Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Truffle Shroom bao from The BAO
“We make the buns fresh every day—that’s the key,” owner/executive chef RJ Xu says of his Clayton restaurant’s namesake dish. Xu offers a selection of “little bao,” as well as several larger sandwiches served on those steamed dome-top buns. The BAO does a winning rendition of the classic Taiwanese pork belly gua bao but also serves Korean fried chicken, wagyu, and Impossible burger variations. 14 N. Central.
This newly opened storefront in University City is the ideal place to discover a variety of Chinese street foods under one roof. Owner Lei Qian recruited his aunt to replicate the taste of jianbing from his native Tianjin. Aside from that popular breakfast item, there are Chinese-style meat pies, chive pastries, and a regional specialty called roujiamo, and slow-cooked pork belly on toasted flatbread, affectionately referred to as “the Chinese hamburger.” 567A Melville.
The whole fried catfish alone is worth a trip to this takeout-only spot. While you’re there, try the chicken wings, shrimp-stuffed po’ boys, and hushpuppies. Aficionados stage front-seat picnics in an adjacent parking lot. If you don’t think that’s romantic dining, you don’t appreciate magnificently fried comestibles. 9701St. Charles Rock Road.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Shaka Poke from BLK MKT Eats
The concept’s simple yet brilliant: burrito-size sushi rolls, stuffed with fresh ingredients. Our personal favorite? The spicy and crunchy OG Krilla, filled with spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, Persian cucumber, avocado, tempura crunch, jalapeño, and masago, accentuated with the OG Fire and unagi sauce. Don’t overlook the sushi nachos, also available with that special sauce. 9 S. Vandeventer.
Ivan Wei’s expansive menu includes numerous snacks from his childhood. “When I was a student in China,” he says, “a bunch of kids would walk home together, and we we’d always buy these snacks at the entrance of the school.” Today, visit The Loop to try deep-fried sesame balls filled with red bean paste and fluffy ice desserts, and tea eggs (boiled and cracked before being infused again with hot tea). Wei plans to add roujiamo, a Shaanxi province specialty: stewed pork or beef on a flatbread-style bun. 6623 Delmar.
It doesn’t sound appetizing, but cheese tea is big business across Asia right now. You can count on one hand the St. Louis venues offering it, and this tiny store near Olive Supermarket is among them. Choose from traditional teas and fruit teas, topped with a thick layer of salted cream cheese for an unexpectedly enjoyable contrast of textures and flavors. 8041 Olive.
Owner Lassaad Jeliti enjoys introducing customers to sopes, crispy Mexican-style cups of fried corn flour topped with carnitas, chorizo, or vegetables. Histwist on tradition: topping it with a sunny-side-up egg. “That’s just a lot of goodness to bite into,” Jelitisays. “You eat them with your face, not a spoon!”2200 Gravois.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Wok-seared vegetables inside a seven-pointed star cut from pressed, fried noodles
The grilled pork banh mi, served with pâté, is Dao Tien’s most traditional take on the Vietnamese breakfast sandwich. Whatever the topping, the julienned carrots and daikon are pickled a week or two in advance, and the meat is marinated for a couple of days. Or try the bo luc lac: Flank steak is diced and stir-fried with garlic, Thai basil, and jalapeños.
Walk-Up Windows
There’s a certain charm to walk-up windows, the pedestrian’s drive-thrus. They’re sprinkled across the region, typically in areas with high foot traffic: Mission Taco in the Delmar Loop, Epic Pizza & Subs in Soulard, Clover and the Bee in Webster, Club Taco in Kirkwood, Pie Guy in The Grove… On a nice day, when you’re trying to pack in as much as possible, it’s the ideal way to grab a slice, a street taco, or a cup of joe and be on your way.
The recently opened fast-casual homage to late-night stoner food turns pot culture into pop culture. Deep-fried meat, fish, and veggie nuggets can be laced with strains (sauces), then loaded (with other goodies), and rolled (into a burrito or po’ boy, or neither). Dessert munchies (Oreos, Snickers, cookies) are battered, fried, and served on a stick. 1330 Washington.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Traditional Greek gyro from The Greek Kitchen
Lisa Nicholas and Joe Kandel closed their Ellisville restaurant last summer and relocated The Greek Kitchen to Kirkwood a month later. They serve warm pitas overstuffed with tzatziki-slathered lamb and beef. Pair it with a chilled retsina, and consider a return visit to try the rest of the menu, notably the dolmades. 343 S. Kirkwood.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Kalbi Taco Shack's rice bowl includes spicy chicken, jasmine rice, slivers of sweet pickled carrots and daikon, romaine lettuce, spicy chili sauce, and a fried egg.
The perfect marriage of Asian- and Mexican-inspired flavors, Kalbi’s teriyaki chicken taco is the kind you’d imagine eating fresh from a food truck while standing on a sunny Los Angeles sidewalk. Instead, save the airfare and visit Cherokee Street to enjoy fusion tacos, burritos, bowls, and more. 2301 Cherokee.
It doesn’t get more street food–ish than this bustling taqueria, open weekends in the doorway of a Latino market in Bridgeton. Tacos are ordered and assembled on the spot and eaten at a few tables inside. The fresh sides and huge salsa bowls are all you need for dressing. 12005 St. Charles Rock Road.
Auggie’s The Original
Toasted ravioli are skewered and stretched into beautiful golden-brown Parmesan-dusted slabs—hot, crusty, and perfect for marinara dipping. Served at a stand right under the Arch, they’re pure St. Louis. 10 S. Leonor K. Sullivan.
With modular “fish lights,” swirly metallic-sheen floors, curved Samsung TVs displaying the menu, and Stubborn sodas (Pepsico’s craft line), Poké Munch is worthy of its next-level status and rave reviews. Its five “roll it or bowl it” standards have morphed into such specials as poke toast and the not-too-sweet Korean ice cream sandwich. 630 N. New Ballas.
Tender dumpling purses gush savory juices. They’re aromatic, satisfying, a casual lunch addiction for fans flocking to this tiny no-frills U. City spot. There are a few snacks on daily rotation, but don’t miss those dumplings, with pork, beef, crab, or chicken filling. Order ’em by the bamboo steamer. It’s an authentic taste of China. 8110 Olive.
The dogs and burgers at Steve’s Hot Dogs were already whimsical enough, with the Al Hra-BRAT-ski and Prince Akeem Burger. Then two iterations of the Waffle Dog came along: a hot dog on a stick encased in corn dog batter that’s waffle-cooked and another version with pieces of Tater-Tots in the batter. Carry either out the door, and people will want to know where it came from. 2131 Marconi,3457 Magnolia.
Faces Behind the Food
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Photo by Wesley Law
Casey & Justin Roth of Tazé Mediterranean Street Food
Before opening Tazé, Justin Roth visited London, Spain, Turkey, Africa, New York, and Tokyo to experience an array of street foods. His favorite stop: the city of Marrakech in Morocco. (His twin brother, Casey, stayed in St. Louis to oversee construction.) Justin and consulting chef Matt Borchardt connected with a street food–savvy dragoman. “He took us outside the city walls, where the locals lived,” he recalls. “We saw whole goat skewered on poles and cooked in 12-foot-tall clay ovens. We ate our most memorable meal, a spiced beef, at tables and chairs in a median on a dusty highway.” 626 Washington.
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Photo by Wesley Law
Doug Marshall of The Tamale Man
Marshall spent his childhood making tamales with his Mexican grandmothers, and he’s carried those happy memories into his current gig as The Tamale Man. Marshall decided to start the business after his wife took up organic farming. The farm’s produce goes into Marshall’s homemade tamales, which come in chicken, pork, black bean–sweet potato, and veggie. Tamale enthusiasts can find Marshall’s creations at various farmers’ markets, as well as at Wellspent Brewing Company and Southwest Diner on Tamale Tuesdays.
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Photo by Wesley Law
Samantha Mitchell of Farmtruk
After seven years as the sous-chef at Annie Gunn’s, Mitchell decided to put food out on her own schedule to accommodate her growing family. Inspired by her time spent in the Pacific Northwest, Mitchell wanted “to bring the food to the people.” Farmtruk was born. She focuses on local ingredients and educates customers about the seasonality of her dishes, including the popular brisket mac and cheese. Mitchell plans to open a brick-and-mortar, Cropcircle, at the forthcoming City Foundry STL in Midtown. For now, she’s enjoying “bouncing around from place to place.”
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Photo by Wesley Law
Inigo Gondra of The Croquetterie
Finding authentic Basque food in the Midwest can be a challenge, but Inigo Gondra is bringing it to the masses. A native of Bilbao, Spain, who formerly worked in human resources, Gondra runs a catering business that specializes in Spanish dishes, including croquettes (fried balls stuffed with béchamel sauce and other fillings, such as blood sausage and chorizo) and paella. St. Louisans line up for his creations most Saturdays at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, as well as the park’s annual Festival of Nations.
The popular Cherokee Street spot folds carnitas, lengua, and other hand-prepared fillings into soft, chewy tortillas, creating a special kind of magic. Puffy shrimp-topped sopes add to the experience, as do spicy grilled chiles toreados. 2817 Cherokee.
Wrapped in parchment paper, the falafel sandwich is perfectly portable. The thin pita is stuffed with a lightly fried savory mash of spices, garlic, and chickpeas—complemented by parsley, onion, tomato, a thin sauce of tahini, crunchy pickles, and bright pickled turnips—and rolled. 3171 S. Grand.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Honeydew, mango, and strawberry boba teas from VP Square
VP Square’s pan-seared vegetable dumplings are stuffed with a flavorful veggie blend and edamame and served with a soy dipping sauce. Pair them with a not-too-sweet purple taro root bubble tea—and don’t forget to add the tapioca pearls. 3611 Juniata.
Descended from Portugal’s pastéis de nata by way of Macau, Hong Kong’s iconic dan tat is a flaky pastry cup filled with flan-style egg yolk custard. Wei Hong typically only offers the egg tarts on weekends, when dim sum is served. 3175 S. Grand.
