New international food, a forthcoming aquarium, a rising biotech startup scene, and 47 more reasons to love St. Louis now

How our region’s becoming more global, equitable, creative, philanthropic, and livable

1. Our reach is international. Fly-over? More like fly-from. St. Louis’ scientists are launching conservation projects on every continent, identifying new species on remote islands, bioprospecting for medicines, restoring wildlife populations on the verge of extinction. Our universities have campuses in Spain, Thailand, Geneva, London, and Vienna; special relationships with universities in China and Africa; and study programs in more than 50 countries. Bosnian, Asian, Latino, and Indian cultures have revitalized swaths of our city and its economic life. Our World Trade Center has helped local businesses forge international partnerships that have brought in almost $250 million in new business. We’re a little cozier than the coasts, but we’re hardly isolated.

2. We’re welcoming new neighbors. Visit the Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park and you’ll get just a glimpse of the many cultures to be found across our region. The festival’s organizer, the International Institute, helps more than 7,500 immigrants and refugees from 80 countries settle here annually, and such organizations as Welcome Neighbor STL provide essentials like toiletries and meals—and warm hospitality.

3. This season, the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra is hosting two players far away from home. You might already know that the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra recruits the bi-state region’s finest musicians between the ages of 12 and 22. But did you also know that this year, it includes Diyar Jamal, 20, and Lawan Taha Hama Ali, 22, two musicians from the semiautonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. The symphony partnered with Saint Louis University and the Association of American Voices, an organization that promotes cultural exchange through the performing arts in nations emerging from conflict, to bring the bassist and violinist here, and St. Louis is the only host city for this program. Catch their first performance November 18 at 3 p.m. 

4. Our food scene has also expanded. The city’s list of international cuisine options has grown exponentially, as evidenced by Guerrilla Street Food (Filipino), Tai Ke (Taiwanese), Cate Zone (northeastern Chinese), Fork & Stix (northern Thai), and Simba Ugandan Restaurant (East African).

5. We’re reshaping the courts and policing. St. Louis was set in its ways—entrenched, you might say—and injustice and resentment were seething. Then municipal courts reformed their fee structures. A judge with a passion for educating and reforming rebellious kids agreed to serve as the director of public safety. A cop who understood St.  Louis’ most violent neighborhoods was named chief of police. And a lawyer eager to reform criminal justice won the Democratic nomination for county prosecutor. Plus, the city elected a critical mass of aldermen too young to know (or too strong-minded to care) “how it’s always been done,” and they started asking tough questions about social justice and scrutinizing the old TIFs–for–the–central corridor model of development.

6. “This city is full of possibilities. We’ve got great infrastructure and amenities like the Arch and museums, but we are ready to make some changes in terms of the city running more efficiently. To have people come together over things like the West Florissant corridor, I’m optimistic about our chances to be better. I think we have the talent in place to do that. If we continue to invite people to the table and keep them motivated, we’re going to come away with a masterpiece.” –Flint Fowler, president, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis

7. Art is helping bridge divides. This summer, Luminary co-founder James McAnally wrote an article for VICE titled “A Radical Black Arts Renaissance Is Reshaping a Fractured St. Louis,” highlighting the profound work of Damon Davis and Katherine Simóne Reynolds. In the past year, our city’s museums have also exhibited works by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, the renowned artists who painted the Obamas’ contemporary official portraits for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Leading up to his show at the Saint Louis Art Museum, Wiley spent time meeting with residents of the city before painting them in his elegant, timeless style. As curator Simon Kelly explained, Wiley “sees his art as encouraging inclusion and as using art history for a wider social goal.”

8. Our comics company is more progressive than the big guys. Comics rule today’s pop culture, and St. Louis–based Lion Forge has figured out how to smash old stereotypes, hire a diverse mix of creators, and challenge every assumption. This revolution’s fun: artful graphic novels, edgy comics for grown-ups, whimsical comics that open up whole worlds for little kids. Best of all, the superheroes are flawed and real—which makes their triumphs even cooler.

9. The arts scene is evolving. Some of our oldest arts institutions are seeing an influx of fresh faces and ideas. At Powell Hall, French conductor and self-described bon vivant Stéphane Denève is set to take the baton, bringing a new voice and perspective. Opera Theatre general director Andrew Jorgensen believes in “constantly exploring and redefining what opera can look like…to keep the art form fresh.” It’s a sentiment that new Shakespeare Festival St. Louis executive producer Tom Ridgely might second, rolling out fresh takes on Bard-inspired plays with this month’s In the Works festival. As The Rep’s incoming artistic director, Hana S. Sharif, said in July, “I hope that together we’ll be able to craft stories and bring forward voices that really reflect the evolution of our society and our city.”

10. At 100, The Muny’s never looked better. Against all odds (gulped bugs, marauding raccoons, rapid-fire rehearsals, and 1,000 moving parts), we’ve managed to keep one of the world’s largest open-air musical theaters vibrant for  a solid century. Broadway stars come here and sing themselves hoarse because our audiences give the energy right back. If you need a living example of St. Louisans’ loyal enthusiasm, shared commitment, and willingness to wait out a thunderstorm, check those crowds. The Muny’s cooler by the minute—literally, thanks to the giant fans, but also because of the new high-tech backdrops and top-flight talent. Next season, you’ll see a brand-new stage, ready for the next century.

11. We’re watching out for artists. This March, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation—whose mission is to help nurture the arts, in part by providing essential infrastructure—launched its music artist–in–residence program, providing support (marketing, industry access, recording opportunities) and space (The Dark Room at The Grandel) for Midwestern musicians. In early September, when LouFest was canceled on short notice, Kranzberg rose to the occasion, hosting local acts at the Sound of St. Louis Showcase.

12. “One of the best reasons to love St. Louis right now is the thriving small businesses, from boutiques and coffee shops to all the breweries and restaurants—I love Union Loafers for the nighttime pizza.” —Glenn Zimmerman, chief meteorologist, Fox 2

13. We’re shedding new light on East St. Louis. The Creative Exchange Lab is taking an innovative approach to improving East St. Louis. An online map shows where such icons as Katherine Dunham, Miles Davis, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee grew up, and it’s planning a Cultural Arts District with help from residents. “It’s not enough to have these projects just come through the city,” says executive director Jasmin Aber. “It has to be driven by the community.” 

14. Public art’s sprinkled everywhere.

15. Our music scene resembles a record store’s offerings. Listening to one artist can often lead you to another. Among our rising stars: folk singer Tonina Saputo, singer/songwriter Bloom, rapper Mvstermind, and hip-hop duo The Knuckles. Prefer Americana? Check out Beth Bombara or Pokey LaFarge. Indie? Consider Shady Bug, Glued, or Lé Ponds. Then there’s the more avant-garde, including multidisciplinary artist 18andCounting, as well as collective HEARding Cats and experimental group New Music Circle. And don’t forget our legendary blues scene, notably Big George Brock, Kim Massie, and Marquise Knox, who can often be seen at the National Blues Museum.

16. The Garment District is back en vogue. At one time, the Garment District was the SoHo of the Midwest, a hot spot for shoes, lingerie, and young women’s dresses. Eventually, though, the rise of discount stores, interstates, and foreign imports contributed to Shoe Street USA’s decline. Then, in 2014, a group of business leaders launched a fashion revival, starting the Saint Louis Fashion Fund and later the Fashion Incubator. The work of its alumni has since graced such stores as Neiman Marcus and New York’s Bergdorf Goodman—meaning that garments designed here are being seen worldwide. “We live in the Midwest,” says Fashion Fund executive director Kathleen Bibbin, “but our fashion sense is global.”

17. Downtown’s becoming more creative. Just when we’d forgotten our golden age as an advertising town, sucked up the purchase of Anheuser-Busch, and repressed our feelings of abandonment by the multinationals, a new identity emerged unbidden. More than 100 creative firms, large and small, have clustered at the heart of the region, and they’re bent on making it cool. 

18. “People are starting to take notice of our diversity in food right now: Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern went to film at Nudo House and smashed a whole bowl of pho. One of my favorites right now is Loryn Nalic at Balkan Treat Box. She could put a boot on her pide and I’d still eat it.” –Qui Tran, co-owner, Nudo House

19. The Arch has been reimagined. Though its footprint might not yet stretch across the river as EeroSaarinen envisioned, the Arch grounds are looking better than ever. The renamed Gateway Arch National Park is finally reconnected to the rest of downtown. Its underground museum offers an updated, more inclusive look at our history. Regular programming, including the Blues at the Arch music series and artist Margaret Keller’s Riverbend public art installation, make the visionary monument all the more resplendent.

20. We’re embracing old architecture. For a painful few decades, we tore down some of our finest buildings willy-nilly. Now we’ve realized that our exposed brick is cooler than most cities’—thank our clay soil and artisan brickwork—and all that limestone and terra-cotta ornament is treasure. Historic preservation’s no longer seen as a  costly pain in the ass; instead, it’s a foundation for creative new design. Just look at how carefully we’re converting beautiful old redbrick school buildings into condos; the stately Granite City YMCA into loft apartments; warehouses into microbreweries; dowagers on Washington Avenue into contemporary studios and offices…

21. New living options are elegant and efficient. We’ve always had great architecture, but it was generally big, brick, and traditional. Then the excitement over Midcentury Modern nudged its way into that aesthetic and made some elbow room for what’s current: new condo buildings that are architectural gems (e.g., One Hundred, a 36-story apartment tower by Studio Gang that’s going up on Kingshighway across from Forest Park), a scattering of über-efficient tiny minimalist houses, interior designers whose vision matches the era—curved, not boxy; warm, not cold; organic and textured, with tech as the servant of desire. 

22. Our big backyard is stunning. Though people on the coasts might envision cattle and cornfields, the Midwest offers far more character, with the Ozarks rivaling the Smoky Mountains in some places. Within a short drive, state parks and scenic hiking options abound. There are caves, shut-ins, and cemeteries—including Bellefontaine Cemetery, which also happens to be an accredited arboretum—to explore, too.

23. We’re getting an aquarium. For years we’ve talked wistfully about an aquarium. Now, LHM is mapping an aquatic journey down Union Station’s historic Midway. Visitors will enter on the virtual shore of the rivers’ confluence and make their way to the deep seas. The state-of-the-art tanks and touch areas (stingrays, it turns out, aren’t at all slimy) will hold water by next fall.

24. “Ballpark Village is awesome. Twice I’ve had tickets to the Cardinals game but have had so much fun at Ballpark Village, I never even made it over to Busch Stadium. And there’s nowhere in the world you can get a pork steak sandwich like St. Louis—straight to Tucker’s Place in Soulard for the best one.” –Kathleen Madigan, comedian

25. We’re rediscovering the river. The Mississippi might be the reason our city came to be a metropolis, but we’ve long had a love-hate relationship with it. It’s often associated with devastating floods and dirty water—but that disdain could be changing. Big Muddy Adventures’ Mike Clark leads guided tours along the river. Artist Kristin Leigh Cassidy combs its banks for treasure, using found objects to share the story of our relationship with the Mississippi. Drunken Fish owner Munsok So is making a significant investment on Laclede’s Landing, creating an event space overlooking the water. As he says, “I still don’t understand why we don’t do more to build up what’s happening on the river.”

26. Geographically, we’re well positioned. Climate change is real, and these days, the quiet Midwest is looking better and better: Rivers make our water supply safe from drought, our flat prairie isn’t vulnerable to runaway forest fires or hurricanes, and with the entire world concentrating itself in urban areas, our neck of the woods has ample housing to accommodate population surges. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is part of a growing knowledge and security base (there’s even a new master’s in cybersecurity and strategic intelligence at Saint Louis University), and we have local experts in epidemiology and food safety. St. Louis is a prepper, in the sanest and smartest way possible.

27. A St. Louis native plays everyone’s favorite midwesterner on Netflix. The list of reasons why we’re infatuated with Ellie Kemper’s titular character from the Netflix show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is nearly infinite. Kimmy, the happy-go-lucky Midwesterner–turned–New Yorker rescued from an underground bunker/doomsday cult, is possibly the most upbeat character ever created. She can’t curse or really even come close (i.e., “One more s-c-r-e-w up, and you’ll never teach again”). And as the title suggests, she’s damn (we’re not Kimmy) near indefatigable. The reasons we love Kemper are similarly plentiful. Start with her turn as Erin Hannon on NBC’s hit The Office and her quirky Bridesmaids character, Becca. And there’s her portrayal of Kimmy, of course, a character Kemper describes as the “very best of the Midwest” for her big heart and tenacious spirit. “There have been many moments when I’ve tapped into Kimmy personally,” she says. “The mantra I recite in my head is ‘Just take it 10 seconds at a time.’ There’s such wisdom in that. Kimmy came up with that. She’s no joke.” One more reason to love Kemper: her new collection of essays, My Squirrel Days. In it, she recounts her own St. Louis upbringing (like communing with an overweight squirrel outside her tree house, hence the title), moving to New York City, and the joys and anxiety that come with raising her son, James. Read the full interview with Kemper.

28. We’re connecting communities. Our patchwork of neighborhoods is quaint, but a city that exists in disconnected chunks isn’t viable, so St. Louis is stitching itself together. Trails are tied, letting us walk or cycle all over the metro area and absorb the sense of place in each community we cross. Midtown Alley is connecting to downtown with residential and studio spaces, restaurants, and shops along Jefferson and Washington. New developments are springing up along north-south axes, not just the established central corridor. Public transit advocates are also still pushing to connect North St. Louis, South St. Louis, and the exurbs to existing MetroLink routes.

29. Ridesharing’s rolling out in new ways. Last August, after a years-long battle with the St. Louis Metropolitan Taxicab Commission, Uber and Lyft arrived at the airport. Then, in April, dock-free bike-share companies rolled into town; LimeBikes started popping up all over town, with 20 percent of the fleet in underserved areas. Three months later, rentable electric scooters came to the Lou. For folks on two wheels, in particular, it’s provided an affordable alternative.

30. "I love Companion Baking because it has the best bread, sandwiches, and treats anywhere. And the Cardinals—obviously!” —Andy Cohen, host, Watch What Happens Live

31. We’re investing in the city. There’s significant development at the heart of the city, with new living spaces sprouting up from downtown to Midtown, The Grove to the CWE. Dining additions now abound in Botanical Heights, and more options will soon join the mix at nearby City Foundry, the Lawrence Group’s ambitious project that’s set to hold a food hall, Punch Bowl Social, Alamo Drafthouse theater, and more.

32. Our startup scene has serious buzz. St. Louis has received no shortage of attention for its startup scene. National outlets have praised the region’s affordability, funding availability, and development programs. But our startup scene is also civic-minded, and that deserves extra praise. Participants in the last GlobalHack were challenged to develop projects to improve the experience of foreign-born people and communities in “St. Louis and beyond.” LaunchCode’s CoderGirl initiative empowers budding female developers to help broaden and diversify the region’s pool of talented candidates. And mobile application Noonlight keeps pedestrians safe—if a user lets go of the phone while the app is in use, the police are alerted. (Wash. U. liked the concept so much, it was made free for all students.)

33. “I love St. Louis for its diverse heritage and welcoming neighborhoods, its resilience and changing climate, and its cultural pride and entrepreneurial spirit.” –Marie-Hélène Bernard, president and CEO,St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

34. There’s a low barrier to entry for ambitious entrepreneurs. Thinking about renting retail space in New York? Expect to pay around $75 per square foot each month. In St. Louis? According to a 2015 report by the Building Owners and Managers Association, you’ll pay around $18.80 per square foot. The affordability of space in St. Louis has encouraged not only big businesses but also small grassroots projects—art galleries such as Parapet Real Humans in Tower Grove East and small concert venues like The Sinkhole in Carondelet—to set up shop. We’re thankful for it.

36. Our medical schools are making a difference worldwide. Wash. U. is pioneering insights into genomics and Alzheimer’s, and SLU’s leading the way in developing a universal flu vaccine and a holistic approach to trauma care. At the same time, both institutions are growing, with state-of-the-art facilities opening in the CWE and Midtown.

35. The classic St. Louis question? There are many answers. It might be parochial, but there’s a reason we’re obsessed with our schools: So many quality options, both private and public, have shaped countless St. Louisans. In recent years, city schools and Normandy have made major strides, and charters are offering additional choices.

37. “I love the high quality and energy of the visual and performing arts now in St. Louis: SLAM, CAM, Pulitzer, Luminary, Laumeier, Shakespeare Festival, Opera Theatre, Jazz St. Louis… The list of places, programming, events, and collaborations is growing in new and relevant ways to become more diverse and meaningful to all of us. This is where we meet, share, survive, and thrive: tough, thoughtful, provoking, beautiful, uplifting, and sometimes just fun.” –Kiku Obata, president, Kiku Obata & Company

38. The city’s biotech hubs continue to grow. Besides all of the startups and science in Cortex, the district boasts a weekly gathering for innovators, a maker space, and one of our city’s hottest restaurants. As it expands, so do the surrounding blocks (with 4101 Laclede and Juniper opening nearby). In Creve Coeur, St. Louis County is planning its own 575-acre district—this time, building on plant science—with the recently expanded Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Bio Research & Development Growth Park, and Helix Center Biotech Incubator serving as anchors.

39. There are even more options for kids and parents alike. With such attractions as City Museum, Myseum, and The Magic House, we’ve always had great family-friendly spots beyond Forest Park. But places for the parents to unwind while the kids play? Urban Fort Play Café, Rise Coffee, and Hartford Coffee have dedicated play areas for the tykes, and more and more breweries—Civil Life, 4 Hands, Schlafly Bottleworks, Urban Chestnut—offer coloring pages, games, and space to roam.

40. We’re a great sports city (despite what Stan Kroenke might think). Attendance at Cardinals games is third in Major League Baseball, behind only that for the L.A. Dodgers and New York Yankees. Blues fans are as passionate as any team’s, with attendance up in recent years. And when the PGA Championship came to Bellerive, none other than Tiger Woods tweeted, “I can’t thank the fans in St. Louis enough for packing the course all week and for their enthusiasm and support. It meant so much to me.”

41. Our big businesses give back in a big way. St. Louis has been ranked one of the top cities in which to start a company. It’s not a bad place to grow one, either. World Wide Technology checks both boxes, and it’s adding two more buildings and 500 more employees to the Metro East. Our hometown heroes give back, too—take Enterprise, which recently donated $2.5 million to Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

42. Even our restaurants are philanthropic. Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria donates an entire day’s profits to a local charity once a month. Lola Jean’s Giveback Coffee turns over all profits to local charities. Every February, OG Hospitality Group’s restaurants donate to Backstoppers and ask their patrons to do the same. After each of their sons died as a result of congenital heart defects at early ages, Olive + Oak’s co-owners—Becky Ortyl and her husband, Greg, and Jenn Hinkle and her husband, Mark—started organizations to fund research, raise awareness, and support other families. Today, the Mighty Oakes Heart Foundation’s signature red hearts hang on trees and porches across Webster Groves and beyond, a powerful sign of love and support.

43. “We’re home to a major MFA program (Washington University) and have two excellent poetry series (River Styx and Observable Readings), plus the SLU Literary Award, BookFest St. Louis, the Small Press Expo that showcases all the incredible artisanal works being done locally, and a growing number of independent bookstores. We are the birthplace of, or home to, many prominent writers—living and dead—from T.S. Eliot and Maya Angelou to Carl Phillips and Mary Jo Bang.” –Kris Kleindienst, co-owner, Left Bank Books

44. The chessboard? We rule it. With backing from Rex Sinquefield, St. Louis has quickly become the epicenter of chess. The Saint Louis Chess Club regularly hosts the national championships. Across the street is a museum and gift shop devoted to the sport. At Webster University, chess grandmaster Susan Polgar leads the country’s top-ranked chess team.

45. Food trucks and pop-ups are helping chefs roll out creative cuisine. Without signing a lease on a  brick-and-mortar, chefs can test the waters with innovative new concepts. Guerrilla Street Food, for example, went from food truck to four locations, and Balkan Treat Box is putting down roots in Webster after earning a following while on wheels. The acclaimed chefs behind Vicia and the newly opened Savage did a series of pop-ups before opening shop. And James Beard semifinalist Rob Connoley has hosted a series of memorable dinners in anticipation of his forage-focused Bulrush.

46. We’re bringing the farm to the city. The farm-to-table movement has sprouted urban offshoots across town. EarthDance Farms supplies local restaurants and teaches weekly classes at its Organic Farm School. Urban Harvest STL’s network of gardens—several located on rooftops—donates most of its harvest to nonprofits and food deserts. Several restaurant groups are literally growing their own: Hamilton Hospitality Group’s gardens span the traditional, the hydroponic, and the aeroponic.

47. The tide’s finally come in. A wave of new poke shops is making it easier to eat healthfully. Among the options: Poke Doke, BLK Mkt Eats, Hiro Poké Co., and Poke Munch.  

48. “St. Louis actors, entertainers, and writers like John Goodman, Sterling K. Brown, Jon Hamm, Ellie Kemper, Jenna Fischer, Jonathan Franzen, Ntozake Shange, Ridley Pearson, and Jane Smiley are showing the rest of the country how creative we are. Scientists at the Cortex Innovation Community, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and our great universities—plus information technology giants, including Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey—are also stars.” –Joe Edwards, civic leader and Blueberry Hill founder

49. Our drink menu is still expanding. Craft breweries continue to open at a dizzying pace, but microdistilleries are gathering steam as well. StilL 630 continues its small-batch success, Ste. Genevieve–based Big O Ginger Liqueur has become a regional favorite, and Old Herald Brewery & Distillery is slated to open in Collinsville, Illinois.

50. You get a lot for your money, especially at home. Our cost of living is 6 percent lower than the national average, according to data site PayScale. Where we really shine? Housing, which costs 28 percent less. 

Editor's Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version. The previous version included WOW air's nonstop transatlantic flights from St. Louis to Iceland. In October, the airport announced that WOW would be discontinuing the nonstop flights after January 7, 2019.