It’s a sensory explosion walking into La Patisserie Chouquette, a St. Louis bakery filled with exquisite confectionary delights. Surrounded by elegant furnishings, a pressed tin ceiling and chandeliers, plus, of course, a variety of delicate pastries created by Chef Simone Faure, you’d swear you’re in Paris.
But all I wanted to discuss was Faure’s hometown. Faure cut her teeth at the Ritz Carlton Hotel chain and spent time in France but she hails from New Orleans. (It was everything I could do not to ask where she went to high school.)
Faure is one of many chefs working a food scene in St. Louis that’s becoming legendary. It’s why Food & Wine magazine named it the “Next Great Food City.” We’ll give you a taste of what to discover in the Gateway to the West.
Be French
In addition to Faure’s oversized macarons, deep chocolate croissants and iced coffee that’s marries New Orleans coffee with Vietnamese flavors, she’s created a unique cookie in homage to her hometown. Her bulbancha cookies – Choctaw for “Land of Many Tongues” and what Faure claims is New Orleans’ first name – comes shaped like a coffee bean and offers hints of java and chicory. Faure insists that food breaks through barriers and we felt the love in every bite.
Over in the Central West End, Brasserie serves up French bistro fare, fine wines and some of the finest bread outside New Orleans. It’s part of the Niche Food Group owned by Chef Gerard Craft, a 2015 James Beard Foundation Award-winning Best Chef: Midwest.
Be Hungry for Unique
Chef Nick Bognar grew up in the St. Louis restaurant scene so when it was time to start his own, he looked to his grandmother’s recipes and started with the foods he loved the most. His southeast Asian dishes at Indo and Japanese fare and sushi at Sado push the culinary envelope.
At Vicia, Tara and Michael Gallina develop their menu daily from sourcing from Midwest farmers, fishermen and artisans, then create a three-course Farmers Feast. It’s a unique vegetable-forward offering that brings surprises to diners daily.
All three restaurants and their innovative styles are what makes the city’s culinary scene special, said Tara Gallina. “There’s something about St. Louis that makes it a little different and people embrace that.”
Be Thirsty
Naturally the home of Anheuser-Busch would include craft breweries. Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. and 4 Hands Brewing are two making their Midwest marks, as well as distilleries such as the award-winning Still 360. But only an hour from the city lies the first designated American Viticultural Area (AVA), predating California’s Napa Valley. Here visitors will find several wineries dating back to early German settlers. Look for Augusta Winery, Balducci Vineyards and Montelle Winery.
Be Sweet
Enjoying numerous and innovative flavors of ice cream may be nothing new, but Clementine’s in Lafayette Square takes it a step further. It’s why their full name is Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery. In addition to long roster of creamy flavors, the establishment serves up cones accented by spirits, such as the maple bourbon with candied pecans, and a host of vegan alternatives, such as the refreshing lemon poppyseed.
Be Ready for a Rest
21C Museum Hotels was founded by contemporary art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson so a stay at one of their hotels means a feast for the eyes. In addition to the St. Louis hotel’s second floor gallery filled with contemporary art, visitors will find art pieces in the lobby, hallways, guest rooms — even down stairways. The 10-story hotel exists within a restored Renaissance Revival-style YMCA building so one gallery covers a former basketball court and the basement features an Olympic-sized pool accented by decorative tile.