St. Louis's historic Italian-American quarter, lined with red-sauce rooms, salumerias and bakeries, and the birthplace of toasted ravioli.
A Hill institution tied to the toasted-ravioli origin story, Charlie Gitto's plates red-sauce Italian classics in a clubby room. The t-ravs draw first-timers.
Order: Toasted ravioli, which the restaurant claims to have popularised.
Tip: Reserve for dinner; the dining room fills with regulars and out-of-town pilgrims. Start with the toasted ravioli and a Caesar.
A family-run Hill room going since 1985, Zia's plates generous Italian-American spiedini and pasta. The everyday Hill table locals lean on over the big names.
Order: Toasted ravioli and the chicken spiedini.
Tip: Reservations are taken for parties of eight or more only, so expect a wait at peak. The chicken spiedini is the house signature.
Open on The Hill since 1989, Gian-Tony's serves Southern Italian veal, chicken and seafood from a chef-owner who still runs the kitchen most nights.
Order: Veal and pasta plates from chef-owner Tony Catarinicchia.
Tip: Reserve for the small dining room and ask after the night's veal preparation. Closed early in the week, so plan a Wednesday-to-Sunday visit.
STL Toasted took over the old Mama Toscano's space on The Hill and built a counter entirely around toasted ravioli, the breaded-and-fried dish born here.
Order: Toasted ravioli, the dish the shop is built around.
Tip: Hours are limited to the weekend, so plan a Friday-to-Sunday visit. Order the t-ravs by the dozen with marinara.
Mama Adriana Fazio opened this Shaw Avenue sandwich shop over 30 years ago, and her daughters still run it. The foot-long subs are a Hill lunch institution.
Order: The Sicilian sub and a cup of the day's soup.
Tip: It is lunch only and closes mid-afternoon; the line moves fast. Get the Sicilian sub and split it.
A family taverna on The Hill, Anthonino's blends Italian and Greek cooking, from toasted ravioli to spanakopita, a casual room popular with families.
Order: Toasted ravioli and the Greek-Italian pastas.
Tip: The toasted ravioli and the Greek-Italian crossover dishes are the draws. It fills with families at weekends.
A James Beard America's Classics winner on The Hill, Gioia's slices its house Hot Salami onto fresh-baked bread, a sandwich St. Louis treats as a rite.
Order: The Original Hot Salami sandwich.
Tip: The Original Hot Salami is the order, made from Gioia's own fresh sausage. The line moves fast at lunch.
Comet pairs carefully pulled espresso with a serious in-house micro-bakery, so the pastry case is as much the draw as the cup. A small spot near the Garden.
Signature drink: Espresso and house-baked pastries
Tip: The kouign-amann and seasonal galettes sell out; come early. Limited seating, so plan for a quick stop.
A privately owned cafe and roastery on The Hill, Shaw's roasts in house using green coffees from the major growing regions, among the Italian groceries.
Signature drink: House-roasted espresso
Tip: Pair a cortado with a stroll through the Hill's groceries and bakeries. Roasts change; ask what is fresh.
The second Comet sits on Oakland near The Hill, pulling the same espresso and baking the same micro-bakery pastries. Handy near Forest Park's south edge.
Signature drink: Espresso and laminated pastries
Tip: Same kouign-amann and galettes as Shaw Boulevard; both sell out by midday. Best for a takeaway cup and a pastry.
A family-run Italian-American bakery on The Hill, Missouri Baking Company is famous for cookies by the pound and a dense, almond-paste gooey butter cake.
Tip: It is cash-and-pickup with no online ordering; buy cookies by weight. Weekend mornings see a line of Hill regulars.
Worth the queue: Almond-paste gooey butter cake and cookies
A James Beard America's Classics winner on The Hill, Gioia's slices its house Hot Salami onto fresh-baked bread, a sandwich St. Louis treats as a rite.
Tip: The Original Hot Salami is the order, made from Gioia's own fresh sausage. The line moves fast at lunch.
Worth the queue: Hot salami sandwich on fresh-baked bread
A small Italian bakery on The Hill, Marconi turns out cannoli, cookies and crusty Italian bread to a neighbourhood crowd, a no-frills Hill morning stop.
Tip: It opens early and closes by early afternoon; the bread and cannoli go first. Cash-friendly and unpretentious.
Worth the queue: Cannoli, cookies and Italian bread
Comet's serious in-house micro-bakery turns out kouign-amann and seasonal galettes alongside the espresso, a pastry program that rivals the coffee here.
Tip: The kouign-amann and galettes sell out by midday, so come early. There are two locations, on Shaw and Oakland.
Worth the queue: Kouign-amann and galettes
STL Toasted took over the old Mama Toscano's space on The Hill and built a counter around toasted ravioli, the breaded-and-fried St. Louis dish born here.
Tip: Open only Friday to Sunday; order the t-ravs by the dozen with marinara. It carries on the Hill's ravioli tradition.
Worth the queue: Breaded, fried toasted ravioli
Comet roasts in small batches and pairs the coffee with an in-house micro-bakery at two cafes near Forest Park's south edge. The pastry case rivals the cup.
Tip: Pastries sell out by midday, so come early. Two cafes pour the same roasts, on Shaw and on Oakland.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
A privately owned roastery and cafe on The Hill, Shaw's roasts in house using green coffees from the three major growing regions among the Italian groceries.
Tip: Pair a cortado with a stroll through the Hill's groceries. Roasts rotate, so ask what is fresh.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Sumatra
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
A long-running pub near the Hill and the Grove, Nick's pours draft beer and whiskey to a regulars' crowd in a no-frills room, a classic St. Louis tavern.
Signature drink: Draft beer and whiskey
Food: Pub plates
Tip: It is a regulars' pub; come for cheap pints and a low-key night. Live music and trivia fill some evenings.
Mama Adriana Fazio's Shaw Avenue shop, run by her daughters, builds foot-long Sicilian subs and Sicilian soups, a Hill lunch counter going more than 30 years.
Try: Sicilian subs and soups
Tip: Get the Sicilian sub and split it; it is huge. Lunch only, and the line moves quickly.
A Hill grocery institution, DiGregorio's stocks imported Italian goods, fresh pasta, cheese and a deli counter, a market that anchors the neighbourhood.
Tip: Stock up on fresh pasta and imported cheese for a Hill cook-at-home meal. The deli sandwiches are a lunch bonus.
A century-old salumeria on The Hill, Volpi Foods has cured artisan Italian meats for over 100 years, with a retail shop selling its salami and prosciutto.
Tip: The retail counter sells the salami and prosciutto Volpi is known for nationally. Pair with bread and cheese for a Hill picnic.
Held in the Missouri Botanical Garden's Japanese garden over Labor Day weekend, this long-running festival pairs taiko and tea ceremony with Japanese street food and sake.
Mama Fazio's Shaw Avenue shop builds cheap foot-long Sicilian subs and soups on The Hill, a lunch-only counter where a sandwich easily feeds two.
Try: Sicilian subs and soups
Tip: One foot-long Sicilian sub splits between two for a cheap Hill lunch. Lunch only, and the line moves fast.