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.
Café$the-groveMon-Tue Closed; Wed-Sun 10:00-17:00Work-friendlyWifi
St. Louis's English tea room pours dozens of loose-leaf teas and serves a proper afternoon tea with scones and savouries. A change from the espresso bars.
Signature drink: Loose-leaf tea and English breakfast service
Tip: Book ahead for the full afternoon tea service; walk-ins are welcome for a pot and a scone. The tea selection runs deep.
Café$st-louis-hillsMon-Thu 11:00-10:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-12:00, Sun 11:00-10:00Work-friendly
Rockwell's open-air pavilion in Francis Park pours Goshen Coffee by day and Rockwell craft beer with tavern pizza by evening. A rare park beer garden.
Signature drink: Goshen Coffee by day, craft beer by evening
Tip: Mornings are for coffee and the park; afternoons and evenings for beer and pizza. It is seasonal and weather-dependent.