Chef House kitchen$35-75Book Few days ahead
From an Annie Gunn's alum, Olive + Oak grew into a polished Webster Groves restaurant with a smart American menu and a strong bar. A reliable suburban table.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu and is the best bet without a booking. The burger has a cult following at lunch.
Chef Tim Adams$45-75 for the family-style four-courseBook 1 to 2 weeks ahead
Chef Tim Adams's mid-century Italian-American room in Old Webster Groves pairs handmade pastas with a wine list run by sommelier Alisha Blackwell-Calvert.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable; the family-style four-course tasting is the way to eat here. Trust the sommelier's by-the-glass picks.
Chef Michael and Tara Gallina$135-185Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead
The Gallinas' vegetable-forward Central West End room is the most decorated restaurant in St. Louis, a 2026 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant finalist.
Tip: Book the tasting through OpenTable well ahead; the a la carte menu and wine garden are the easier ways in on short notice.
Chef Nick Bognar$175-250Book 2 to 4 weeks ahead
Nick Bognar's 18-course omakase sits in a glass pavilion behind Sado on The Hill, ranked the best restaurant in St. Louis by the Post-Dispatch since 2024.
Tip: Chef-led nights run around $250 and the trained-team nights around $175; book through Sado. Eighteen small courses, so come hungry.
Chef Kevin Nashan$60-90 a la carteBook 1 to 2 weeks ahead
James Beard Best Chef Midwest winner Kevin Nashan works a changing chalkboard menu in a century-old Benton Park storefront, the city's special-occasion table.
Tip: The menu is recited tableside from a chalkboard, so ask questions. Reserve on Resy or by phone a week or two ahead.
Chef Nick Bognar$60-100 a la carteBook 1 to 2 weeks ahead
Nick Bognar's sushi-forward Japanese room on The Hill plates high-grade seafood flown in several times a week. It shares a building with his omakase Pavilion.
Tip: Order broadly off the sushi and sashimi list and let the counter steer. Reserve on Resy a week or two out.