My love letter to the Saint Louis Food Scene
Food is transformational. You may not realize it, but food is powerful. It brings people together; it can bridge two seemingly unrelated ways of thinking and can present a common ground for dialogue. It is intimate, personal, can tell a story that will invoke emotions or even change them. Through my travels all over the world I have gotten the opportunity to try some of the greatest foods from places like San Sebastian, the food capital of the world to Bahrain in the Middle East and I am here to tell you that the Saint Louis Food Scene is a hidden gem.
Like language, food is essential to impart and pass on one’s culture. If you like to know what the people in a locality cherish and find valuable, you don’t have to look further than the town’s local market and food scene. Everything you need to know, everything that makes the people tick, can be discovered through their food. And that is exactly what the Saint Louis Food Scene does. It is a perfect combination of deep-rooted old-school restaurants full of tradition and new modern cuisine and restaurants that provide a twist.
Some people think of Saint Louis as a baseball town with a drinking problem, I look forward to changing their minds and shedding light on this amazing foodie town we have grown. We are not just Budweiser and our toasted, even though my love for them still runs deep too.
The Old and the New
Establishments like Crown Candy Kitchen, Failoni’s, Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill, Blueberry Hill, Tony’s, Gioia’s Deli, Amighetti’s are classics that keep on cranking out the hits. Not only are establishments like these classics, but they are also staples that are deep routed in the Saint Louis Community. The Saint Louis Food Scene is built on traditional restaurants that keep the born and raised Saint Louis community coming back year after year.
On the other hand, we have some new and beautiful restaurants entering the scene with lasting presence and delicious cuisine. Places like Indo (Asian Fusion featured in GQ), Vicia (awesome farm-to-table experience), Louie on Demun (Stl Foodies and Drake’s personal favorite), Casa Don Alfonso (from Michelin-starred restaurateur, Mario Laccarino), Olive + Oak (eclectic dining experience perfect for friends and family gatherings) and many more are breathing fresh new life into our scene. This is a perfect fusion of how the old and the new come together to elevate the city’s palate and gastronomic experience.
For the past 7 years I have had an absolute blast delighting my taste buds with the old and new school Saint Louis Cuisine. It is not unlike me to enjoy a Nomad Cheeseburger on the patio at Tamm in the afternoon before heading to my dinner reservation at Louie. I enjoy every food experience that Saint Louis has to offer, and I cannot wait to continue to share these experiences with you in a more personal and intimate way.