Ask anyone from St. Louis where they went to high school, and they’ll have much to say about their alma mater, along with the ramblings of people they potentially knew at your school. Now ask them where to grab the best pizza (it’s undoubtedly in our neck of the woods) or which museum could keep their attention all day long, and they will have plenty to say about that, too.
But it looks as though St. Louis natives aren’t the only ones flocking to our favorite hangouts around the city.
This month, Vogue’s Dawn Sturmon wrote a travel piece about the 314, highlighting some choice local restaurants, companies, and activities for visitors to experience. She states that she’s called St. Louis home for the past 15 years, surrendering her dual-coast lifestyle for what she calls a “flyover city.” While that may be true, who better to ask for recommendations than people who were born and raised in the STL? (That would be us.)
Eats
First, in our neighborhood of The Hill, you will find the best Italian cuisine in the state. This Italian-American district takes pride in their ancestry, going as far as painting the colors of the Italian flag on it’s fire hydrants. In fact, it’s no surprise that a few baseball legends were from this area – Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola (we are a baseball town, afterall). Gian-Tony’s Ristorante is a Geile/Leon favorite, where you can experience fresh Sicilian homemade recipes straight from their vegetable garden. If a modern take on classic dishes is more your speed, head to Lorenzo’s Trattoria, where their Northern Italian cuisine is the perfect blend of classic and modern tastes. While you’re in the neighborhood, don’t forget to grab an order of a St. Louis signature dish – the Toasted Ravioli.
Wanting to instead satisfy your carnivorous cravings? Head to Hi-Pointe Drive-In for the best burgers in St. Louis. Using locally sourced ingredients, their goal is to breath new aromas into the classic burgers and sandwiches that have been popular to the area for over 30 years.
Activities
If you’re looking for something to do while in town, another G/L favorite combines two of our favorite things – animals and beer. Head to the original home of President Ulysses S. Grant, which was purchased by the Busch family (of Anheuser-Busch) and turned into Grant’s Farm. This 80-acre animal rescue allows patrons to interact directly with exotic animals from six continents. Feed goats and participate in dolphin shows, and even visit with Anheuser-Busch’s famed Budweiser Clydesdales. Finish the trip with some brew at their beer garden. Best part? This place is free!
Drinks
While we have the beer lovers’ attention, we should definitely mention all of our amazing breweries around the city. Even if you’re not a beer connoisseur, you won’t be disappointed with the atmosphere of our favorite breweries. Free tours, delicious food, and fun tasting rooms provide a great place to enjoy the company you’re keeping while taking in the aroma of hops. Where we like to pop open a bottle: Urban Chestnut, Schlafly Bottleworks, Four Hands Brewery, Civil Life, Earthbound, and 2nd Shift Brewery (also in The Hill neighborhood).
Just like the Vogue article states, “the city’s urban hang-outs rival the cool magic of [Los Angeles and New York City].” Though none of us here at Geile/Leon can vouch for that statement, we are extremely proud of this city where we do our business.
Do you have a favorite in the STL? We’d love to hear about them. Share with us on social media!