Food

There are a lot of great, accessible restaurants in St. Louis! All of the following have no steps, have a ramp or a lift to enter, and are spacious enough to navigate with a mobility device. If you’re looking for a fun place to grab drinks, I recommend Modern Brewery, The Fountain on Delmar (which also has great sundaes), the Boathouse at Forest Park, and Pieces Board Game Bar and Cafe (which has 850+ games!). If you’re looking for a nice brunch spot, Songbird and Kingside Diner have accessible outdoor and indoor options. Finally, some of my favorite lunch or dinner spots include Saigon Cafe, Chao Baan, Brasserie by Niche, and Edera!

I am allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and fish, so when I moved to St. Louis my first year, I was anxious to see how the restaurants in the area dealt with food allergies. Thankfully, I’ve found that many restaurants have allergen menus, and those that do not are more than willing to make accommodations from my experience! I’ve had no problems finding things I can safely eat at all of the most popular places near the medical school and in the city. Some of my favorites include Jeni’s Ice Cream (they have vegan flavors!), Protagonist Cafe (their bakery is almost entirely vegan and nut free), Nudo House (ramen!), and Saucy Porka (Puerto Rican/Asian fusion).

St. Louis institutions Sugarfire and Salt + Smoke are reliable spots for very good barbecue, and Pappy’s Smokehouse comes VERY highly recommended as long as you make sure that you get there early. If you’d like to spread your wings and explore beyond these options, it’s worth a trip up to King Prince BBQ to get some killer ribs and to check out a delicious and truly unique bit of St. Louis cuisine: snoot. It’s probably best if you don’t look up what that is. The brisket and smoked turkey at Lona’s Lil Eats, a James Beard-nominated soul food Asian fusion hole in the wall that defies categorization as a barbecue restaurant, deserves an honorable mention.

Though I’ve only been here for a few months now, I’ve had the chance to try out a few brunch spots throughout St. Louis. In The Grove, Songbird is a great choice for a cheesy egg sandwich or a warm cup of grits. In the Central West End, First Watch is excellent for a big group, with a menu long enough to satisfy any cravings; I would highly recommend it for a post-exam celebration. Moving further into St. Louis, Rooster offers a long list of delicious egg scrambles and crepes, sweet and savory! The waits can be long, but you can order from the coffee bar in the meantime, and there is plenty of outdoor seating while you wait! While it is a bit pricier, Bowood by Niche offers brunch and lunch options for whatever you might be craving that day, and they truly elevate the classics. Also, you’ll have a great time exploring the plant store that’s attached!

The best burgers in town without question are at Hi-Pointe Drive-In. It’s not a drive-in movie theater, but it plays on that theme. Try the Frisco melt, and grab one of their delicious yet Instagram-worthy milkshakes.

We aren’t in California, but there are some pretty tasty/authentic Chinese spots nearby, especially on Olive Boulevard and near the Danforth Campus! Also, the St. Paul sandwich was born here and is definitely worth trying. Places to try on Olive Boulevard include Cate Zone, ChiliSpot, Soup Dumplings STL, and Cube Tea. Near the Danforth Campus, some favorites are Corner 17 and Vegas Wok.

There is always a good reason to get a sweet treat, and as self-proclaimed sweet treat connoisseurs, here are our top picks around the city:

1. Mr. Wizard’s Frozen Custard and Yogurt: it’s cheap, reliable, hits the spot every time, and has custard, concretes, and frozen yogurt (Kelly’s personal favorite).
2. Clementine’s Ice Cream and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams: call us crazy, but we think these two are a solid tie. Located in the heart of the Central West End, both are a bit more on the expensive side, and serve avant-garde ice cream flavors.
3. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard: a St. Louis establishment that definitely warrants at least one visit. We spend the whole drive there brainstorming the perfect flavor combination for our concrete.
*Special mentions: Andy’s is good but expensive and too sweet (in Helen’s opinion), Ice Cave is refreshing and fun (we love the taro), and shakes from Shake Shack will always hit. On the non-frozen side, gooey butter cake is truly as good as everyone says.

Happy sweet treating!

As a regular frequenter of St. Louis farmers’ markets, I cannot recommend them enough! The Tower Grove Farmers’ Market (Tuesdays and Saturdays) is a great farmers’ market to explore with friends or a date. It’s also full of stalls selling local art, scented candles, handmade jewelry, knit blankets, and anything else remotely crafty that you could imagine. The Soulard Farmers’ Market (Wednesday through Saturday weekly), on the other hand, is a true produce market. I love to do my weekly grocery shopping there – you can find anything from exotic fruits to $2 cabbages to homemade pies. Not to mention, the prices can’t be beat! Last week, I bought a dozen bell peppers for only $5.

There are plenty of on-campus food options at a variety of price points. The Barnes Jewish Hospital cafeteria is definitely the cheapest place to eat, even before considering the 25% discount that students receive. Kaldi’s Coffee has multiple locations across campus, although their food (and coffee) can be pricey. Shell Cafe has cafeteria-style eating directly across from Cori Active Learning Space, where we frequently have class. On Fridays, multiple food trucks come to campus during lunchtime to provide even greater variety. On other days, classics like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks are also available.

Brendan S., M1

The hospital cafeteria is always a move if you’re on campus and hungry. As medical students, we get an automatic discount, so you can get filling meals for under $6 every time. There’s always a group of students who frequent Barnes-Jewish or St. Louis Children’s Cafeteria. I prefer Children’s because the lines are shorter, but Wing Wednesday at BJC is always a favorite amongst our class. Regardless of what you’re craving, there is always a way to grab a quick, cheap bite whenever you’re on campus.

Jeevan R., M1

If you’re like me and grew up in a foodie family but don’t have the funds to eat out often, your parents visiting is a great opportunity to try new places (and, hopefully, not have to pay for it yourself). Yellowbelly is a Central West End staple, and Louie in Clayton, Missouri has incredible Italian Food. The “by Niche” restaurants are also amazing, including Bowood by Niche for brunch, especially for the plant & flower lovers, and Brasserie by Niche for upscale French dining. Hint: if you go to Brasserie for a special occasion and let them know, they’ll probably give you free champagne and dessert!

As someone who lived in France most of their life, I feel particularly qualified to talk about the French food scene in St. Louis. For the sake of keeping this short and sweet, and because most of you will live close to the Medical Campus, I will tell you that Brasserie by Niche will not disappoint you (it was even approved by my very French parents). Whether you go for lunch or dinner, you will always find your favorite classic French dishes, from the classic croque madame to a perfectly cooked boeuf bourguignon. It is on the pricier end, so don’t hesitate to take your parents there when they’re visiting!

O&O Pizza has gluten-free (GF) pizza crust, pasta, and crackers. Pastaria has GF pasta. Britt’s Bakehouse is a dedicated GF bakery that looks really good. I’d recommend the Find Me Gluten Free app – it has reviews for a ton of restaurants and specific information about dedicated GF fryers, facilities, etc., and is especially helpful if you have celiac disease.

Finding good kosher meat is always a struggle when moving to a new area. I’ve made it my personal mission to compile a list of all the kosher meat options in St. Louis. Here’s what I have so far: Trader Joe’s, in Brentwood, has ground turkey and chicken breast (two for $10). Schnucks Ladue has chicken breast (three for $10, objectively a better deal than Trader Joe’s), whole chickens, steak, ground beef, and assorted deli meats. Costco has large packs of sliced turkey and beef pastrami. Nate’s Deli (formerly Kohn’s Kosher) has deli meats and specialty cuts. And if you’re looking for fresh-cooked kosher meals, there’s JGrads and Shabbos meals at the Danforth Campus Chabad.

Taste of Lebanon in the Central West End offers a delicious glimpse into Lebanese cuisine, offering a variety of dishes that showcase the culture and cooking. My personal favorites are the falafel and shawarma, although the coffee with baklava is a treat that truly cannot be beat.

There are a lot of really great spots for pasta around town! Obviously, the first place that comes to mind is The Hill, an Italian neighbourhood that is filled with traditional Italian joints (think huge servings and friendly, cozy vibes). These include Mama’s on the Hill, Favazza, and many more! However, there are a ton of other delicious places for pasta around town – some of my favourites include Pastaria, Katie’s Pizza and Pasta (a plug for delicious gluten free pasta and pizza), Basso, and Louie. Exploring places outside The Hill is also a good chance to explore new neighborhoods around town you wouldn’t otherwise go to.

For New York style pizza, you can’t beat La Pizza, an unassuming hole in the wall, or Pizzeria da Gloria, a nice sit-down spot in The Hill, Saint Louis’s Italian neighborhood. But, use caution – St. Louis is home to a local style of cheese called Provel, which I do not mind but can be divisive. Some popular joints like Imo’s Pizza use it.

When my long-distance boyfriend is in town, these are some of our favorite date spots! For a brunch date, Bowood by Niche is a beautiful spot with a plant-filled atmosphere. For a nice, “dressier” dinner, Brasserie by Niche is a great French restaurant, and iNDO is a great Southeast Asian restaurant with an intimate atmosphere. Lazy Tiger, Brennan’s, or Vino STL are lovely places to end the night with a drink.

If you like ramen, you NEED to try Menya Rui. I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest ramen guy ever, but this is definitely the best ramen I’ve ever had. Don’t be discouraged if you see a line outside; it moves quickly. The chicken appetizer is also great. The food scene in St. Louis is impressive!

During orientation week, a big chunk of our class went to John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub and Garden; they have a huge, beautiful garden patio in the back to hang out in. If the drinks or the patio aren’t enough to motivate you to visit, their whiskey bread pudding is amazing too. Closer to campus, in the Central West End, there are lots of other options with outdoor seating on nice days: First Watch, El Burro Loco, Shake Shack, Saigon Cafe, and countless others.

Given our distance to the nearest ocean, you might be surprised by the availability of good sushi and poke here. PokeDoke is a great lunch spot right across the street from the Medical Campus. I’ve also had good poke at BLK MKT Eats in Maplewood, which is a short drive away. Sushi Ai in Clayton is a student favorite because of the all-you-can-eat option that includes appetizers, dozens of quality rolls, and desserts. If you need something closer to campus, there are multiple other highly-rated sushi places within walking distance in the Central West End, many of which offer nice patio seating during warmer weather.

As a Texan, I can vouch for a few taco spots. St. Louis staple Session Taco (recently renamed from Mission Taco) comes highly recommended. But, for something more authentic, venture down to Cherokee Street in South City, where you’ll find four to six restaurants slinging quality Mexican street tacos within a two-block radius (La Vallesana and El Torito, to name a couple). Travel a few blocks further to Tacos la Jefa for some of the best birria tacos you’ve had in your life.

I’m definitely not the foremost expert on Thai food, but St. Louis has some solid Thai options. For a casual and cheap option, try Thai 202 in the Central West End. I’ve only been once, but the Pad Thai was fantastic! For a slightly fancier but slightly more expensive option, Fork and Stix in the Loop is great. We tried both the Pad Kee Mao and the Pad Thai, and both were delicious. Pad Thai STL is another great option; it’s a little farther out, but definitely worth the drive. Some other options that I’ve been recommended but haven’t had the chance to try yet include Chao Baan, Zen Thai and Pearl Cafe!

There is a lot of good vegetarian and vegan food here, whether it be a specialized restaurant that only does that, or finding accommodating places to eat! Some of my favourite spots include Tree House, Small Batch, Meshuggah Cafe, and Lona’s Lil Eats. If you like a sweet treat, check out SweetArt for delicious gluten-free and vegan baked goods. This is just a snapshot of all of the amazing food out here. The flexibility in our curriculum also allows us to have a decent amount of free time, so cooking at home for just myself, me and my roommates, or a group of friends has been very fun!

While I’ve heard some mixed opinions about the pho in St. Louis, there are plenty of Vietnamese restaurants to explore! Some of the more popular options are Saigon Cafe, Mai Lee, and Truc Lam. My personal favorite hidden gem is World Market – Cho Quoc Te. This Vietnamese supermarket sells a huge variety of grab-and-go Vietnamese foods, including packaged noodle soups, sticky rice, and desserts. Their selection is the most stocked on weekends, when Joyful House restaurant, located inside the market, is open.