Neighborhoods

The Central West End (CWE) is the area where the Medical Campus is situated, so it is a very short walk (10 to 15 minutes) from many apartment buildings and living complexes in the neighborhood that are popular among med students. It’s also conveniently located on the east edge of Forest Park, so you have easy access to all the running and biking trails, fields, and attractions that the park has to offer. In the other direction is downtown St. Louis, which is only about a 10-minute drive away. The CWE itself boasts a ton of great restaurants, stores, and coffee shops, in addition to a movie theater and library, among other things, including a centrally located Whole Foods.

DeMun is a wonderful little neighborhood just off the western side of Forest Park. Living in DeMun sandwiches you between the aforementioned Forest Park and a lesser-known beauty in Concordia Park. DeMun is famous for having the original Kaldi’s Coffee location, as well as a slew of great dining (Louie’s is a must-try!) and hangout spots (Sasha’s Wine Bar and Barrio). The neighborhood also has Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery (On Oprah’s O List)! DeMun is centrally located, with Richmond Heights just below it and the Delmar Loop located a short drive above it. You can bike through Forest Park to the Medical Campus when the weather permits, but realistically you would need a car to get around. I’ve found rental prices in the neighborhood to be a little cheaper than in the Central West End. Among medical students, this neighborhood flies under the radar a little bit, but you should look into it. I love it here and plan on staying for all four years.

The Grove is a neighborhood directly south of I-64 and the Central West End. It’s about a 10-to-20-minute walk to the medical campus and close to both Forest Park and Tower Grove Park. Personally, I love the Grove because it’s the perfect mix of commercial and residential. There are plenty of stores, bars, and restaurants along Manchester Avenue, but the rest of the area is mainly townhouses and greenery. 

U City is a wonderful city not far from the Delmar Loop, Forest Park, and WashU Danforth Campus. It has a family-friendly, quiet neighborhood feel with lots of quaint brick homes, while still being relatively close to St. Louis city and its attractions. The drive to the Medical Campus is about 12 to 15 minutes. Traffic can sometimes increase the commute time up to ~20 minutes. I like to ride my bike as much as possible and most of the six miles from my house to WashU School of Medicine runs along the WashU Danforth Campus and through Forest Park. When the weather is nice, it is a wonderful way to start and end the school day. The Delmar Loop has some neat restaurants to check out from the classic Blueberry Hill to Salt + Smoke, Mission Taco Joint, and Nudo House. You’ll also find bookshops, vinyl shops, boba shops, and more. My favorite slice of pizza so far isn’t Imo’s Pizza (sorry St. Louis) but rather U City’s La Pizza! It’s a small takeout joint with two workers, three ovens, one TV, and pizza goes fast so call in your order well ahead of time. If you’re looking for more affordable housing or a little more space than what you can find in the CWE, then check out U City!