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Blueberry Hill
The Top List of Best Buy Restaurants - St. Louis, MO
There are lots of good value eats in St. Louis
by Elizabeth Slomin & Michael Renner
Whether it's housing, food or entertainment, St. Louisians enjoy a ridiculously low cost of living. While one can drop a week's worth of pay at a top-flight restaurant, even those are easily affordable, depending on the dish. But it's everyday dining that draws most of us out into the land of cheap eats; those weekdays when we just can't face the kitchen, another pizza delivery or Chinese take-out. Like anything else in life, there's cheap and horrid and inexpensive and pretty good. Here is a sampling of the latter, with some surprisingly good values.
NACHOMAMA'S
9643 Manchester Rd.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
314-961-9110
Hours:(Mon-Thu) 11am-9pm,(Fri-Sat) 11am-9:30pm
Webster Groves isn't where one would expect to find a great Mexican cantina, but Nachomama's is just that. Located on busy Manchester Road, Nachomama's is an original restaurant on a street of chains. Those looking for a quick Mexican fix will be greeted by statues of small men in sombreros, setting the tone for the dining experience. Orders are placed at a counter. Chips are served in flower pots and the guacamole is presented in a half avocado peel, complete with chunks of onion and tomato. The menu includes many Mexican favorites such as nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, chalupas, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and soft or crisp tacos. These dishes can include chicken, beef, or vegetables, and can come as platter options with rice and beans, or as stand alone items. Mexican beers and a variety of margarita flavors can accompany the meal. For those looking for Nachomama's on the run, a drive-thru is also available.
Price per person = $5 - $10
BLUEBERRY HILL
6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO 63130
(314) 727-0880
Hours: (Mon-Sat) 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. (Sun) 11 a.m. - Midnight
Another U. City Loop attraction, Blueberry Hill was the original anchor in an area that was run-down and struggling years ago. Owner Joe Edwards invested millions in the area, including the walk of fame on Delmar, the Pageant Theater and the Tivoli Theater. Now with its influx of Washington University students, hippie wannabes, street musicians and all manners otherwise, Blueberry Hill is still the anchor in this busy slice of café society. It consistently ranks high for its 7 oz. grilled burgers and its massive selection of beers and ales. There's also specialties like jerk chicken ($6.50), broiled tuna filet ($6.95) and Chili Mac (small $3.75). But it's the ambience that keeps most of us returning. Edwards shows off his massive collection of rock and roll memorabilia, including album covers, posters, comic books, statues and jukeboxes. The original center section is dark and woody, with secluded little booths and plank floors. On either side are big additional rooms, one for darts and games, the other most recent room for dining. Downstairs are two performance venues: the Duck Room, featuring monthly concerts by St. Louisian Chuck Berry as well as a wide assortment of national touring music acts, and the Elvis Room, which features local acts. All in all, a trip to Blueberry Hill is a memorable experience. They even have a dart league!
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Thanksgiving-Open evening, bar only. Christmas Eve - Close early, Christmas Day-Open evening, bar only, New Years Eve-Open, New Years Day-Open
CAFÉ MANHATTAN
511 S. Hanley Rd. Clayton, MO 63105
(314) 863-5695
Hours: (Mon-Thu) 11:00 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Fri-Sat) 11:00 - 11:00 p.m. (Sun) Noon - 9 p.m.
Don't confuse Café Manhattan with some trendy bistro serving small plates of nouveau cuisine. This is a casual, meat and potatoes spot located on the edge of a tony Clayton neighborhood and serving many of the locals who like to walk there: families, young couples and retirees. The feeling is retro, with Coca-Cola memorabilia and black-and-white décor. Other locations include an express shop down the street from the Hanley spot, the more upscale Uptown Café in downtown Clayton and a regular Café Manhattan in South County. As one would expect, they serve big malts and shakes right from the metal blender cup and satisfying burgers. But folks also like the home made soups, the chili and its famous Braunschweiger and onion sandwich (right behind deep fried brain sandwiches, this was the most popular St. Louis sandwich for years). Café Manhattan adds a bit of zest to the old standard with a tangy sauce. Another favorite is their meat loaf sandwich, which when combined with some hand-cut fries offers comfort on two levels.
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Thanksgiving-Closed. Christmas Eve - Close early, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Closed, New Years Day-Closed
ROYAL CHINESE BARBECUE
8406 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132
(314) 991-1888
Hours: (Sun-Thu) 11:00 a.m.-9.30 p.m. (Fri-Sat) 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Don't think sauce-laden barbecue meats; think beautifully roasted and smoked sanguine fowl and pork hanging in the window, ready for the cleaver. This is the closest St. Louis gets to true Chinese bbq., along the lines of a Chinatown in any other major city. And forget the egg rolls and boring fried rice that make up most take-out meals. This is the place for adventure, a place to bring friends and share extraordinary meals. At the center are the roasted meats, including: Peking duck ($18), honey grilled pork ($7.25), crispy skin roasted pig ($7.25) and soy flavor chicken (half, $6.25; whole, $11.50). There's also a huge array of seafood dishes, including such unusual selections as sizzling black bean sauce scallops ($11.95), salted pepper shrimp ($11.25), lobster with ginger scallion (seasonal) and scrambled egg with oyster ($11.25). Combine these with any number of braised noodle dishes. For a fun communal meal, order a hot pot, large pottery pots steaming with your selections of beef/eggplant ($10.50), salted fish/chicken/eggplant ($10.95), black mushroom/chicken ($10.95) and others. If diners in you group are less adventuresome, dishes like orange flavor chicken ($8.95) and sesame steak ($9.85) will satisfy them. There's also a large all- vegetable selection. Sometimes if you're lucky they may have frog legs or pea shoots available. Language barriers are common so don't be shy to just point at the menu.
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Open all holidays, regular hours.
OLYMPIA KEBOB HOUSE & TAVERNA
1543 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63117
(314) 781-1299
Hours: (Sun-Thu) 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Fri-Sat) 11:00-Midnight.
This mainstay of affordable Greek food in a casual atmosphere features some of the best dolmades ($8.95) and moussaka ($8.95) in town. Students and locals flock here for shish kabob (plate, $11.95), home made baklava ($3.50) and red pepper dip ($6.95). The standard Greek gyros are available ($6.95) as is the famous flaming cheese appetizer ($6.95). The pastitsio ($6.95), macaroni, ground beef and cheese in a smooth béchamel sauce, is perfect for a cool fall evening. But sometimes you have to splurge on the perfectly broiled lamb chop, but insist on it rare because it will probably show up medium rare. Or sample the Mediterranean combination platter ($17.50). The avgolemono soup is superb with lemon and rice swimming in a rich broth. There's a large assortment of micro and imported beers as well as California wines, but for fun try one of the many Greek wines available.
Estimated cost per person: $10-$20
Holiday Schedule: Not decided as of yet.
SOUTH CITY DINER
3141 S. Grand, St. Louis 63116
(314) 772-6100
Hours: (Mon-Thu) 7 a.m.- Midnight. (Fri-Sun) Open 24 hours.
Diners serve breakfast all day, but how many serve grilled polenta, crab cakes or an assortment of pastas? It may not be the diner of Mildred Pierce's time, but this popular eatery offers a wide variety of creative twists on the traditional, from meat loaf ($6.50) and liver and onions ($6.95) to a grilled three-cheese sandwich ($3.95) and a chorizo sausage scramble egg dish served with tortillas and refried beans ($4.95). Friday night is the all you can fish fry ($8.50) and there's a nightly blue plate special. It's the kind of place that when you don't know what to eat, you come here and are sure to find something: great burgers, thick shakes, a wine selection, home made soups, and house specialties with a gourmet touch. Top it off with a slice of fresh baked pie or cheesecake by Hank's, the best in town. The setting is retro 50s, with posters and records adorning the walls, chrome tables and new vinyl booths and chairs and 50s music filtering the air. On weekends, when they're open all night, the crowd gets interesting. Other times it's the usual assortment of locals, artists, business folks and alternative types.
Estimated cost per person = $5 - $15
Holiday Schedule: Thanksgiving-Closed. Christmas Eve - Close early, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Close early, New Years Day-Open.
MANGIA ITALIANO
3145 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63116
(314) 664-8585
Hours: (Mon-Sat) 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Just a few doors down from the South City Diner sits this long-running South Grand eatery. Once owned by a physician, who loved making pasta more than doctoring, the new owners of several years have kept up the tradition of fresh made pasta noodles served with home made sauces. When you want pasta you can't or won't make at home, you come here for your fix of squid ink angel hair with white clam sauce ($7.95), spinach manicotti ($6.50) or linguini with prosciutto, peas and mushrooms ($8.95). The marinara sauce is rich and lasagna is full and meaty. The signature salad is a savory pasta salad made with spicy curry pasta served cold with black olives, onions, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and chilpotles. It's a good idea to wash it down with one of the many micro and imported beer selections. Also offered is a modest and affordable wine selection that goes beyond cheap reds and whites. Five Italian-influenced sandwiches are great lunch or light meal bargains ($5.95). Like South Grand itself, Mangia draws an eclectic crowd of regulars from locals to artists and starving musicians who like the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet on Fridays ($5.95). The atmosphere is dark and a bit foreboding, including the eternal work-in-progress mural. Jazz ala John Coltrane's late period performed by the Dave Stone Trio is well worth the visit Wednesday-Saturday nights. Non-smokers will have a hard time here.
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $15
Holiday Schedule: Not decided as of yet.
VITO'S TRATTORIA
3559 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 534-8486
Hours: (Mon-Thu) Lunch, 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. Dinner, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Fri-Sat) Same lunch schedule, dinner 5 p.m. - Midnight. (Sun) 11:00 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Across from St. Louis University in mid-town, Vito's is a cozy oasis in a town full of insipid, cracker-crust pizza drowning gooey provel cheese (a dubious St. Louis invention, like Bud Light). The dough and sauce recipes are family secrets and are made daily. The Sicilian pizza reminds me of what my mother and her family used to make-super thick and baked in a pan with olive oil, tomato sauce, mozzarella and a touch of fresh oregano. Rustic simplicity at its best. Other pizzas include one with just spinach, basil and mozzarella, one with chicken and pesto, one with shrimp and artichoke and the amazing Vito's Super with nearly every fresh ingredient Vito can find at the Soulard Market. Beyond pizza, Vito's serves up a chunky caponata with eggplant, peppers, celery, green olives and capers marinated in sweet and sour vinaigrette ($5.99). And of course the pastas are superb and mostly around $9: chicken fettuccine with garlic in a cream sauce, rigatoni broccoli with garlic and tomato in a cream sauce, linguine tutto mare in a clam sauce with olive oil, shrimp, tomato, garlic, mushroom and parsley and wonderful lasagna. A good assortment of sandwiches (around $6) and calzone ($6) are also available.
Estimated cost per person: $10- $15
Holiday Schedule: Not decided as of yet.
PHIL'S BAR BBQ
9205 Gravois St. Louis, MO 63123
(314) 638-1313
Hours: (Sun-Sat) 11:00 a.m. - about 10:00 p.m. Eureka, MO, location serves breakfast (Tu-Fri) 6 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and (Sat-Mon) 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Unlike its neighbor on the Western side of the state, St. Louis isn't well known for its bbq. But over the past few years that has changed with the establishment of places like KC Masterpiece, Bandana's and Super Smokers. For 50 years, however, Phil's has drawn a stable line of regulars to his rakish, added-on shack of a building. For 16 years the family has operated another restaurant in Eureka, MO, just a few miles southwest of St. Louis. Phil's perfected the stewing style of 'queing-finishing the cooking by simmering the meat in the sauce, which infuses the meats with the heady aroma. The meats (chicken, pork, beef) are hickory smoked and the sauce is subtle with a cinnamon/cardamom spice hint. The pies, potato salad and vinegar and oil based coleslaw is fresh made. They even serve homemade spaghetti sauce. Most meals run $7.25. But don't forget the ribs (slab, $19).
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Easter: Closed.
YEMANJA BRASIL
2900 Missouri Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 771-7457
Hours: (Tu-Fri) 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. (Sat) 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
As the only Brazilian restaurant in St. Louis it wouldn't be difficult to pull the wool over our eyes, but for six years this cozy corner storefront straddling the Benton Park and Soulard neighborhoods has steadily gained a reputation quenching St. Louisans desire for international cuisine. Most come because they've heard about the caipirinha, a smooth but potent rum cocktail. After one you need an appetizer, maybe torrandinhas leme, charbroiled french bread topped with cream, asiago cheese and onions. Fish and shellfish are staples, usually char-broiled or sautéed and served with spicy-sweet sauces. There's a catch of the day ($12.95) and a trout dish served with vatapa sauce, a coconut cream sauce with ground cashews, peanuts and dried shrimp ($18.95) Feijoada is Brazil's national dish-an intensely flavorful combination of black beans cooked with sausage, pork and pungent dried cured beef served with rice and collard greens ($16.95). Roasted pork loin with pineapple and black beans and rice ($12.95) and a pan-fried strip steak with caramelized onions ($15.95) round out the meat selections. Risotto are a favorite as well, with seafood ($12.95), chicken ($10.95) and veggie ($9.95) to choose from. The atmosphere is quaint and comfy. Since adding a beautiful outdoor courtyard and an upstairs fireplace the choices are many. Desserts are homemade and consist of flan ($4.25) and a coconut bread pudding with a caramel sauce ($4.25).
Estimated cost per person = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Easter: Closed
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