The French-colonial heart of the south side, built around the 1779 Soulard Farmers Market and a dense run of historic bars and BBQ.
Bogart's smokes its signature apricot-bruleed ribs in historic Soulard, torching the sweet glaze to order, a counter-service BBQ joint that draws long lunchtime lines.
Order: The apricot-bruleed ribs.
Tip: The bruleed ribs are the order to try. Come at off-peak hours to skip the line.
The Cali-style taco group formerly known as Mission Taco, Session Taco plates street tacos, margaritas and local beer at its Historic Soulard room.
Order: Cali-style street tacos and a margarita.
Tip: The street tacos and fresh margaritas are the order. A second branch runs on Delmar in the Loop.
Founded in St. Louis in 2003, Kuva roasts and pours coffee tied to a mission supporting growers, a long-running local roaster with a downtown-edge cafe.
Tip: Ask about the producer-direct lots that anchor the menu. A quieter alternative to the busier Loop and CWE cafes.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
4 Hands runs a large taproom near the stadium pouring its broad range from the City Wide flagship to barrel-aged stouts, a busy pre-game and weekend beer bar.
Signature drink: City Wide and barrel-aged beers
Food: Snacks and light bites
Tip: It fills on Cardinals game days; City Wide is the easy-drinking flagship. Ask after barrel-aged releases.
In the old Eat-Rite Diner building, Fleur STL plates an elevated slinger of prime patty, hash, chili, cheese and onion, carrying on a Route 66 legacy.
Try: The slinger and elevated diner food
Tip: Hours are now Thursday through Sunday only; the slinger with a quarter-pound prime patty is the order. It nods to the Eat-Rite legend in the same building.
4 Hands brews a broad American range from IPAs to barrel-aged stouts at a large taproom near Soulard, one of the city's most widely distributed craft names.
Tip: The taproom near the stadium fills on game days. City Wide is the easy-drinking flagship; ask about barrel-aged releases.
Established in 1779, Soulard is the oldest farmers market west of the Mississippi, a covered year-round hall of produce, meat and spice stalls in south city.
Tip: Go Saturday morning for the fullest stalls and the best haggling. The spice and produce vendors are the heart of it.
A Mardi Gras-season tasting crawl through Soulard's historic bars and kitchens, this ticketed event is part of one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the country.
In the old Eat-Rite Diner building, Fleur STL plates an elevated slinger and griddle food, carrying the Route 66 diner torch on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule.
Try: Elevated slinger and diner food
Tip: Now Thursday through Sunday only; the prime-patty slinger remains the order. It honours the all-night Eat-Rite legend that stood in the same building.