Emily Wasserman

In the past decade, the St. Louis dining scene has gone from flying quietly under the radar to showing up and showing out nationally. Part of the evolution comes from local talent coming home, as chefs hone their culinary chops in other parts of the country, then return to St. Louis to combine technique with a penchant for innovation. They make their own mark on the industry, all while celebrating Midwestern ingredients and hospitality.  Of course, there are the restaurant mainstays that have stood the test of time and continue to deliver excellent food and service built on years of tradition. But newer establishments show the city’s appetite for change. Whether restaurants present local ingredients in new ways or introduce an entirely new cuisine, they are responding to diners’ culinary curiosity. This is a trend that only gains momentum as the city makes a name for itself as a national dining destination. Our editors have listed some of the best restaurants in St. Louis below, along with tips for ordering, reserving, and more. September 23, 2025: Quite a bit has changed in the St. Louis restaurant scene since our last update. Although many of our former picks are still dining mainstays, the last couple of years have seen an uptick of new establishments in the city devoted to different cuisines and techniques. Whether it’s sushi, steak, or vegetable-forward establishments, all our latest choices reflect chefs’ decisions to focus on the ingredients that mean the most to them.

Top-notch sushi takes center stage at Sado, the latest restaurant from longtime St. Louis chef and James Beard Award nominee Nick Bognar. A culinary pinnacle of sorts for Bognar, the restaurant offers an alternative to the longstanding neighborhood establishments in The Hill, St. Louis’s Italian neighborhood. Sado’s sleek interiors and elevated sushi program attract diners looking for an innovative yet approachable dining experience. Walking into the restaurant, guests are greeted by a six-seat bar with serene, sea-blue cushions and two intimate rooms that evoke a traditional Japanese tea garden. Behind the bar, a jellyfish mural acts as a focal point and backdrop to Bognar, who’s often seen chatting with diners. The stage is set for the menu, where dishes are as artfully presented as the interiors, thoughtful in both execution and presentation. The menu standout is sashimi and nigiri expertly crafted from chill-aged fish, although diners would be remiss to skip the small plates and entrees. Hot tastings, such as pork belly steamed buns and crispy Brussels sprouts, balance some of the lighter dishes, including the crisp miso ginger salad, a visual and flavorful standout. Don’t miss the Issan Hamachi, a dish inspired by Southeast Asia that blends coconut naam pla, Thai kosho, and candied garlic. The vibe: Cozy Japanese tea house meets urban art gallery. The food: Creative and refined small plates, fusion, and familiar favorites, including sashimi and nigiri. The drink: Inventi

NYC neighborhood bistros meet the Midwest at Craig and Mowgli Rivard’s Little Fox. The Rivards, veterans of the New York restaurant scene, blend Brooklyn charm and St. Louis ethos in both the menu and ambiance at their Fox Park outpost. Warm, inviting, thoughtfully designed interiors encourage diners to linger over small plates and large entrées, while the dishes themselves, crafted from seasonal ingredients, keep them coming back for more. The front of the restaurant includes a large, covered patio where guests linger over creative cocktails. Inside, exposed brick walls, geometric oak paneling, and blond wood tables and chairs make you feel like you’re in a friend’s dining room. The restaurant buzzes with conversation and energy, creating a lively backdrop for its inventive, thoughtfully composed menu. In keeping with the convivial atmosphere, shareable plates are most popular, with the stracciatella—a creamy, crostini-like dish made with housemade bread—and the short ribs with Calabrian chili and Italian fish sauce, which consistently draw praise from diners. Creative dishes and attentive, knowledgeable service show the experience at Little Fox isn’t just about dinner-it’s a spirited introduction to some of the best ingredients and flavors the region has to offer. The vibe: Cozy neighborhood bistro meets fine dining meets your best friend’s dining room. The food: Creative, seasonally driven shareables and larger plates. The drink: Signature, flavor-forward cocktails, rotati

A commitment to regional agriculture and a respect for ingredients is at the root of Vicia. Michael and Tara Gallina, alumni of New York’s celebrated Blue Hill at Stone Barns, started the restaurant in 2017 as an alternative to many mainstream fine dining establishments in town. The idea was to celebrate local ingredients in imaginative dishes that rotate seasonally, served in a farm-to-table atmosphere spotlighting the best offerings from regional farmers and producers. Walking into the restaurant, a light-filled dining room with clean lines reflects the Gallinas’ approach to food: nothing is fussy—in fact, it’s purposely streamlined—to highlight the colorful, vegetable-forward menu. Natural wood beams evoke a modern-rustic elegance that harmonizes with the dishes served. An open kitchen, on-site garden, and a wood-burning grill on the patio let guests in on the action, giving them a front row seat to the culinary choreography.  Although the menu changes often, it always reflects fresh, seasonal ingredients, sometimes alongside locally sourced meats. Signature specialties include purple-top turnip tacos layered with squash hot sauce, charred vegetable mole, and pork crumbles, as well as rutabaga “carbonara” with squash in place of noodles, which upends a classic dish. In keeping with the farm-to-table ethos, family- and communal-style plating is encouraged, and expert servers guide guests toward the best combination of dishes. The vibe: Farmhouse meets fine dining. The food: