Best restaurant food in St. Louis, per Zagat
The 2009/2010 Zagat (that’s pronounced za-GAHT, folks) guide to the “World’s Top Restaurants” just crossed my desk, and St. Louis is represented as follows in terms of “best food” rankings. (Remember that Zagat uses a 30-point scale.)
28 points
Sidney Street Cafe
Paul Manno’s
27 points
Tony’s
Trattoria Marcella
Niche
Al’s
Dominic’s
Pomme
26 points
The Crossing
Annie Gunn’s
Atlas
Nippon Tei
The Grill at the Ritz-Carlton
Giovanni’s
LoRusso’s Cucina
Chez Leon
25 points
Harvest
(1111 Mississippi is also in the extended listings with 25 points for food, but didn’t make the ranking list at the top of the first page.)
Some random observations:
1) In New York, Per Se, Daniel and Jean-Georges, among others, got 28 points for food. In Chicago, Alinea and Tallgrass got 29 points. In Paris, Taillevent, Alain Ducasse and several others got 28.
2) Zagat still alphabetizes “St. Louis” behind San Francisco and Seattle. Nails on chalkboard for me.
3) While I don’t agree with the exact order, I think the statistical validity of large sample sizes is borne out in the list as a whole. Some contenders that I wonder about include Cardwell’s at the Plaza, An American Place and Monarch, although the final two might have been caught up in the chef shifting that’s gone one at both in the past several months.
Anyway, restaurant rankings always generate lots of passionate exchanges, so let us know what you think.
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Joe Bonwich has been the restaurant critic for the Post-Dispatch since 2002 and has covered the local food scene for various publications for more than 25 years. He does his best to maintain his anonymity so that he isn't recognized in restaurants (which is why his picture looks like it does). 
“Zagat still alphabetizes “St. Louis” behind San Francisco and Seattle. Nails on chalkboard for me.”
Me, too! I thought I was the only one who found that odd and irritating.
Tony’s, Sidney Street and Al’s are special places. I find the rest of the list generally overrated, though several have their moments.
The New York Times weather page also alphabetizes St. Louis behind San Francisco. The Wall Street Journal, on the other hand, gets it right.
yawn…Any St. Louis restaurant guide that doesn’t include Pappy’s or Protzel’s Deli isn’t worth my time. They stack up well against the fancy places they mention and cost 1/4th as much. But some people need to pay $40 for an entree to convince themselves they’re getting quality.
yawn…Any St. Louis restaurant guide that doesn’t include Pappy’s or Protzel’s Deli isn’t worth my time. They stack up well against the fancy places they mention and cost 1/4th as much. But some people need to pay $40 for an entree to convince themselves they’re getting quality.
yeah–i can’t tell you how many milestone events i’ve celebrated at a deli…or the numerous out-of-town clients that STL business-people take to Pappy’s for a night out on the town. The cateogy was “top restaurants” and not “good eats.” It has nothing to do with snobbiness or $$$–READ the category again and re-think your reactionary sniping.
wow-sounds like “someone” has some issues with projection…
No Frazer’s Restaurant & Lounge in Benton Park?? A truly unique & eclectic venue to dine. Both in terms of menu selection & ambiance.
Some friends of ours were celebrating a birthday at Trattoria Marcella and we called in and arranged for a bottle of wine to be delivered to their table as a gift (from us). Trattoria charged our card and delivered the wine just fine, only they told our friends that the wine was “on the house.” We found out a few weeks later and called Jamie, but he did not offer any apology or refund. It used to be our special place, but since that incident we have never been back.
Hey uh huh, ever been to Pappy’s? They’re friendlier and have better service than some of the “top” restaurants I’ve ever been to. Also, I can’t even begin to tell you how many businessmen bring their clients to Pappy’s for lunch. I’d rather have a problem with projection than believe that Zagat’s is an accurate guide for good restaurants.
I’ve been to most of these places at some point and I’d rather eat at Iron Barley.
Paul Manno’s is fantastic. I have eaten at every restaurant listed above and PM blows the doors off them. Food and service is 5 star. A few years ago I was reading an out of town magazine that was interviewing an NHL player and the question was asked about his favorite restaurant on the road and his answer was Paul Manno’s. Considering the proximity to Scotttrade Center, that says something. I do wish they had a little better location/building but other than that I would not change a thing.