Illustration courtesy of Explore St. Louis and illustrated by Dan Zettwoch
NEW & NOTABLE
DOWNTOWN
St. Louis’ forthcoming MLS team, St. Louis City SC, is set to take the pitch for the first time in early 2023, though Centene Stadium will host community events even sooner. The stadium was the first to be built after the pandemic, though the work began in 2019, which pushed the team to think outisde the box.There will be mobile ordering and walkout markets, for instance, and all of the food vendors will be local.
A 1-mile stretch of the Brickline Greenway, running from Centene Stadium to Harris-Stowe State University, will be the latest addition to accessible paths in the city. Local artist Damon Davis is creating a public art installation to honor Mill Creek Valley, the predominantly Black neighborhood that once sat in the same location before its residents were displaced in the late 1950s.
Ballpark Village continues to grow. The new Loews Hotel spans 216 rooms, 297 rental units, and unparalleled amenities, such as an inifinity edge pool overlooking Busch Stadium. Salt + Smoke also opened its fifth location there, and Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteriaa plans to soon open its largest location to date nearby.
At the northern edge of downtown, America’s Center is undergoing a $210 million renovation, which will add a signature 61,000-square-foot ballroom. A new canopy and LED lighting will also greet visitors, and there will be 80,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space. And next door, the XFL is slated to return to the Dome at America’s Center in 2023.
MIDTOWN
Developer Steve Smith dubs City Foundry STL “the community room of the region.” Since recently opening, its Food Hall has quickly become a staple for the St. Louis dining scene. And there’s more on the horizon, including Alamo Drafthouse, City Winery, and Puttshack. Construction is also underway on a 1920s-style speakeasy, decorated in velvet and leather, which will be in the tunnels beneath the building.
INNER-RING SUBURBS
In St. Louis, “art is always in season,” says Regional Arts Commission CEO Vanessa Cooksey. In addition to the many new murals and public statues across the region, the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center recently opened and serves as the home theater for Stages. In its inaugural season at the center, the company has already drawn national attention, with The Karate Kid: The Musical premiering there before its Broadway debut. And in the spring, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis received a grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation to commission three new works per year for three years by diverse artists.
WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF UNION STATION
Downtown
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
St. Louis Wheel at Union Station
Historic Union Station has seen a significant facelift in recent years, housing the new St. Louis Aquarium, the neon-lit St. Louis Wheel, and the over-the-top Freak Shakes served at Soda Fountain.
You can also experience some of St. Louis’ most iconic attractions within just a short walk or ride. The Enterprise Center is situated next door, beside the elegant Stifel Theatre. The Gateway Arch underwent a five-year, $380 million renovation, replete with a modern museum that brings the city’s history to life. Nearby is the historic Old Courthouse, as well as Citygarden and Kiener Plaza. Just north of the Arch grounds, at the banks of the Mississippi River, you'll find historic Laclede's Landing, with its cobblestone streets, dining and nightlife options, and the nearly 150-year-old Eads Bridge stretching across the river.
Beside Busch Stadium, Ballpark Village boasts a 40-foot screen, the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, and an abundance of food and fun. Other nearby options include barbecue at The Midwestern, music and more at Tin Roof, brunch and nightlife at The Wheelhouse, and games at Start Bar.
Along Washington Avenue, the National Blues Museum has received universal acclaim, and popular dining options line Washington Avenue. A bit farther west, City Museum offers an imaginative playground unlike any other. Nearby, Blood & Sand serves up fine dining and creative cocktails. Finish the evening with drinks atop some of St. Louis’ finest hotels, including The Last Hotel, Cinder House at the Four Seasons, Three Sixty at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, or Hotel Saint Louis.
A SHORT DRIVE FROM DOWNTOWN
Near South Side
Just south of downtown, you can find a lively mix of restaurants, bars, and breweries. At the legendary Anheuser-Busch Brewery, see the famous Clydesdales, admire the architecture, and try free beer samples. Pick up produce and a Bloody Mary at the historic Soulard Farmers Market. Nearby watering holes—notably, Broadway Oyster Bar, BB’s Jazz Blues & Soups, Venice Café, and John D. McGurk’s—host live music in memorable settings.
On Cherokee Street, you can also get a bite to eat (The Mud House, Bluewood Brewing) and pick up a truly local souvenir (STL-Style, Firecracker Press). In Lafayette Square, enjoy modern American cuisine at Polite Society and The Bellwether, as well as French fare at Vin de Set and cocktails at Planter's House.
Farther west, South Grand offers a whole world of international cuisine on a single street, near scenic Tower Grove Park and the Missouri Botanical Garden. (Don’t miss the iconic Climatron, as well as the acclaimed restaurants in nearby Botanical Heights: Nixta, indo, Union Loafers, Elaia, and Olio.)
The Grove’s seen a surge of hip, new options, including breweries (Rockwell and Urban Chestnut), restaurants (Grace Meat + Three, BEAST Butcher & Block), and amusements (pop-up game bar Recess STL).
And St. Louis’ historic Italian neighborhood, The Hill, offers a bounty of beloved restaurants, shops, and bocce courts.
Photography by Steve Jett, courtesy of Forest Park Forever
Forest Park
Forest Park & the Central West End
The gem of the city, Forest Park is larger than New York’s Central Park and offers nearly as many museums and attractions. Check out Polar Bear Plunge and Sea Lion Sound at the Saint Louis Zoo, see modern and ancient works at the Saint Louis Art Museum, look up at the stars at the Saint Louis Science Center, skate at Steinberg Skating Rink, and peruse memorabilia from the St. Louis Blues’ historic Stanley Cup run at the Missouri History Museum.
After all that sightseeing, enjoy a bite at The Boathouse or in the nearby Central West End neighborhood, where you’ll find such popular eateries as Vicia, Brasserie, Yellowbelly, Shake Shack, and the recently renovated Tenderloin Room in the storied Chase Park Plaza. While you’re in the neighborhood, play a game at the Saint Louis Chess Club, pick up a novel at Left Bank Books, and visit the awe-inspiring Cathedral Basilica, adorned with one of the largest mosaic installations in the world.
Ain't Life Grand?
St. Louis’ arts district, Grand Center, lives up to its name, with big-name shows at the Fox Theatre and The Sheldon, the world-renowned St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall, and modern works at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and Contemporary Art Museum.
While you’re in the neighborhood, enjoy a meal at Grand Tavern and drinks on the rooftop at the Angad Arts Hotel, live music at The Dark Room, dinner at the acclaimed Bulrush, breakfast at Turn, barbecue at Pappy’s Smokehouse, or dessert at Fountain on Locust.
History, Hendel's & More
A visit to century-old Crown Candy Kitchen is like a trip down memory lane, with malts and BLTs served in quaint wooden booths. The Griot Museum of Black History & Culture houses exhibits and art that share the story of the region's rich African-American heritage.
The late Chuck Berry wrote “Maybellene,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and a string of other songs that would lay the foundation for rock ’n’ roll in a three-room redbrick home in The Ville, once home to Josephine Baker, Sonny Liston, Arthur Ashe, Dick Gregory, Tina Turner, and Grace Bumbry.
Farther north, learn about the past at Bellefontaine Cemetery, where the likes of William Clark, Adolphus Busch, and William S. Burroughs are buried. And enjoy dinner at Hendel’s, Cugino’s, or Ferguson Brewing.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Louie
Delmar Loop & Clayton
Named one of the “10 Great Streets in America,” the Delmar Loop is where you can see the stars on the St. Louis Walk of Fame, alongside an eclectic mix of restaurants (Blueberry Hill, Fitz’s, Nudo House, the Rooftop Terrace Bar at the Moonrise Hotel), shops (Vintage Vinyl, Plowsharing Crafts), and entertainment venues (The Pageant, Delmar Hall). On nearby Washington University's campus, you can peruse art at the recently renovated Kemper Art Museum.
In Clayton, you can find more dining options, including Pastaria and Sardella, both by James Beard–Award–winning chef Gerard Craft. And at the east edge of Clayton, enjoy dinner at Louie (where hip-hop star Drake recently dined three nights in a row) and The Cheshire (home to the cozy Basso and Fox & Hounds).
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Elmwood
Just Beyond the City Limits
At the heart of the metro region, in Brentwood, pick up a locally made shirt at Arch Apparel. Nearby Maplewood offers breweries (Schlafly Bottleworks, Side Project), restaurants (Elmwood, The Benevolent King), and shops.
In Webster Groves, dine at Balkan Treat Box, The Frisco Barroom, Olive + Oak, or Perennial on Lockwood, and pick up stylish accessories at Civil Alchemy.
Kirkwood offers more restaurant and retail options, along with family favorite The Magic House. And nearby Laumeier Sculpture Park offers larger-than-life eye art in the great outdoors.
A HALF-HOUR DRIVE FROM DOWNTOWN
Farther Afield
Skate where the Blues practice at the $83 million Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, near Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. Afterward, enjoy more fun and games at sports-themed restaurant Westport Social, or head to Topgolf in Chesterfield, where you’ll find shopping (St. Louis Premium Outlets), dining (local faves Annie Gunn’s and Paul Manno’s), and Faust Park (home to the Butterfly House and St. Louis Carousel).
In St. Charles, walk down historic Main Street’s cobblestones, and stop into the charming restaurants (Salt + Smoke, Tompkins Riverside) and shops.
If you want to take in the great outdoors, head west on I-44 to Lone Elk Park, the World Bird Sanctuary, the Endangered Wolf Center, and Shaw Nature Reserve, situated near family-friendly Purina Farms and Hidden Valley Ski Resort.
Courtesy of Spectra Experiences
Centene Community Ice Center, where the Blues practice
River Adventure
Learn how the Mississippi shaped the region at Cahokia Mounds, the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site (where the explorers camped before embarking on their trip west), the 180-foot-tall Lewis And Clark Confluence Tower, and the National Great Rivers Museum. Top it off with a trip to Fast Eddie’s Bon Air in Alton, where you can enjoy a Big Elwood on a Stick, peel ‘n’ eat shrimp, and live music.
