Where to Eat in St. Louis

By Kin Enriquez -

St. Louis is a big place, and there are literally hundreds of places where to grab a bite. Here are my top ten recommendations, from steaks to seafood. I tried to keep the list varied, and the price of recommended meals around or less than $25.

Pappy's Smokehouse 
This place is definitely not for vegetarians. If you're hankering for barbequed ribs, then this popular joint is for you. Adam Richman of the popular series Man Vs. Food even visited this place to try out the ribs. I was brought here by my officemates for lunch and it was one of the best tasting ribs I've tried. A full slab with 2 sides costs $21.99, a platter of pulled pork with 2 sides is $10.99. You need to come early if you want to get lunch here though, the lines start forming around 11 am. Located in 3106 Olive Street, near downtown.   
pappyssmokehouse.com

Sushi at Nobu's

Nobu's
If you're craving for authentic Japanese in this Midwestern city, then Nobu's is the place to go. Run by a Japanese sushi chef from Tokyo, Nobu's offer the freshest fish for its sashimi. Some are even shipped from Japan! Lunch packages start at $8.50, but the sushi and rolls are a bit pricey (but worth it). A piece of amberjack sushi costs $3.90 each, and a California roll, $5.80 each. You can get them in samplers though. Nobu's favorites, consisting of fluke, jumbo clam, salmon, smelt eggs, tuna, yellow tail and a California roll would set you back $24.00. It's located in 8643 Olive Boulevard. nobusushistl.com

Lola's
Another great place to eat near downtown is Lola's. The restaurant serve the best cocktails in St. Louis ($4-$6), and the lobster dog and mac are heavenly. There are also several Cajun and Creole dishes in the menu, like crab cakes and gumbo. Located in North 14th Street. welovelola.com 

Kabis and shawarma at Ranoush

Ranoush
Ranoush is a Middle Eastern restaurant located in the historic Delmar Loop. I had kabis, a mix of Arabic olives and pickles ($2.0) for starters, then beef shwawarma ($15.00) for the main course, downed with a pot of mint tea ($2.50). You may also try their mezzas, like baba ganoush or makdous. ranoush.com

Crabs and corn on cob at Joe's Crab Shack

Joe's Crab Shack 
St. Louis is located inland, but there are many places to get seafood. If you love crabs and lobsters, then you may want to try Joe's Crab Shack, where you get them by the buckets or pot. A bucket of Pacific dungeness crab, 1.25 lbs in all, costs $25.49. You choose how it's cooked. A pot of crabs and shrimps, range from $20-28. Located in Suemandy Drive, St. Peters (a suburb of St. Louis). joescrabshack.com

Blueberry Hill 
You'd probably come here for the music, particularly for the legendary Chuck Berry, but Blueberry Hill in Delmar Loop has great food (and a vast selection of beers, if I may add) as well. The specialty is the famous 7-ounce hamburger ($6.25). This place gets packed in the evenings. blueberryhill.com 


Ferguson Brewing Company 
No, this is not a brewery, but this restaurant and pub do brew their own beers in a microbrewery. You can try their crafted beers and ales right from the tap, such as the St. Louis pale ale, the oatmeal stout, Belgian-style hefeweizen, and the Munich dunkel. Order a side of smoked chicken wings ($8.99) or toasted ravioli ($5.99) to go with the brew. It's located near the office in South Florissant Road, it became the default watering hole for my colleagues. fergusonbrewing.com

Gus' Pretzels
We dropped by here on our way to see the Mardi Gras in Soulard. The third-generation German family-owned business, located near the Anheuser-Busch brewery, opened in 1920. The hand-made pretzels are sold with a variety of dips, like cream cheese and mustard. A pretzel is about $1,25, but you won't only get one. guspretzels.com

Gus' Pretzel Shop in Arsenal Street

Drunken Fish 
This one's located in the swanky Central West End and is a nice place to hang out and chill. There are great choices of Japanese food on the menu (red snapper sashimi, $11.50, Japanese chicken wings, $11.50, yakitori, $7.50), as well a fine selection of beers, cocktails and spirits. drunkenfish.com

Lu Lu Seafood Restaurant
If you like dim sum and other authentic Chinese food, then this family-owned place is highly recommended. Lu Lu is also located in Olive Boulevard. Dumplings start at $3.98 per four pieces, and set lunches at $6.98. luluseafood.com

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