Coffee shops offer more than beverages: They’re a place to study for that crucial final, meet friends (human and non-human), or work on your novel. Or you might just want a really great cup of coffee or a superlative snack. Whatever you need, St. Louis has a coffee shop for that.

Latin American coffee spots

COFFEESTAMP
Brothers Patrick and Spencer Clapp opened Coffeestamp with the aim of serving coffee of the quality they enjoyed growing up in Honduras. Coffeestamp’s mission begins with the coffee beans themselves, and the Clapp brothers pride themselves on using ethically sourced beans from around the world. It’s hard to resist a coffee and an empanada for under $10 (we love the Dirty Horchata, iced), and harder still to limit yourself to one empanada.
2511 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.797.8113, coffeestamp.com

LA FINCA COFFEE
La Finca’s original Eureka location was inspired by the look and feel of cafes in co-owner Alejandra Hagedorn’s native Colombia, and their new Grove location retains elements of that aesthetic in a more urban setting. Coffee highlights include the Tinto, a Colombian preparation combining black coffee with panela (a type of brown sugar), and the cafe de olla, which reflects co-owner John Hagedorn’s Mexican heritage. The Hagedorns plan to add more to eat, including tortas and arepas; for now, enjoy sweet empanadas and flaky pastries.
4440 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.925.8588; 137 S. Central Ave., Eureka, 636.549.3478, coffeelafinca.com

TRE CUORI GELATERIA & ACAI
This Brazilian-owned cafe offers acai bowls and perfect Italian-style gelato with flavors including guava cheesecake, Belgian chocolate and mint-stracciatella. Other desserts include the popular Nonna’s carrot cake (which comes with two scoops of gelato), and there’s a selection of classic espresso drinks. We can’t think of a better place for an affogato (espresso poured over a scoop of gelato).
15877 Fountain Plaza Drive, Ellisville, 636.675.0507, trecuorigelateria.com

from left, co-owners and brothers patrick and spencer clapp at coffeestamp // photo by lauren healey

Great places to work or study

HARTFORD COFFEE CO.
This Tower Grove South mainstay is a case study in the coffee shop-as-community hub. It’s a welcoming gathering place for a diverse clientele, and you won’t be the only one bringing your laptop or textbooks. The “quiet room” at the back end of the patio is perfect for those who have come to work, but if you prefer ambient noise there’s nothing stopping you from camping out in the main cafe or on either of the two patios.
3974 Hartford St., St. Louis, 314.771.5282, hartfordcoffee.com

MOKABE’S COFFEEHOUSE
The booths on the second floor of this Tower Grove South stalwart are prime spots for studying solo or in a group. It also offers one of the city’s most inventive coffee lineups with an entire chalkboard dedicated to latte specials like Mo’s Monkey (a chocolate and banana latte), and drinks to shake you into life like the Mudslide (double strength coffee with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg).
3606 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314.865.2009, mokabescoffeehouse.com

GOSHEN COFFEE ROASTERS
Most trips to Soulard don’t result in productive work or study, but Edwardsville-based coffee purveyor Goshen Coffee bucks that trend with its new-ish outpost in the former Soulard Coffee Garden. The second floor is particularly serene, but you might also set up on the balcony or out on the patio downstairs.
910 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.260.9100, goshencoffee.com

FIDDLEHEAD FERN CAFE
If the hum of conversation aids your ability to focus, this cute, bustling neighborhood cafe is the place for you. Think seasonal lattes with floral and herbal notes, pour-over coffees and tea lattes colored by ingredients like turmeric, ube and matcha. Their toasts are some of the best around, loaded with avocados or fruits, spreads, seeds, fresh greens and chopped nuts.

THE MUD HOUSE
One of the most attractive cafes in the city, this Cherokee Street mainstay provides a great meeting spot or a place to whip out your laptop and get some work done. If you’re looking for work-life balance, you can find it here: On weekdays, work with a maple spice latte and a bacon and cheddar scone or a grilled cheese; come back on Saturday or Sunday for waffles or French toast with mascarpone and housemade syrup – accompanied by a mimosa, of course.
2101 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.6599, themudhousestl.com

cortado at high low in midtown // photo by adam rothbarth

Multiple locations

PARK AVENUE COFFEE
Park Avenue’s five locations from downtown to Cortex, Lafayette Square and the Hill are dependable stops for your caffeine fix or a bag of whole beans. Visit the Columbia Avenue location on the Hill for the scent of freshly roasted beans from the on-site roastery.
Multiple locations, parkavenuecoffee.com

KALDI’S COFFEE ROASTING CO.
With 10 locations in the St. Louis metro area, you’re never too far from a Kaldi’s. Each Kaldi’s has a distinct look and feel to fit the surrounding neighborhood, with frozen coffee drinks, smoothies, teas from Kaldi’s offshoot Firepot, and seasonal coffee specials complementing the traditional lineup of espresso drinks, all presented with an urbane style.
Multiple locations, kaldiscoffee.com

EXIT 11
Exit 11 has expanded from its Franklin County origins to bring two of its drive-thru coffee cabins to the St. Louis area. Pull up to the window and take your pick of hot or iced espresso drinks, with a range of milks to suit your dietary needs. They’re strong on breakfast items, with ham, egg and cheese croissant sandwiches, chorizo-filled breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls.
Multiple locations, exit11coffee.com

Bikes & coffee

BIKE STOP CAFE
Offering extensive coffee and food menus, beer, wine and shuttle service for the nearby 237-mile, bike-friendly Katy Trail, Bike Stop Cafe is a great place to fuel up ahead of or after a long ride. Don’t have a bike? No problem – they offer rentals, in addition to mechanic and retail services.
701 S. Riverside Drive, St. Charles, 636.724.9900, bikestopcafes.com

ROAD CREW COFFEE AND CYCLES
Coffee here is brewed with Blueprint beans; there’s also a regularly rotating guest roaster and pastries by Whisk. Sleek, minimalist design and lots of natural light make this a great spot to get some work done or just refuel after shopping the retail selection of bikes and cycling accessories.
3172 Morgan Ford Road, St. Louis, 314.282.0705, roadcrew.cc

quarrelsome coffee in the central west end // photo by michelle volansky

Art & coffee

CATALYST COFFEE BAR
Catalyst, the cafe inside Art St. Louis’ downtown gallery space, serves up coffee made from Mississippi Mud beans, Big Heart Tea and pastries from Whisk. Seating areas in the back, designed as quiet zones, are a lovely place to work or just sit and contemplate the art on display; proceeds from the coffee bar help support the nonprofit’s mission.
1223 Pine St., St. Louis, 314.845.4542, Facebook: Catalyst Coffee Bar

BLUEPRINT COFFEE @ HIGH LOW
We love this Blueprint location, which is brightly lit and filled with all kinds of books which patrons are welcome to sit and read; the long, library-style tables contribute to the literary vibe. The kitchen here is used to bake all the goodies you’ll find at Blueprint cafes, like buttermilk biscuits, cookies and scones, so you know they’re extra fresh. The High Low Gallery, located just behind the cafe, is open during regular cafe hours.
3301 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.226.6808, kranzbergartsfoundation.org/high-low

Pets & coffee

ZOOMIES PET CAFE
Lots of coffee shops have dog-friendly patios, but at Zoomies your canine companion can chill with you inside as well – plus there’s a fenced-in area on the back patio for when the zoomies hit. In addition to sweet treats by Little Opa Bakery and traditional and seasonal espresso and coffee drinks, there are also more robust breakfast and lunch offerings like a black bean and sweet potato burrito and sandwiches made with Union Loafers sourdough bread – and of course pup cups just for Fido.
5838 Macklind Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2003, zoomiespetcafe.com

MAUHAUS CAT CAFE AND LOUNGE
We love that Mauhaus is as committed to a quality coffee-and-snack situation as they are to care for their kitties, all of which are adoptable thanks to the cafe’s partner, Stray Haven Rescue. Gorgeously decorated cookies and other treats are baked in-house, their coffee is from local roaster La Cosecha, and the tea is from Traveling Tea. Reservations are recommended and come with a complimentary coffee or tea drink.
3101 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.384.2287, mauhauscafe.com

THE CHESHIRE GRIN CAT CAFE
When you walk into two-story cat cafe The Cheshire Grin, be sure to look up – you might see a couple of kitties chasing each other across the clear Plexiglas ceiling. The menu here is tight but tasty; coffee drinks are made using the Yawning Cat blend nearby roasters Coffeestamp created just for the cat cafe.
1926 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.300.8119, thecheshiregrincatcafe.com

alejandra and john hagedorn, co-owners of la finca coffee // photo by david kovaluk

Superlative snacks

The seriousness of Comet Coffee’s coffee program matches the expertise of their pastry program. Whether you want a cortado, a croissant, a quiche or just whole beans, they are thoughtful in every category of what they offer.

Living Room Coffee & Kitchen and Ivy Cafe offer a more robust menu of daytime offerings (and evenings too at Ivy Cafe). Ivy Cafe has their takes on overnight oats, French toast and pancakes, but their tartines take the cake: The Pershing with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and a truffle glaze, or The York, with local oyster mushrooms, hummus, microgreens and goat cheese. They offer coffee drinks including a French press and flavored lattes like smoked salted honey or hibiscus rose. Try it with one of their tiny banana-walnut breads for the perfect pairing. At Living Room the Workday sandwich with soft boiled eggs, cheddar and bacon continues to be a reliable stand-by.

For those on the hunt for pastries venturing further into dessert land, La Patisserie Chouquette is known for intricately made pastries, cakes and other desserts, their coffee drinks also fall within the “sweets” category from the whipped Dalgona coffee served over ice and milk to the Chef’s Survival Coffee with Vietnamese coffee, boba, crushed Oreos and whipped cream. Here you will reach a level of decadence difficult to find elsewhere.

Also not to be missed are the treats at SweetArt and Pipers Tea and Coffee; both offer a range of desserts that accommodate vegan or gluten-free dietary restrictions and taste like desserts that you will want again and again. SweetArt’s Maine Event chocolate chip cookie, brownies and cupcakes are perennial favorites. At Pipers Tea and Coffee, pair house-roasted coffee with a selection from Sift’d’s lineup of gluten-free and vegan cookies. They have a variety of flavors from carrot cake to cookies and cream to funfetti – a fan favorite. Fiddlehead Fern Cafe also has a “robust food and beverage program with unique flavors and a focus on fresh, healthy ingredients, sourced from local producers and farms,” according to representative Darcy Heine.

Comet Coffee, 5708 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7770, cometcoffeestl.com
Ivy Cafe, 14 N. Meramec Ave., Suite A, Clayton, 314.776.9377, ivytartines.com
Fiddlehead Fern Cafe, 4066 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.300.8111, fiddleheadferncafe.com
La Patisserie Chouquette, 1626 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7935, simonefaure.com
Living Room Coffee & Kitchen, 2810 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.899.0173, livingroomstl.com
SweetArt, 2203 S. 39th St., St. Louis, 314.771.4278, sweetartstl.com
Pipers Tea and Coffee, 3701 S Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.282.0060, cupofpipers.com
Sift’d, siftdstl.square.site

cafe de olla (mexican-style coffee with sugar and cinnamon) at la finca coffee // photo by david kovaluk

Third-wave coffee programs

When Sump Coffee opened in 2011, it was not easy to find a pour-over coffee or a cold brew in town. Owner Scott Carey sourced quality beans, roasted them with care and used precise technique to make outstanding coffee drinks. Like any great chef, Carey really cared about the quality of the ingredient and how to treat it.

While third-wave coffee programs used to be novel, it’s now common to see restaurants and coffee shops investing in their coffee programs and supporting local roasters, which means better cups for us all. St. Louis is lucky to have coffee shops and brands like Blueprint Coffee, Upshot Coffee, Coma Coffee Roasters and newcomer Quarrelsome Coffee in the Central West End that devote significant time to sourcing and roasting beans to make coffee that’s extra special.

Sump Coffee, 3700 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 917.412.5670, sumpcoffee.com
Blueprint Coffee, multiple locations, blueprintcoffee.com
Upshot Coffee, 5326 Hwy. N, Cottleville, 636.352.1139; 816 N. Kingshighway St., St. Charles, 636.209.4331, weareupshotcoffee.com
Coma Coffee Roasters, 1034 S. Brentwood Blvd., Richmond Heights, 314.250.1042, comacoffee.com
Quarrelsome Coffee, 33 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314.260.9008, quarrelsome.coffee

Editor’s note: This article originally ran in the June 2023 issue and has been updated to remove now-closed spots, as well as change Fiddlehead Fern Cafe’s classification.

The post Your guide to St. Louis coffee shops appeared first on Sauce Magazine: Intelligent Content For The Food Fascinated.

You’re scanning a menu and overwhelmed by choice, yet keen to avoid appearing indecisive. Order the appetizer platter. This is shorthand for, “I know exactly what I want: a little bit of everything.” These starter selections give you a sampler of what a restaurant has to offer and can serve either as the warmup act for a meal or simply something to share with friends over a quick drink. Our team can’t get enough of these three platters. 

Pueblo Solis
The botana platter at this South City Mexican restaurant includes guacamole, flautas, tostadas, tamales and quesadillas, but the sopes are the star of the show. The thick masa cakes are fried for crispness and topped with Chihuahua cheese, diced onion and salsa. Every item can be made vegetarian, but if you’re not specific when you order, it will be chef’s choice. Pro tip: You can even order a pitcher of their sweet and citrusy margarita to go. 5127 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, 314.351.9000, pueblosolisstl.com

The Vine Mediterranean Cafe
The appetizer combo here is an especially good option if you’re feeding a group of vegetarians (or even vegans). Select any four from a generous list of options ranging from dips (hummus, baba ghanoush, labneh) served with The Vine’s super fresh pita to bulkier dishes like falafel, kibbeh (beef-stuffed pastry) and makdous (cured baby eggplants stuffed with walnuts and garlic). An order of tabbouleh is a must: The finely chopped parsley laced with tomato, bulgur wheat and green onion – and dressed with lots of lemon juice – is fabulous either on its own or mixed with any of the dips for some extra heft and crunch. 3171 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.0991, thevinestl.com

Mayo Ketchup
Mayo Ketchup’s picadera platter offers a range of fried snacks to sample, regardless of whether you get the small (feeds two to three), medium (feeds four to six) or large platter (feeds eight to 10). The sorullitos (cornmeal fritters) and the maduros (fried plantains) bring sweetness, while the yuca fries and tostones con aguacate (smashed and fried green plantains topped with avocado and pickled red onions) are more crunchy and salty. The carne frita make for the perfect umami bite: The chunks of citrus- and garlic-marinated pork are deep-fried until they’re crisp, but still tender inside. Finally, the cheese tequenos are a favorite, with the addictive combination of queso blanco wrapped in fried pastry dough. No matter which fried bite you go for, they’re all ideal for dunking into the restaurant’s signature mayo ketchup or the fruity guava sauce. 2001 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2699, plantaingirl.com

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At Idol Wolf, the gorgeous new restaurant inside the new 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, the tapas, or small, plated dishes, shine. Smoky grilled broccolini with a caper-anchovy relish was served on top of whipped ricotta and was a savory and complete dish. The deceptively simple pan con tomate, served on grilled Union Loafers toast and topped with crushed tomato with notes of garlic and vinegar, highlights the use of beautiful ingredients. The option to add toppings like manchego, boquerones (anchovies) or jamon is a nice touch, allowing diners to customize the dish to their taste. Dessert didn’t disappoint either; the churros are an obvious choice, but the tarta de Santiago, a delicately flavored almond cake served with a coffee ice cream, was the surprise clear winner. On the beverage side, Spanish wines, vermouths and sherries support the Spanish theme as well as. Cocktails like the coconut clarified daiquiri served with a basil-lime ice cube and the chorizo margarita with chorizo-washed mezcal proved to be creative twists on classic drinks.

At Good Press, the hotel’s breakfast and lunch cafe, coffee, tea and juices are all sourced locally from Northwest Coffee Roasting Co., Big Heart Tea Co., and St. Louis Juice Press. Pastries by La Bonne Bouchée and Companion Bakery are also available. The marinated chickpeas bathed in a red wine vinaigrette and five-herb blend and the spicy marinated cucumber salad with smashed cucumbers tossed with green onion and sesame seeds both feature sharp, tangy flavors in generous portions that make for good value lunch options.

1528 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.325.0360, idolwolfstl.com; goodpresscafe.com

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Tucked into a narrow storefront in Sappington’s Concord Plaza, Zanti’s Deli is a great destination for your grab-and-go lunch or dinner needs. Sandwiches are made with bread from Pete’s Italian Baking Co., and the bread’s freshness signals this is a place that takes quality seriously. 

The chicken Parm sandwich was saucy and gooey without turning into a soggy mess, with breaded chicken that was juicy and not greasy. The Zanti’s Italiano with mortadella, salami, ham and capocollo is a solid example of the classic Italian sub; we loved the extra kick that came from crunchy, spicy giardiniera (a mild giardiniera is also available). If you don’t leave with a filled-to-order cannoli or two, you’ve missed out; the vanilla-spiked filling and crisp shell were everything we look for in the iconic Italian dessert.

181 Concord Plaza Shopping Center, Sappington, 314.270.3175, zantisdeli.com

The post Zanti’s Deli is a go-to spot for Italian sandwiches in South County appeared first on Sauce Magazine: Intelligent Content For The Food Fascinated.

With 40 sandwiches featuring all manner of fillings, breads, sauces, seasonings and other accoutrement, ordering at The Gramophone can be daunting. Given its stellar reputation as one of St. Louis’ finest sandwich-slinging establishments, you know there probably aren’t any wrong choices. But which is the right one for you?

This is the kind of question we live for at Sauce HQ, and to adequately answer it, we decided the only viable option was to try every sandwich on The Gramophone’s menu. Once a week for 10 weeks, we tried four sandwiches in their standard menu form – no substitutions – which we rated and reviewed anonymously. Our comments reflect our range of sandwich tastes: While some detest an overly saucy sandwich, for others, there can never be too much sauce. Others prioritized texture combination in their ranking, or the use of chips. Whether you’re looking for a sandwich to scratch a particular flavor itch or to determine your forever Gramophone favorite, we hope this ranking helps you navigate the myriad delicious options at one of St. Louis’ definitive sandwich spots.

Top 5

1. Philly Cheesesteak Score: 4.75
The Gramophone’s status may be a St. Louis legend, but our No. 1 Gramophone sandwich is decidedly not local. The restaurant’s Philly cheesesteak applies the principles of solid sandwich engineering with aplomb, showing why sampling a restaurant’s execution of a “simple” classic is a tried-and-true test of excellence. The bread – The Gramophone’s outstanding garlic-cheese baguette – holds its structure throughout with an enjoyably toasty crust and soft crumb. A well-tuned bread-to-filling ratio allows all the ingredients to come to the fore. Aromas of garlic from the bread and Cheez Whiz drift in and out of focus, each bite revealing a different emphasis of flavor: piles of thinly sliced roast beef, the vegetal sweetness of fleshy green peppers, and sautéed onions.

Would Philadelphians give it the thumbs-up? What does that matter? This is The Gramophone’s Philly cheesesteak, and we love it.

our no. 1 favorite sandwich at the gramophone, the philly cheesesteak // photo by izaiah johnson

2. Alcatraz Score: 4.6
The Alcatraz epitomizes all the textbook strengths of a Gramophone sandwich: There’s a satisfying range of textures in each bite as you crunch through the crisp, toasty exterior of panini-pressed, garlic-buttered sourdough into melty, gooey layers of slow-roasted beef, Swiss and Provel cheeses, and caramelized onions. A layer of tangy Boss sauce adds the perfect touch of sweet, vinegary contrast to the hearty umami bomb. Skip your usual post-Grove late night drive-thru and snag one of these bad boys for the ideal nightcap.

3. Phil & Ched’s Excellent Adventure Score: 4.5
This sandwich’s name makes perfect sense: It really is like if the Philly cheesesteak decided it needed to go on a walkabout and have an excellent adventure to shake things up in its life. It has all the things we love about the Philly – sweet, vegetal peppers and onions, shattering, garlicky baguette, gooey cheesiness, and satisfying meatiness – but Phil & Ched swaps the saucy Cheez Whiz for white cheddar’s distinctive nuttiness and subs hunks of grilled flank steak for the chopped beef. For some, the flank steak’s chewiness was a detriment, but for others the chew made the sandwich all the more satisfying. After all, what’s an adventure without a little challenge to keep things spicy?

4. Frenchy Score: 4.4
This sandwich is rich, rich. An abundance of gooey, melted Swiss cheese and a generous amount of chicken on the Frenchy is sure to give you an after-dinner dip. But this sandwich has other components to balance that richness out: an oil-and-vinegar aioli and red onion bring pops of sharpness and tang, while the crispy bacon is not at all gratuitous, bringing a salty bite and texture. The gently toasted sesame baguette it comes on is sturdy but yielding. It’s definitely over the top, but it’s also the kind of sandwich that will bring you calm after a long day or sustenance after a late night.

5. Taco Del Score: 4.2 (tie)
Nearly everyone loves tacos and sandwiches, but have you ever had a taco sandwich? On this specimen, a generous portion of the quintessential seasoned ground beef is accompanied by creamy nacho cheese, crisp red onion, along with tomato and shredded iceberg lettuce. A touch of tangy sour cream cools some of the heat from housemade hot sauce, while a light smattering of tortilla chips adds subtle crunch. All ingredients are enveloped by a hearty sesame baguette for a robust meal that truly embodies the beloved fast-food taco in sandwich form.

All Up In Your Grill
We cling to any excuse to eat cheese, especially when it’s four types of melty, gooey goodness. This sandwich takes your standard grilled cheese up several notches with Provel, mozzarella, white cheddar and gouda. A thick slab of tomato and a few pickle slices add vegetal complexity, while a mild, creamy avocado spread lends depth and richness. Amply buttered garlic sourdough bread rounds out this satisfying sandwich for a delightful, toothsome bite.

the alcatraz comes in second place, with a score of 4.6 // photo by izaiah johnson

Score: 4.0

The Beef:
“Platonic ideal dip. Flavorful jus, garlicky, melting, crusty. Yum!”
“Love the garlickiness of it and the cheese.”
“Simple – allows the beef to shine.”

Chicka Chicka Parm Parm:
“Love everything about this, except I wish it didn’t have bacon.”
“Bacon is a fun twist. Not too messy and the sauce has great flavor.”
“Love the sauce and how much there is; it’s a generous amount but still structurally sound.”

Beefy Popper Crunch:
“Love the crunchy chips and sweet-hot flavor. Jalapeno popper sauce is great. Not as full-flavored as other beef sandwiches on the menu.”
“Sturdy, and I like the soup – needs something else though.”

Mushroom Mississippi Nights:
“Mushrooms are so good.”
“Doesn’t really come together as a cohesive sandwich to me. Mushroom feels like a substitution.”
“I love the pepper jack [cheese] and cucumber in this, such a nice contrast of textures.”

Score: 3.8

Spicy Mac Daddy:
“Good flavors and textures but could use more acidic punch.”
“Oddball sandwich, but I love it. Fun texture and flavors.”
“Pasta in sandwiches is bizarre but it is cooked well. Spicy and so good. Love the chips even though they’re soggy. What a weird and delightful hit!”

Spicy Portobello:
“My favorite of the veggie sandwiches. They said spicy and they meant it! Love the Boss sauce and jalapenos. Love the cook on the mushrooms. Love the brioche!”
“Not unique or flavorful enough sauce. Heat is the biggest flavor.”
“Love the brioche and the spice, a neat, compact sandwich.”

phil & ched’s excellent adventure, score: 4.5 // photo by izaiah johnson

Score: 3.75

General Patton:
“Love how rich and creamy it is. Love the ranch, love the bacon.”

Score: 3.6

The Club:
“Nice heat from pepper sauce, and the baguette has a good crust.”

Clubhouse:
“Love the mild heat from the pepper and Cholula mayos, the combination of meats and the sourdough. Very solid take on a club. Construction holds up.”

Score: 3.5

Big Willie’s Meatball:
“Very solid meatball sandwich. Not too messy. Love the sesame bread.”
“Meatball tastes pretty good, love the garlic buttered bread.”
“Love the meatball. Construction of it is dense for the sake of stability, but it’s not dry or overdone. Sauce flavor is good.”

Fireball:
“Love the flavor of the cheese sauce but the sandwich doesn’t need it.”
“Love the soup as a side dip for the meatball – great heat, rich but awesome.”

The Jive:
“The avocado spread and pepper mayo make this sandwich solid.”
“The tender turkey and crisp veggies are a good combination.”

frenchy, score: 4.4 // photo by izaiah johnson

Score: 3.4

Mississippi Nights Club:
“A bit much in terms of ingredients, but love the bacon in particular.”
“For the sauce averse, too saucy.”
“Love the chips, they give it a spicier note, which is nice against all the meats.”

The Veggie:
“Love a salad-as-sandwich.”
“Too sour and acidic, and too many bites feel like a wad of cream cheese.”
“A lot of cheese but balanced by vinegar and pickles, so it’s totally working.”

Reuben:
“It’s good, a little sweet.”
“Great take on a Reuben – love the flavor of the sauce and sauerkraut.”
“Really like all the corned beef – just a solid sandwich.”

Score: 3.3

Cold Smoked Salmon:
“Wish the bread was toasted. Cute sandwich version of a bagel and lox. Fish is fresh and good.”
“A bit too much going on. Let the salmon breathe!”

Dijon Don:
“Very mustard-y. Good tang from sweet pickles.”
“A little too sweet for my taste but the fillings play well together.”

Score: 3.2

South Austin Melt:
“I like that it’s pressed. Love the Boss sauce!”
“Solid turkey sandwich. Good texture, tangy Boss sauce gives good sweet/savory balance.”

Havana:
“Very salty, but I like the sweetness from the pickles.”
“Standard Cuban-style sandwich. Not much to say – safe.”

BBBLT:
“Love the mayo. Love the bread. Bacon is a little fatty sometimes… whatever.”
“Very good, standard BLT. Crispy bacon, good sauce.”

all up In your grill, score 4.2 // photo by izaiah johnson

Score: 3.0

Crustacean Nation:
“Fresh crab is great and a rare treat in St. Louis. Would have rated higher but the chips detract a little for me.”
“Generous with the seafood, not too mayo-y, like the crunch from the chips.”
“Solid seafood salad. Big chunks of shrimp.”

The Yogi:
“Big and messy but good flavors and textures. Very solid Italian sub.”
“I think this is my favorite so far. A classic Italian deli sandwich, but prosciutto makes it stand out. Well balanced, and I like the dressings.”
“Very saucy.”
“Too much mayo!”

Buffalo Soldier:
“Kind of one note, Buffalo sauce flavor. Too wet and mushy.”
“Liked the ingredients, pretty well-balanced though maybe a little sauce heavy. The chips ended up a bit of a dud for me – a bit lifeless.”
“Love the sauciness! Chicken is moist, bacon crispy. Love it!”

Upstream Dream:
“Salmon works so well with the bacon! Good mix of textures. Salty, smoky, very flavorful.”
“Like the salmon, bacon and red onion together with leafy greens – good balance, not too saucy.”

Score: 2.8

Fight Club:
“The blue cheese is subtle – it tasted like feta. Caramelized onion adds flavor without salt.”
“Couldn’t taste horseradish or blue cheese.”
“Love the blue cheese and beef combo.”

Score: 2.6

Lou York:
“Sweet and tangy.”
“Love the slaw and Boss sauce, but the sandwich falls apart.”
“Pastrami was much tougher than the bread.”

The Steak Out:
“The steak is way too chewy. But I like the sauciness.”
“I like the bite from the jalapeno. Dressing is a bit overpowering.”

taco del, score 4.2 // photo by izaiah johnson

Score: 2.4

The Helper:
“The mac and cheese is bland. Not enough chips.”
“I like the flavors but not as a sandwich.”

Corsican:
“Solid sandwich. I like the spicy meats with the chicken.”
“Like the combination of meats, but who wants a sandwich this wet?”

Score: 2.25

Italian Yardbird:
“Chicken is tender and juicy and mushrooms have good flavor, but overall sandwich lacks flavor.”
“A good enough sandwich, I like the flavors of the individual ingredients but don’t think it all quite hangs together, a bit off-balance. A bit too much garlic butter on the baguette.”
“I think it’s very, very rich. Buttery bread and bacon and Provel – too rich.”

Boy Howdee:
“I like all the different textures, but the flavor is too one-note.”
“Love the heat level, but it feels like it’s missing something acidic like onion or pickled jalapenos.”

Score: 2.0

Enzo Gorlomi:
“Too many fatty meats causing texture landmines. I do like the spicy flavors.”
“Love this, all the meat, the dressing, but loses a point for the fatty excess [on the meat].”
“It’s a no for me. The fat scares me; I cannot fully commit.”

Danimal:
“Just a pile of meat without enough bread to support it.”
“This combo of meats was a bit much for me. I did like the heavy pickle and sauciness. The sourdough is too weak of a bread choice for this meat and sauce – needs a sturdy hoagie.”

Score: 1.8

When Pigs Fly:
“Good textures with crunchy bacon and bread combined with soft pulled pork and sauces.”
“Buffalo sauce doesn’t have enough heat.”
“Promising flavor but ended up feeling like I ate a pizza topping after it slid off the base.”

The Gramophone, 4243 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.531.5700, gramophonestl.com

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We love an eponymous cocktail: If a drink is good enough that a bar or restaurant is willing to stake their name to it, we want to give it a try. At new dinner club Mainlander, the Mainlander cocktail reflects the restaurant’s tiki-inspired aesthetic; featuring a blend of Jamaican and Missouri rums, Missouri black walnut liqueur and served flaming, “it’s the tiki cocktail,” co-owner-chef Blake Askew said. Similarly, Bistro La Floraison‘s delicate, slightly floral La Floraison, made with rosé, passion fruit liqueur and suze (a French aperitif), embodies the restaurant’s sweet vibes.

At Lazy Tiger, the power of the signature drink proved so strong, co-owner Tim Wiggins had to temporarily retire the Lazy Tiger, because customers often ordered the smoky, earthy, slightly spicy mezcal cocktail (ingredients include serrano pepper and Tajin, as well as orange shrubb, honey and lime) without reading the description, resulting in the occasional disappointment. It’s back now, but Lazy Tiger’s experience is instructive: Just because a bar’s namesake cocktail is calibrated to their palate, it’s not guaranteed that it will be to yours, so be sure to check the ingredients first.

Mainlander, 8 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, mainlanderstl.com
Bistro La Floraison, 7637 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, 314.725.8880, bistrolafloraison.com
Lazy Tiger, 210 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.925.8888, lazytigestl.com

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Advanced sommelier Wanda Cole-Nicholson got her start in wine while working as a server at Blue Water Grill in Chicago. Through weekly wine classes and regular tastings led by the restaurant’s sommelier, “I found out there was this huge world of wine and involved in it was not only art but also geography, geology – just the study of multiple crafts within the winemaking world,” she said. After 13 years in Chicago that included eight years working as a sommelier, the pandemic prompted Cole-Nicholson to return home to St. Louis to be closer to family; today, she’s a biweekly guest on Studio STL’s Wine Down Wednesday program on KTVI. Here, Cole-Nicholson discusses her strategies for making wine less intimidating and the wine region and grape varietal she’s obsessed with right now.

“I had an opportunity to take the first level sommelier exam because we were hosting the exam at our restaurant, and they gave us a free seat. I was like, ‘A $600 exam for free? What’s the worst that can happen? I fail, and I’m out nothing.'”

“So, I bought a wine encyclopedia and studied it from front to back every waking moment and tasted a bunch of wine and took the test and passed, which I didn’t think I was going to do. I was like, ‘I’m just gonna throw this out there, and we’ll see what happens.'”

“I started teaching wine classes. And then I took the certified exam here in St. Louis at Monarch. That was in 2009. And then I just kept working in restaurants. And I eventually transitioned from server to a sommelier role in 2010 after I took the certified exam.”

“When I talk to guests and customers, I’m always careful to use … wine descriptors that they’re familiar with, like fruity, racy, elegant, full-bodied, dark, dense, rich, staying away from some of the sommelier jargon that kind of goes over people’s heads. I had to learn how to take my somm hat off for a moment and just be the wine girl.”

“Not everyone wants a perfect wine experience. I tell people all the time, if you like sweet wine, and you’re eating a bone-in ribeye, and you asked me, ‘What’s the best pairing?’ I’m gonna tell you it’s probably going to be a Napa [cabernet] or Argentinian malbec or a Bordeaux. [But] if you don’t like dry red wine, that’s not going to be a good experience for you.”

“So that’s why I say, ‘You’re the boss, I’m here for you. I’m your wine guide.’ That’s all I’m here for. I’m the wine geek that likes to drink a lot and read about it.”

“I’m a huge riesling nut. I’m excited that riesling has really grown over the years. And that’s because a lot of people are realizing there’s more than just sweet riesling. There’s also like really bone-dry rieslings. … It has high acidity, it goes great with food, it has beautiful aromatics, and the alcohol tends to be on the lower-to-moderate side, so you’re not getting drunk very quickly.”

“Washington state is one of my favorite [regions]. Everything that comes out of Washington state is delicious. Their wines have a unique sense of place, they have root, they have earth, they have depth and they have complexity. Some of them tend to be on the more expensive side, but you get way more bang for your buck.”

“I tell people all the time how St. Louis has grown – not just the wine scene [but also] the beer scene, gastronomy, the fact that we’re getting James Beard [Award] nominations, the fact that Michelin is looking at us now, the fact that the Court of Master Sommeliers has their master sommelier exam just about every year here.”

“I would like to see more [wine industry] trade shows come here. I definitely think that it has expanded: In 2019, before the world shut down, Pinnacle Imports had a huge portfolio tasting for their 25th anniversary, and that was fantastic. Bommarito Wines and Spirits has theirs every year; I’ll actually be working on that one. … I think that may have been trending in that direction, but I think Covid threw a wrench into it.”

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Every month, we make it our mission to try all the new restaurants and bars that open in the area so we can make meaningful recommendations on where you should go. Here’s where made the cut in September: 

Mainlander in the Central West End
At prix-fixe supper club Mainlander, the lights are turned down low, but the restaurant is never moody, thanks partly to co-owner and maître d’ Gordon Chen’s effervescent hospitality. Click here for more information about Mainlander.

Zanti’s Deli in South County
Tucked into a narrow storefront in Sappington’s Concord Plaza, Zanti’s Deli is a great destination for your grab-and-go lunch or dinner needs. Click here for more information about Zanti’s Deli.

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Coffee shops offer more than beverages: They’re a place to study for that crucial final, meet friends or work on your novel. Or you might just want a really great cup of coffee or a superlative snack. Whatever you need, St. Louis has a coffee shop for that.

HARTFORD COFFEE CO.
This Tower Grove South mainstay is a case study in the coffee shop-as-community hub. It’s a welcoming gathering place for a diverse clientele, and you won’t be the only one bringing your laptop or textbooks. The “quiet room” at the back end of the patio is perfect for those who have come to work, but if you prefer ambient noise there’s nothing stopping you from camping out in the main cafe or on either of the two patios.
3974 Hartford St., St. Louis, 314.771.5282, hartfordcoffee.com

MOKABE’S COFFEEHOUSE
The booths on the second floor of this Tower Grove South stalwart are prime spots for studying solo or in a group. It also offers one of the city’s most inventive coffee lineups with an entire chalkboard dedicated to latte specials like Mo’s Monkey (a chocolate and banana latte), and drinks to shake you into life like the Mudslide (double strength coffee with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg).
3606 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314.865.2009, mokabescoffeehouse.com

GOSHEN COFFEE ROASTERS
Most trips to Soulard don’t result in productive work or study, but Edwardsville-based coffee purveyor Goshen Coffee bucks that trend with its new-ish outpost in the former Soulard Coffee Garden. The second floor is particularly serene, but you might also set up on the balcony or out on the patio downstairs.
910 Geyer Ave., St. Louis, 314.260.9100, goshencoffee.com

FIDDLEHEAD FERN CAFE
If the hum of conversation aids your ability to focus, this cute, bustling neighborhood cafe is the place for you. Think seasonal lattes with floral and herbal notes, pour-over coffees and tea lattes colored by ingredients like turmeric, ube and matcha. Their toasts are some of the best around, loaded with avocados or fruits, spreads, seeds, fresh greens and chopped nuts. Fiddlehead does have a time limit on tables, however, and does not provide outlets to customers needing to plug in, so you’ll want to go here if you only have a quick bit of work to get done.
4066 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.300.8111, fiddleheadferncafe.com

THE MUD HOUSE
One of the most attractive cafes in the city, this Cherokee Street mainstay provides a great meeting spot or a place to whip out your laptop and get some work done. If you’re looking for work-life balance, you can find it here: On weekdays, work with a maple spice latte and a bacon and cheddar scone or a grilled cheese; come back on Saturday or Sunday for waffles or French toast with mascarpone and housemade syrup – accompanied by a mimosa, of course.
2101 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.6599, themudhousestl.com

Editor’s note: This article was updated to mention that Fiddlehead Fern has a time limit on tables and does not provide outlets for customers.

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Down an alley, through an unmarked door and up the elevator to the third floor of a Central West End building, you’ll find Maryland House by Brennan’s. The vibes here are urban clubhouse chic with stunning patio views of the neighborhood and eye-catching art and books dispersed throughout the large, open space. 

The interior design lends itself to any occasion and kind of eating. Low couches are perfect for drinks and nibbles like the melted raclette, which is delightfully gooey and served with warm, soft pretzels for dipping, while more robust dishes are best enjoyed at a table. The black garlic pizza gets a creamy boost from burrata, which melds beautifully with the mellow, nutty garlic. Creative, well-balanced cocktails match the fun décor; the Tiki Negroni made with aged rum, banana-infused sweet vermouth, coconut-fat washed Campari and orange and tiki bitters, and Fizzy Lifting Drink – a rich cherry bomb – are both whimsical-yet-adult drinks.

Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314.497.4449, themarylandhouse.com

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