s Taverna gets busy at lunch and happy hour, while the Trattoria at Union Station seats more groups. At Carmine’s, we’re known for extra-large steaks—the 16-ounce filet mignons and 24-ounce strip steak—so it’s a special dinner place.”
Lombardo’s Trattoria · The Drury Inn St. Louis at Union Station, 201 S. 20th
Carmine’s Steakhouse and Angelo’s Taverna · The Drury Plaza Hotel, St. Louis at the Arch, 20 S. Fourth, 316 Market
Joe Sanfilippo
“You meet so many memorable people at a hotel,” says Sanfilippo. “One quiet night, I talked with a family from Italy who were traveling Route 66, from California to New York. Later that night, another couple joined us who were also from Italy, 30 miles from the first guests, and driving from the East Coast to the West Coast on Route 66. What’sthe likelihood?”
J.F. Sanfilippo’s Restaurant & Bar · The Drury Inn & Suites, St. Louis Convention Center, 705 N. Broadway
Charlie Gitto Jr.
“We have regulars, casino guests who gamble and dine with us several times a week,” says Gitto Jr. “They celebrate wins with us—and if they don’t win, they still enjoy our hospitality with house-made [dishes].”
Charlie Gitto’s at Hollywood Casino, 777 Casino Center
