Federhofer's Bakery is a bakery restaurant in Affton, St. Louis.
Editorially verified May 28, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: A suburban Affton bakery off the tourist map, Federhofer's makes a distinctive gooey butter cake without cream cheese or powdered sugar that locals adore.
Tip: Its gooey butter is a denser, old-school style than the cream-cheese versions. Come early for the freshest cases.
Address: 9005 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63123
Woofie's Hot Dogs on Woodson Rd in Overland is the 1970s drive-in near the airport that has sold more than a million Chicago-style dogs to date.
Why locals love it: A modest Overland drive-in near the airport, Woofie's has sold a million-plus Chicago-style dogs since the 1970s with almost no tourist attention.
Tip: Order it Chicago-style, dragged through the garden. It is a quick roadside stop most visitors never discover near the airport.
Venice Cafe is a cafe room in Benton Park. The art-covered patio is the whole point; come on a warm evening with live music. Cash is handy here.
Why locals love it: A Benton Park bar covered floor-to-ceiling in mosaic and folk art, Venice Cafe is a surreal hidden world that few first-time visitors manage to find.
Tip: The art-covered patio is the whole point; come on a warm evening with live music. Cash is handy here.
Mokabe's Coffeehouse (Vegan) in St Louis: The all-day vegan and vegetarian brunch is rare in the city. It fills after the Saturday Tower Grove market.
Why locals love it: A welcoming, longtime LGBTQ anchor across from Tower Grove Park, Mokabe's serves a rare all-day vegetarian brunch that visitors rarely find on their own.
Tip: The all-day vegan and vegetarian brunch is rare in the city. It fills after the Saturday Tower Grove market.
STL Toasted is in the old mama toscano's space with weekend-only hours, stl toasted is a single-minded toasted-ravioli counter most visitors never time right.
Why locals love it: In the old Mama Toscano's space with weekend-only hours, STL Toasted is a single-minded toasted-ravioli counter most visitors never time right.
Tip: Open only Friday to Sunday; order the t-ravs by the dozen with marinara. It carries on the Hill's ravioli tradition.
Crown Candy Kitchen on St Louis Ave in Old North is the 1913 soda fountain known for hand-made malts, the BLT challenge, and chocolate-coated treats.
Why locals love it: Tourists rarely venture to Old North, but this 1913 soda fountain is the oldest in the metro, worth the trip for hand-made malts and a towering BLT.
Tip: Take the malt challenge or split the BLT. The neighbourhood is sleepy, so it feels like a discovery despite its age.
Taqueria Durango is a taqueria room in Overland. Order the chile-drowned torta ahogada. It sits next to a grocery in a plaza most visitors never find.
Why locals love it: Tucked in an Overland strip mall far from the tourist map, Durango plates a torta ahogada that locals drive across the metro for, under ten dollars.
Tip: Order the chile-drowned torta ahogada. It sits next to a grocery in a plaza most visitors never find.
