What to eat in St. Louis
A city of happy accidents — fried ravioli, gooey cake, cracker-thin pizza — where Italian Hill roots and Midwestern pride produced America's quirkiest comfort food.
Five dishes. Zero regrets.
Toasted Ravioli
Breaded beef or cheese ravioli deep-fried to a crunch and dusted with parmesan, served with marinara. Legend says it was invented in the 1940s when a cook dropped ravioli in the fryer.
Try it at: Charlie Gitto's On the Hill — one of the longtime Hill restaurants claiming the invention; also on nearly every Italian menu in town.
Gooey Butter Cake
A flat, dense square of buttery cake with a molten, custardy center and a crackly top. Born from a Depression-era baking mistake, it's now St. Louis's signature dessert.
Try it at: Park Avenue Coffee in Lafayette Square — locals swear theirs is the best gooey butter cake in St. Louis.
St. Louis-Style Pizza
Cracker-thin crust topped edge-to-edge and cut into squares, finished with Provel — a tangy processed blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone you'll find nowhere else.
Try it at: Imo's Pizza — the hometown chain that defined the style; order it for pickup or delivery.
St. Louis-Style Ribs
Pork spareribs trimmed to a flat rectangle so they cook evenly, dry-rubbed and smoked over apple and cherry wood. Memphis-style smoke served sauce-on-the-side.
Try it at: Pappy's Smokehouse — the Midtown counter spot Food Network named best ribs in America; get there before they sell out.
St. Paul Sandwich
An egg foo young patty tucked into white bread with pickles, lettuce, and mayo — the city's odd, beloved Chinese-American diner sandwich invented by St. Louis restaurateurs.
Try it at: Chinese-American restaurants across The Hill and South City.
