Restaurants in St. Louis
IF YOU KNOW | MAR 27, 2021
Rob Connoley
WHO
Restaurants
WHAT
St. Louis
WHERE
About
Rob Connoley is a self-taught chef, cookbook author and expert forager committed to sustainable practices, food ethics and bringing overlooked cuisines to light. His St. Louis restaurant Bulrush and book, Acorns & Cattails: A Modern Foraging Cookbook of Forest, Farm & Field, are a testament to the bounty the land provides, the resourcefulness of hard-working people, and the rich cultural traditions of how and why we make food— elements that have carried Connoley's cooking throughout his career.
Presenting 19th-century Ozark cuisine executed through modern techniques, Bulrush opened doors in the spring of 2019 and focuses on telling the stories of the Osage Nation, the enslaved, the settlers and immigrants of this specific and important era of history. Through Connoley’s forward-thinking practices and intensive work with St. Louis Archivist Association, Bakers Creek Rare Seeds, Danforth Plant Science Center along with several other science and preservation organizations of Missouri, he is proving Bulrush to be one of the most impactful and meaningful restaurants in the nation.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BULRUSH
Slinging some of the best Korean fusion out the back of a classic dive bar, Melanie Meyer, makes the sidewalk order window one of the coolest spots in town. Bordering the city’s Bosnian neighborhood, the Bevo Mills area (as locals know it) has launched many culinary careers. I put myself in the Chef’s hands and she always satisfies with fusion bibimbop, bulgogi and more. While you’re waiting, grab a cold Busch beer and let her dish on the latest Korean soap operas to round out your night.
The lines for their farmers market breakfast sandwiches are daunting, but now settled in a new building near the city’s tech sector, the team behind locavore favorite, Kitchen Kulture, offers their breakfast meals throughout the week. And if that doesn’t seal the deal for you, they’ve partnered with one of the most renowned coffee roasters in the country – Sump. Our kitchen staff fuels many mornings off this stellar combo. (Be sure to add the Sump poundcake to your order.)
Another example of a St. Louis chef squatting inside a bar and overshadowing their host, Mac’s is the reigning king of smash burgers. Featuring locally raised, whole animal butchery, these burgers have edges so sharp they’ll cut your tongue. While I’m a basic pickle and ketchup guy, their pimento burger is what draws the crowds, served alongside Red Hot Riplet french fries.
In this South City strip of bodegas and panderías, you might miss the bright hand-painted sign announcing this humble Honduran restaurant. But it’s a quick snack of baleadas (tortillas filled with beans, Honduran cream and salty cheese) in between long shifts that makes this one of my favorite go-to’s. Not fancy on the menu, but if you’re ready to get a hearty carryout I suggest the Chuleta con Tajadas (pork and fried sweet plantain).
Who says a donut shop can’t be considered a restaurant, especially when they serve their hot, perfectly moist donuts 24 hours a day? You can’t go wrong with the classic glazed or the loaded apple fritter, but there’s nothing finer than the old-fashioned buttermilk. Definitely the place to grab a box for the office to stay on everyone’s good sides for another week.
Los Reyes of fusion Mexican food, Taco Buddha has established itself with consistently innovative and delicious food. And when Corona won’t quite do it, their bar is top-notch, mixing some of the most exciting and heat-quenching drinks in town. I grab and go, but the sidewalk scene is something to behold with this neighborhood gem anchoring a perennially hip district. After work dinner and drinks is always a hit, but brunch with friends is the best way to go.
Just off historic Grand Avenue in the Tower Grove East neighborhood, my gateway drug was the Stormtrooper Dog loaded with rotini alfredo, shredded bacon and crispy fried onions. But as I’ve aged, I’ve matured into the Gorilla Mac & Cheese dog as my go-to order. Grab a sampler pack of all their hot dog combinations and enjoy a beer on the patio listening to the music strumming out of the neighboring bar.
Housed in a building that clearly has chewed its way through many restaurant concepts, Fire Chicken offers crowd-pleasing chicken gangjung with fiery gochujang sauce. Tamer palates might prefer a teriyaki or even a bowl of ramen, but everything leaving the kitchen is fresh to order and packed with flavor. There is no indoor dining, so grab and enjoy on your drive.
A brunch powerhouse, Egg mashes up Tunisian and Mexican with a side of classic American. The chakchouka is my go-to after a night on the town, but the fabulously smoky El Cerdo pork hash always ends up on the table. My biggest decision is whether to enjoy a brunch cocktail like the Hot Espresso Martini or Latte Orzata Cafe (espresso with almond syrup). But beyond the food and drink, Egg may seriously have the most hospitable and welcoming staff in town.
For a nice night out, I walk past the indoor rock climbing gym, head up the elevator, and emerge into the classy dark interior of The Bellwether. Under the eye of one of the city’s most respected chefs, Thomas Futrell, his team produces an international mashup of classic dishes. His blue crab arancini is as good as it gets, but I go for the hearty smoked pumpkin with chili sea salt graham crackers and baharat couscous, washed down with The Heart of the Matter cocktail (Rye, pistachio orgeat, amaro and bitters).
Sushi, bento boxes and sake all speak to me when I’m on a date night, and this up-and-coming chef, Heidi Skye Hamamura, has it all. Mostly known for her pop-ups around town, but primarily at The Bao, Chef Hamamura is known for her elaborate and excessive sushi boards. But it’s her accents that win me over every time, whether it be the green tea butter cookies or her house-made sake.
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