Drinks

St. Louis has an amazing craft beer scene beyond just Anheuser-Busch! There are so many microbreweries around the city, and whether you’re just getting into craft beers or a seasoned connoisseur, there’s a little something for everybody.

• • For happy hour and casual celebrations: Urban Chestnut Brewing Company and Rockwell Beer, both in The Grove

• • For IPAs: Modern Brewery, near the Saint Louis Science Center

• • For pale ales and lagers: 4 Hands, Schlafly

• • For sours: Alpha Brewing in Tower Grove South

• • For stouts: 4 Hands Brewing (great seasonal stouts in the winter, like the Madagascar vanilla milk stout) and Perennial (I recommend their coffee stout)

In addition to these microbreweries, places like International Tap House (iTAP; locations in the Delmar Loop and Soulard) have huge selections of local and other craft beers from around the country.

My favorite study spots are cute, cozy coffee shops, and St. Louis has so many great options! My favorites that I have visited so far are Northwest Coffee, La Finca, Fiddlehead Fern, and Coma Coffee. Northwest Coffee has an indoor-outdoor setting with a converted garage that lends a cozy atmosphere for chilly days. La Finca is right on Manchester Avenue and has lots of tables for studying with unique latte options. Finally, Fiddlehead Fern serves delicious brunch options and also offers indoor-outdoor seating with a private patio.

-Alex C., M1

St. Louis has some great coffee shops that I love to study at! Some of my personal favorites are Maypop, Living Room, and Kaldi’s.

-Sammy R., M1

If you like cats and coffee, boy do I have a recommendation for you: Mauhaus Cat Cafe. This is an easy way to pet a cat and also drink a beverage with your friends, two things scientifically proven to brighten your day.

If you’re looking to spice up a night of drinks and dining with a competitive edge, there’s plenty of places nearby to check out. Up-Down is a great arcade bar located within walking distance in the Central West End with a lot of games, craft beers, and good pizza. I would also check out The Armory, which is a giant bar that has a ton of interactive games like corn hole, arcade machines, and table tennis, a giant stage for live entertainment, massive TVs (great to watch games), and even a slide! If you want something a bit more chill, Pieces is also within driving distance and has a nice selection of board games to pair with your food and beverages (there’s also an escape room next door to check out if you have a long wait).

I’ve been to two karaoke places during my time in St. Louis, and I believe these are the two places that most students frequent. W Karaoke Lounge is a super accessible karaoke place in Delmar Loop (you can take the MetroLink there), but it does have mixed reviews. Joo Joo’s is a better place for karaoke, in my opinion, that has good Korean barbecue and Korean food in general, but it is a lot further out in Creve Coeur (so you’ll need a car).