Hot New St. Louis Restaurants You Probably Haven't Tried Yet

The Benevolent King

(7268 Manchester Road; 314-899-0440)

Chef and prolific restaurateur Ben Poremba thrilled St. Louis diners this Spring with the announcement that he was poised to open a brand-new restaurant and bar. The latest concept from the James Beard-nominated chef, the Benevolent King opened in April in Maplewood. It's inspired by something near and dear to his heart — namely the food of his childhood. "The food that I am going to do here is the food that is right in front of me," Poremba explains. "It's the food I have cooked all my life. Instead of trying to do something new or come up with a totally new concept, I realized I should do what I've always done." He also said this about his new endeavor: "As much as I love traditional Moroccan food, this is not that. The idea is to be inspired by, and have a foundation in, Moroccan cuisine with elements like interesting spice mixes, harissa, chermoula and slow-braised meats, but this will look like a contemporary restaurant that just relies heavily on a Moroccan influence."

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Greg Rannells

Louie

(706 DeMun Avenue; Clayton)

Louie's small menu features authentically inspired Italian dishes prepared in modern American style with a focus on fresh ingredients, sourced locally when possible. It’s divided into small plates, vegetables, pizza, pasta and main courses. Neapolitan pizza is made from scratch in a commanding wood-fired oven imported from Naples (placed so its cozy fire is visible from the street). The broccolini pizza contrasts crispy, just-softened broccolini with creamy ricotta flavored with fresh lemon and chili pepper.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Carnivore

(5257 Shaw Ave., 314-449-6328)

Joe Smugala and business partner Michael Lutker wanted to give the Hill something new — a steakhouse. In a place dominated by classic Italian eateries, it might sound like a crazy idea. Smugala has been in the restaurant business since 1989, when he opened a pizza place, Smugala's Pizza Pub, now located in Arnold. So, why not open a steakhouse? He and culinary school grad Lutker created a menu for Carnivore that they are not only excited about serving, but also themselves love to eat. The starring dish at this steakhouse is, of course, the steak. For a unique touch, Carnivore offers house butters that you can choose to top your steak with, including garlic Parmesan or bleu cheese.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Glenn Reigelman

Guerrilla Street Food

(6120 Delmar Blvd.; 314-226-9786)

The Guerrilla Street Food menu pays genuine respect to the Philippines' culinary traditions. But that doesn't translate to being slavishly "authentic." Instead, the growing St. Louis chain, which just opened a standalone location on Delmar as well as one inside Tropical Liqueurs, is serving a modern riff on the age-old cuisine, one its owners were startled to learn on a recent trip to the archipelago is very much in step with the way modern Filipinos are eating. Prices are incredibly reasonable, especially considering the skill and fresh ingredients that go into these dishes. Nothing on the menu is over $12; most things are under $10. At the Delmar location, check out the "Crispy Pata," a braised and fried pork shank served with a garlic confit puree, and kinilaw, an appetizer featuring scallops, watermelon radish, green mango and coconut milk vinegar. Add a side of the coconut-infused cornbread for just $2; it's terrific.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Gluec

Barrio

(740 De Mun Avenue, Clayton; 314-725-0332)

A retooling of what used to be the DeMun Oyster Bar, Barrio serves a variety of traditional-style tacos, filled with such ingredients as housemade chorizo or carne asada. All are served with minimal garnishes to let the flavor of the meat shine through. The menu also contains dishes that are much heartier, including street corn covered in fresh corn chips, cilantro-lime pork wings, chile rellenos and enchiladas. For guests who might miss a more formal style of dining, Barrio also serves a few larger, composed plates like a bone-in ribeye with roasted sweet potatoes; lamb chops with a cilantro, mint and pine nut crust; or a split roast chicken.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Baehr

Mas Tequilla Cantina

(708 N. 2nd Street, 314-877-1700)

You can get a chimichanga or a quesadilla at Mas Tequila Cantina, the restaurant that opened May 1 in Laclede's Landing. And you can also do shots of Patron. This is the Landing; they welcome that here. While Mas Tequila proudly specializes in tacos and tequila, there's a whole lot more here than that. You can get a michelada, that classic Mexican twist on a bloody mary. You can get street tacos and sopes, the Mexican corn cakes that are almost like an open-faced cornbread taco. You may even be able to get a huarache, the oblong Mexican dish named for its resemblance to a sandal, which the kitchen plans to offer as an occasional special.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Flament Co.

(418 S. Tucker Boulevard, 314-931-2275)

You won't find Provel anywhere at Flament Co's the Place American Eatery, the casual pizzeria that opened July 4 on the western edge of Downtown. The location, which sits inside the U-Haul building at Tucker and Spruce, is the second outpost for Flament and his wife Brittany. Their first pizzeria, in O'Fallon, Illinois, has drawn a large, enthusiastic following. They're confident that they can earn a similar devotion here — even, yes, without Provel. To that end, they're offering seven subs, a half-dozen salads, wings and a host of specialty pizzas — New York-style or thin-and-crispy. And they'll also be the one place in St. Louis where you can get T.C. Treats, an O'Fallon-based purveyor of Italian ice (or, as they call it in true East Coast-style, "Philly water ice").

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

River's Edge Social

(6997 Chippewa, 314-659-8756)

River's Edge Social offers a seafood-heavy menu of small plates, pizzas, sandwiches and entrees. While much of the food is date-night worthy — mussels in a tomato saffron basil broth, paella, and bone marrow mac n cheese among the options — the price are determinedly south city. At $22, the grilled ribeye tops the menu; just about everything else is $16 or less. You can get a classic Greek salad, the flaming cheese called saganaki or a lamb burger. If you want to keep it more basic, there's also an American-style burger that they claim is a showstopper. For dessert, try the baklava or the loukomathes, a Greek delicacy akin to beignets.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Cork n' Slice Woodfire Bistro

(4501 Maryland Avenue, 314-833-3283)

Cork n' Slice Woodfire Bistro has a tightly curated menu: eight pizzas, three salads and three appetizers. The kitchen space is very small, so chef Kyle Parks has ensured that only one thing other than the pizzas, a meatball appetizer, requires the oven. You can start with hummus or with a selection of meats, burrata and giardinera, or try one of the salads. The roasted grape salad includes dried cranberries, feta and walnut with a tarragon vinaigrette; the strawberries and Champagne is studded with gorgonzola. The pies, priced between $14 and $23, show the kitchen's creativity. Sure, you can get a classic margherita or a quattro formaggio if you want something you're already familiar with. But there's also a lobster and shrimp pizza, which comes topped with an orange-tarragon gremolata.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

The Bao

(14 North Central Avenue, Clayton; 314-899-9098)

If you've ever had traditional Chinese dim sum, chances are you are familiar with bao, or steamed buns typically filled with barbecue pork, shrimp or even sesame paste. But a bao hamburger? Yes, please. The Bao wants to expand diners' perceptions of what is possible with the Asian staple. They're taking flavors that are already familiar to the American palate but presenting them in a different way — namely, tucked inside a delicious bun. Think lobster rolls or bacon-and-egg breakfast sandwiches, only instead of being served on a crusty deli roll or English muffin, that are paired with a fluffy, sticky and slightly crunchy Asian-style bun.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Baehr

Brick River Cider Co.

(2000 Washington Boulevard)

Brick River Cider Co. opened in February in Downtown West. Finally, a ciderworks in St. Louis .... although it's much more than that. It's also the kind of place where you can get a beer and a burger, a glass of wine and a New York strip. You can even get a Jack and Coke, if you're so inclined. You can order shareables and flatbreads, salads and soups, or choose from a half-dozen sandwiches (cider-braised pork makes an appearance, as does a grilled cheese and apple sandwich). If you're ready to really dig in, the trout is a house specialty. Or try the pork Normandy, with pork shoulder and apples braised in, yes, cider and served with Swiss chard.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

DD Mau

(11982 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 314-942-2300)

DD Mau borrows from the fast-casual, counter-service model popularized by places like Chipotle. Guests choose from a handful of proteins like steak, shrimp or tofu and then choose how they'd like them prepared, with options including a vermicelli bowl or over a salad. However, the restaurant diverges from the fast-casual model in the sense that dishes are cooked in the kitchen to order — not assembled from a steam table of pre-made items. Guests can get traditional Vietnamese food with dishes like the pork vermicelli bowl, which is garnished with lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, cilantro, pickled vegetables, peanuts and an egg roll. The restaurant also serves traditional pho in a variety of preparations.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Baehr

Firecracker Pizza & Beer

(4130 Manchester Avenue, 314-289-BOOM)

After more than a year of build-up, Firecracker finally opened its doors in March. Was it worth the wait? Let's just say if you like the idea of combining wildly creative pizza with a nightlife vibe, you are likely to be very happy at Firecracker. If offers a full lineup of food designed for sharing. Salads and appetizers are both served in pans for a fun, mess-hall vibe — and each one has a name that will either make you laugh while ordering it or roll your eyes, depending on your tolerance for firecracker puns and just outright goofiness. If you can articulate the words, try the "Sizzlin' Whisker Biscuits," a riff on potato skins that incorporate blue cheese, bacon, white barbecue sauce and roasted pepper relish. You won't be able to stop scarfing them.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Good Buddy's Tasty Soups & Sandwiches

(1115 Pine Street, 314-300-8666)

If you come to the new lunch spot on the edge of Downtown expecting Subway-style standards, you might be confused. The PB&J at Good Buddy's Tasty Soups & Sandwiches has bacon in it ... and jalapeno, and chile garlic peanut butter. The chicken salad sandwich features smoked and roasted hunks of chicken — not bland white meat in mayo. And the meatball sub? That even includes a portion of lightly toasted spaghetti. Indeed, much as the PB&J promises it's "not your momma's" version, Good Buddy's is something unexpected and much more delicious than you might assume on first glance — a casual lunch spot in an otherwise forgettable block that could become a true destination.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Kiin Essentially Thai

(550 N. 7th Street, 314-241-1989)

Early in April, Kiin Essentially Thai quietly opened its doors in the MX building downtown — or at least as quietly as anyone can open their doors in a busy development in the heart of downtown. But while the owners haven't done much to publicize the opening, word of the restaurant's pedigree has clearly gotten out ... or maybe just word that you can get sister restaurant's beloved khao soi here. On our recent visit, the place was packed. If you can somehow manage not to order the khao soi, you'll find sausages, hung leh curry and pad kee mao are all on the menu too. The hung leh curry features pork shoulder and pork belly with fresh ginger and peanuts over rice, while the pad kee mao combines your choice of protein with stir-fried egg noodles, basil and a host of vegetables.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Anthony's Italian Eats

(7641 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton; 314-721-3233)

The first thing you'll likely notice about Anthony's Italian Eats is just how small it is. On first glance, the former home of Manhattan Express looks every inch the counter-service deli it used to be, complete with a glass case of meats at the front. But the restaurant is the work of the family behind Joey B's, and their knack for hospitality and St. Louis-size portions is on display even in these cramped quarters. Take the meatball sandwich — it's practically a footlong, and positively bursting with soft, flavorful meat. For pizza, you can do it "Grandma's style" (with mozzarella) or "St. Louis style," with Provel.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Fenske

Good Fortune

(1641D Tower Grove Avenue, 314-726-4666)

Two years and two locations after it was first announced, Good Fortune is now open in Botanical Heights. The restaurant, originally pitched as a "Chinese-Americanese" spot in the Central West, saw a shift in both its ownership group and location as months turned into years. Now it's serving "new American Chinese cuisine," with both takeout options and dine-in service. The restaurant specializes in a modern riff on Americanized Chinese food.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Glueck

Champs on Jefferson

(3701 Jefferson Street, 314-354-8444)

St. Louis has a new "sports bistro" in town. Champs on Jefferson opened last month and is serving up healthy and delicious bar food, hookah and drinks in the heart of south city. Chef Anthony Stewart wants to serve healthy and flavor-packed meals. To that end, he's using a special spice mix he calls Layla's. Named after his daughter, this blend of paprika, turmeric, cumin, garlic and more is used on the wings, in the burgers and on the tacos. The "Layla Crunch" is similar but has red pepper flakes and a few more spices. It's used to top the salads and burger buns. One of the most popular dishes, and one of Stewart's personal favorites, is the "Shrooms," or fried mushrooms served with house-made ranch ($5). The turkey burger ($10) and sweet chili wings ($10) have also been hits.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Lexie Miller

Levant

(386 N. Euclid Avenue, 314-833-4400)

When Ahmed Hameed opened Levant on June 1, he wanted to give St. Louis something he believed was lacking in the area — a Middle Eastern restaurant like the ones at home in Damascus, Syria. So Levant now serves the Central West End what Hameed describes as Middle Eastern comfort food. Not only is the food at Levant authentic to the eastern Mediterranean region of the Middle East, it is also healthy and something you can eat every day. There are also many vegetarian and some vegan options on the menu. While some of the dishes are on the pricey side, between $15 to $20, they are large portions which generally include sides, like rice and pita, along with the main course. A few traditional Middle Eastern desserts are also on the menu.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Lexie Miller

Rise Coffee House at CAM

(3750 Washington Boulevard, 314-535-4660)

A little over a year after it moved to greatly expanded digs a few doors down from its original location, Rise Coffee House grew again — the beloved Grove spot has taken over the cafe at the Contemporary Art Museum (3750 Washington Boulevard, 314-535-4660). It keeps the same hours as the museum, offering many of the best-loved dishes on the Grove location, which include baked goods, sandwiches and soups. Don't miss out on their famous avocado toast.

Read about it here.

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen