A diverse south-city neighbourhood around Tower Grove Park, anchored by the international restaurant row of South Grand and a Saturday farmers market.
The Bahrami family has plated Persian kabobs, fesenjan and herbed stews on South Grand for decades, anchoring the restaurant row of Tower Grove South.
Order: Fesenjan and kabobs over saffron rice with eggplant dishes.
Tip: The vegetarian stews and the eggplant dishes are as strong as the kabobs.
Andrew Trinh reopened his family's longtime South Grand Vietnamese in the old Pho Grand space, plating familiar pho and rice plates with a cocktail program.
Order: A large bowl of pho dac biet with a side of summer rolls.
Tip: Order the pho dac biet; the Trinh family ran Pho Grand here for decades before relaunching the room as Grand Bistro.
Sump built a national reputation roasting light, precise single-origin coffee in South City, served in a spare room that treats the cup seriously.
Signature drink: Light-roast filter coffee
Tip: This is a place to taste, not to camp; seating and outlets are limited by design. Try the filter flight.
A family-friendly Tower Grove South corner cafe, Hartford serves coffee, breakfast and lunch to a neighbourhood crowd, with a play nook for kids.
Signature drink: Drip coffee and breakfast plates
Tip: The back has a kids' nook, so it is busy with families at weekends. Weekday afternoons are best for a quiet work session.
A longtime LGBTQ-friendly anchor across from Tower Grove Park, Mokabe's pours coffee and runs an all-day vegetarian-leaning brunch in a welcoming room.
Signature drink: Coffee and all-day vegetarian brunch
Tip: The vegan and vegetarian brunch runs all day, which is rare in the city. It fills after the Saturday farmers market.
Sump roasts light, precise single-origin coffee that built a national following, now produced at an Old North roastery with retail and tasting on site.
Tip: The light roasts are best brewed as filter; ask which lots are freshest off the roaster. Bags travel and keep well.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia
How they serve: Filter, Espresso, Whole bean retail, Subscription
A South City public house for two decades, The Royale pours ward-themed cocktails and serves a strong burger on one of the city's best bar patios.
Signature drink: Cocktails named for St. Louis wards
Food: Burgers and bar food
Tip: The garden patio is the draw in warm months; the cocktails are named for city wards. The burger holds up the food menu.
A South City dive and live-music room, The Heavy Anchor pairs cheap drinks with a back-room stage for local and touring bands. A no-frills music bar.
Signature drink: Cheap beer and shots
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: The back room hosts shows most nights; the front bar is for cheap drinks and pinball. Check the gig calendar.
A Tower Grove East corner bar, Tick Tock pours cheap drinks and cocktails to a mixed crowd, with karaoke and theme nights filling the calendar.
Signature drink: Cheap drinks and cocktails
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: It leans dive but with cocktail chops; come for karaoke or a low-key drink. Cash and card both work.
Civil Life's leafy Tower Grove South beer garden is a popular low-key drinking spot, pouring sessionable English-style ales like its classic American Brown.
Signature drink: American Brown ale
Food: Light snacks
Tip: The American Brown in the beer garden is the move on a warm evening. It is unpretentious and cash-friendly.
Founded by musician Steve Ewing, Steve's loads creative toppings onto griddled dogs on South Grand and has been voted the city's best, a cult counter spot.
Try: St. Louis-style loaded hot dogs
Tip: The over-the-top loaded dogs are the draw; the Get Down dog is a favourite. Counter service, fast turnaround.
Snarf's toasts its sub rolls and piles on classic deli fillings at a South Grand counter, a fast and cheap sandwich stop near SLU and Grand Center.
Try: Toasted oven sandwiches
Tip: Get any sub toasted, the house move. The hot giardiniera is the topping regulars add for heat.
Grand Bistro relaunches the Trinh family's South Grand Vietnamese in the former Pho Grand room, ladling pho and com tam at counter-style prices.
Try: Vietnamese pho and rice plates
Tip: Pho dac biet is the order; eat in or grab takeaway and walk the strip. The Trinh family ran Pho Grand here before reopening as Grand Bistro.
Civil Life brews sessionable English-style ales in Tower Grove South, a low-key brewery whose American Brown is a local classic. A neighbourhood beer garden.
Tip: The American Brown is the order, ideally in the leafy beer garden. It is cash-friendly and unpretentious by design.
Held in Tower Grove Park for 20 years, this seasonal market gathers regional farms, bakers and prepared-food stalls on Saturday mornings in the park.
Tip: Come early Saturday and bring a bag; the prepared-food stalls make it a breakfast spot. A Tuesday evening edition runs in summer.
A summer Tuesday-evening edition of the Tower Grove market, this leans toward prepared food, crafts and a social after-work crowd in the park's leafy setting.
Tip: It is more night-market than grocery run, so come hungry for the food stalls. Runs early May through September.
Run by the International Institute, this Tower Grove Park festival draws over 100,000 people for street food from 80-plus countries, the city's biggest.
Snarf's toasts its sub rolls and piles on deli fillings at a South Grand counter, a fast cheap sandwich stop popular with the SLU and Grand Center crowd.
Try: Toasted oven subs
Tip: Get any sub toasted, the house move; the hot giardiniera adds heat. A half sub is plenty for a cheap lunch.
Grand Bistro carries on the Trinh family's South Grand Vietnamese legacy in the former Pho Grand space, with pho and com tam at neighbourhood prices.
Try: Vietnamese pho and rice plates
Tip: Order the pho dac biet or a rice plate; the family ran Pho Grand here for decades before reopening as Grand Bistro.
An LGBTQ-friendly coffeehouse across from Tower Grove Park, Mokabe's serves a cheap all-day vegetarian-leaning brunch, a welcoming budget spot.
Try: All-day vegetarian brunch
Tip: The all-day vegan and vegetarian brunch is rare and affordable. It fills after the Saturday farmers market.
Steve's Hot Dogs on South Grand loads creative toppings onto cheap griddled dogs and has been voted the city's best, a budget counter with a cult following.
Try: Loaded St. Louis-style hot dogs
Tip: The loaded specialty dogs are the draw and stay cheap. Counter service keeps the turnaround fast at peak.
The South Grand branch of Rooster pours the same crepe-led European brunch as downtown, a roomy spot among the international restaurants of Tower Grove South.
Order: A sweet crepe and a brunch cocktail.
Tip: It is roomier than the downtown branch and on the South Grand strip. The crepes and breakfast cocktails are the orders.
Steve's Hot Dogs on South Grand stays open late on weekends, loading creative toppings onto griddled dogs for the after-show and post-bar crowd.
Try: Loaded St. Louis-style hot dogs
Tip: The loaded specialty dogs hit best late at night. It is counter service with quick turnaround on busy weekends.
The Royale keeps its kitchen and patio going late on the south side, pairing a strong burger with ward-themed cocktails, a reliable late bite.
Try: Burgers and ward-themed cocktails
Tip: The patio and the burger make it a good late drink-and-bite. Cocktails are named for St. Louis wards.