9 restaurants in St. Louis, editor-picked for monday dinner. Open on monday — the day most kitchens go dark. All restaurants in St. Louis.
Pappy's Smokehouse ★ 4.6
midtown · 3106 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63103
Hours: Mon & Wed 11:00-16:00, Thu 11:00-18:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Tue
Pappy's smokes Memphis-style ribs over apple and cherry wood in Midtown and lands on national BBQ lists. The ribs are the order, and they sell out daily.
Tip: Arrive before noon at weekends; they smoke a fixed amount each day and close when it is gone. Cash and card both work.
Pastaria ★ 4.4
clayton · 7734 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton, MO 63105
Hours: Daily 16:00-21:00
James Beard winner Gerard Craft's Clayton Italian runs on handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza in a busy room. The most reliable Italian table off The Hill.
Tip: It books up at weekends; the bar and the patio take walk-ins. The next-door Pastaria Deli & Wine handles takeaway.
Mai Lee ★ 4.4
brentwood · 8396 Musick Memorial Dr, Brentwood, MO 63144
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-20:00
Opened in 1985 and credited as the first Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis, Mai Lee runs a vast menu of pho, bun and canh chua that sets the local standard.
Tip: The menu runs to hundreds of items; the salt-and-pepper calamari and the sour soup are the orders to anchor a table around.
Salt + Smoke ★ 4.4
delmar-loop · 6525 Delmar Blvd, University City, MO 63130
Hours: Sun-Thu 11:00-21:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00
Salt + Smoke smokes brisket over post oak for 16 hours in the Delmar Loop and pairs it with a deep bourbon list. The city's leading new-school BBQ name.
Tip: Brisket sells out, so save a spot on the waitlist or come early. The bourbon and beer list is as much the draw as the meat.
Hodak's Restaurant & Bar ★ 4.2
benton-park · 2100 Gravois Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-20:00
Hodak's has won Riverfront Times reader polls for best fried chicken since the 1990s. The family-run Gravois corner room is a no-frills temple to the bird.
Tip: The fried chicken is the only thing most regulars order; pair it with the slaw and a cold draft. Expect a wait on Friday nights.
Adriana's On The Hill ★ 4.2
the-hill · 5101 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30-15:00, closed Sun
Mama Adriana Fazio opened this Shaw Avenue sandwich shop over 30 years ago, and her daughters still run it. The foot-long subs are a Hill lunch institution.
Tip: It is lunch only and closes mid-afternoon; the line moves fast. Get the Sicilian sub and split it.
Charlie Gitto's On The Hill ★ 4.1
the-hill · 5226 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
Hours: Mon-Thu 17:00-21:00, Fri-Sat 17:00-22:00, Sun 16:00-21:00
A Hill institution tied to the toasted-ravioli origin story, Charlie Gitto's plates red-sauce Italian classics in a clubby room. The t-ravs draw first-timers.
Tip: Reserve for dinner; the dining room fills with regulars and out-of-town pilgrims. Start with the toasted ravioli and a Caesar.
Lu Lu Seafood & Dim Sum ★ 4.1
university-city · 8224 Olive Blvd, University City, MO 63132
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00-21:00
Lu Lu has run cart-rolled dim sum and Cantonese seafood on the Olive Boulevard Chinese strip for years. The weekend dim sum draws regulars to University City.
Tip: Come for weekend dim sum before noon for the fullest carts. Salt-and-pepper dishes and steamed fish are the standouts off the menu.
Seoul Taco ★ 4.0
the-grove · 4099 Chouteau Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00
David Choi's 2011 food truck grew into a small Korean-Mexican chain built on bulgogi tacos and kimchi-fried-rice bowls. The Chouteau kitchen is the original.
Tip: The gogi bowl feeds two if you are light eaters; add the chips and queso. Counter service, fast turnaround.