Benton Park Cafe & Coffee Bar is a cafe in Benton Park, St. Louis.
A century-old house turned all-day breakfast cafe, Benton Park Cafe pours coffee and plates hearty brunch in a warren of cosy rooms. A south-side staple.
Tip: The hash and the breakfast burritos are the orders. Weekend mornings draw a wait, so go early.
Address: 2901 Salena St, St. Louis, MO 63118
Union Loafers bakes naturally leavened bread and runs a lunchtime cafe of sandwiches and pizza in Botanical Heights, a James Beard-nominated bakery.
Signature drink: Espresso, sandwiches and naturally leavened bread
Tip: The bread sells out, so come early for a loaf. The Tuesday-through-Saturday pizza nights are a separate, popular service.
Park Avenue Coffee pairs espresso with more than 70 varieties of gooey butter cake, the St. Louis dessert it is best known for. Visit the Lafayette original.
Signature drink: Coffee and gooey butter cake
Tip: The Mom's Traditional gooey butter cake is the order, named best in town by Food Network. Boxes travel well as gifts.
Mike Randolph's Clayton breakfast room marries a focused coffee programme with made-from-scratch brunch, from blueberry pancakes to the flat-iron hash.
Signature drink: Espresso and made-from-scratch brunch
Tip: Ask for the pancakes cooked in bacon fat, a house move. Weekend waits are long, so put your name down and walk Clayton.
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.
Blueprint's south-side cafe on Watson brings the roaster's precise filter and espresso to St. Louis Hills, a calm bright room for the neighbourhood crowd.
Signature drink: Filter coffee and espresso
Tip: Quieter than the Delmar flagship and easier for a laptop session. Ask about the rotating single origins.
St. Louis's English tea room pours dozens of loose-leaf teas and serves a proper afternoon tea with scones and savouries. A change from the espresso bars.
Signature drink: Loose-leaf tea and English breakfast service
Tip: Book ahead for the full afternoon tea service; walk-ins are welcome for a pot and a scone. The tea selection runs deep.
