Highest-rated restaurants in St. Louis by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in St. Louis, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#15. Spoonful Dessert Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12943 Olive Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Korean, Shaved Ice, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Kabul Express STL
- Rating: 5.0/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7704 Ivory St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Afghan, Halal
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Grand Rising Smoothie & Juice Bar
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 2736 Sidney St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Tacos La Jefa
- Rating: 5.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 3301 Meramec St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Fonda La Poblanita
- Rating: 5.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 3830 Morganford Road St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. El Guanaco
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 10633 Page Ave. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Salvadoran, Mexican, Honduran
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Have A Cow Urban Farm Store and Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2742 Lafayette Ave. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Fattened Caf.
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2724 Cherokee St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Filipino, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Bulrush STL
- Rating: 5.0/5 (119 reviews)
- Address: 3307 Washington Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Cafe Miami
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2022 South 12th St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Tiny Chef
- Rating: 5.0/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 4701 Morganford Road St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Salsa Rosada
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 3135 Olive St. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Colombian, Venezuelan
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Jovick Brothers
- Rating: 5.0/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 510 West Port Plaza Drive St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Fleur STL
- Rating: 5.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 622 Chouteau Ave. St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Plant Craft Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 3860 South Lindbergh Blvd. Ste 105 St. Louis, Missouri
- Categories: Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.