Café$benton-parkSun 07:00-15:00; Mon-Tue 07:00-14:00; Wed Closed; Thu-Fri 07:00-14:00; Sat 07:00-15:00Work-friendlyWifi
A century-old house turned all-day breakfast cafe, Benton Park Cafe pours coffee and plates hearty brunch in a warren of cosy rooms. A south-side staple.
Signature drink: Coffee and all-day breakfast
Tip: The hash and the breakfast burritos are the orders. Weekend mornings draw a wait, so go early.
Café$botanical-heightsMon Closed; Tue-Sun 11:00-15:00
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.
Café$lafayette-squareMon 07:00-14:00; Tue-Sat 07:00-18:00; Sun 07:30-14:00Work-friendlyWifi
Park Avenue Coffee pairs espresso with more than 70 varieties of gooey butter cake, the St. Louis dessert it is best known for. Visit the Lafayette original.
Signature drink: Coffee and gooey butter cake
Tip: The Mom's Traditional gooey butter cake is the order, named best in town by Food Network. Boxes travel well as gifts.
Café$claytonMon Closed; Tue-Fri 07:00-14:00; Sat-Sun 08:00-14:00
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.
Café$the-hillMon-Fri 07:00-14:00; Sat-Sun 08:00-14:00Work-friendlyWifi
The second Comet sits on Oakland near The Hill, pulling the same espresso and baking the same micro-bakery pastries. Handy near Forest Park's south edge.
Signature drink: Espresso and laminated pastries
Tip: Same kouign-amann and galettes as Shaw Boulevard; both sell out by midday. Best for a takeaway cup and a pastry.
Café$st-louis-hillsDaily 08:00-16:00Work-friendlyWifi
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.