St. Louis

Food & drink

Toasted ravioli, Provel, gooey butter cake and a world-ranked brewery.

St. Louis's culinary identity is rooted in happy accidents. Toasted ravioli was allegedly invented in the 1940s on The Hill when a raviolo was accidentally dropped into hot oil instead of water — both Charlie Gitto's and Mama's On The Hill still claim the origin, while the Lombardo family asserts they brought a fried ravioli recipe from Sicily even earlier. FOX 2 Gooey butter cake originated in the 1930s when a German baker reversed the proportions of butter and flour in a coffee cake recipe. The Daily Meal St. Louis-style pizza is made on an ultra-thin, yeast-free cracker crust, cut into squares, and topped with Provel cheese — a processed blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone with liquid smoke that is virtually unknown outside the region. Food & Wine · Imo's Pizza

The slinger — a diner staple of hash browns, eggs, a hamburger patty, all smothered in chili and often cheese and onions — is a late-night and hangover classic served at spots like Courtesy Diner. Atlas Obscura Ted Drewes Frozen Custard has been family-owned and never franchised since 1929, and its "concrete" — a shake so thick it's served upside down — is a Route 66 landmark. Ted Drewes

The Hill is a historic Italian-American neighborhood dense with family-owned restaurants, delis, and bakeries. Landmarks include Charlie Gitto's, Mama's On The Hill, Zia's, Cunetto's, and Lorenzo's. The Hill STL · St. Louis Magazine

The fine-dining scene has gained significant national recognition. In 2025, Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest, capping a year in which St. Louis landed seven semifinalists and five finalists — one of its strongest Beard showings. James Beard Foundation, 2026 · KSDK, 2026 Robin in Maplewood made the New York Times list of the 50 best restaurants in America in 2025. Reddit /r/STLFood

The craft beer scene is anchored by Side Project Brewing in Maplewood, ranked the No. 2 brewery in the world by RateBeer (2020 and 2023). Explore St. Louis Other standouts include Perennial Artisan Ales (Abraxas imperial stout), 4 Hands (City Wide pale ale), Urban Chestnut (German-style lagers and bierhall), Narrow Gauge (hazy IPAs), and Rockwell Beer Co. (GABF gold medalist). Hop Culture The metro area counts roughly 65–70 craft breweries, though the scene is maturing: notable closures (Earthbound, Ferguson Brewing) have been offset by newcomers like Blue Jay Brewing. STLBEER · Sauce Magazine

Caveats: Provel is divisive — many non-natives find the processed-cheese texture and smoky flavor off-putting. Food & Wine James Beard recognition is concentrated among a small cluster of chefs and restaurateurs; the broader dining scene is less decorated at the national level. James Beard Foundation, 2026 The craft brewery count is fluid and includes the broader metro area; within city limits, the number is closer to 15–20. Sauce Magazine