With our fair city constantly adding new restaurants, music venues, boutiques and other businesses, we wanted to launch our own reader survey. So in this issue, we bring you the first T&S Top 100 List, the results of an online poll of readers and their favorite spots in 10 categories. See where they like to sip, shop, dine, lounge, laugh and all-around spend their time and money.
favorite places to grab a bite or a drink
You’ve had a long day; you need sustenance. Where do you like to go to unwind, fill up, and feed body and soul? Is it the turkey burger that put Five Star on the short list, or the irresistible happy hour? Mission Taco is easy: how can you beat their tasty $3 tacos? And when it comes to Italian food, Cafe Napoli has been treating us well for 25 years, with authentic dishes and large portions.
BrickTop’s
Brio
Cafe Napoli
Cardwell’s at the Plaza
Five Star Burger s
Lester’s
Mission Taco Joint
Robust Wine Bar
St. Louis Bread Co.
Tani Sushi Bistro
best entertainment & cultural spots
You’re looking for a fun way to spend the day (or night). Should it be outdoorsy or intellectual? Musical or visual? High-brow or low-energy? See what others say they like to do. The Fox, with its mesmerizing Moorish/Art Deco interior, is a shoe-in. And then there’s The Pageant, the go-to spot for music and more. Feeling cultural? Look no further than the Symphony or the Rep. And if all you want to do is veg out, the Moolah and Jazz at the Bistro stand ready to deliver.
Broadway Oyster Bar
Cardinals Game/Ballpark Village
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Jazz at the Bistro
Moolah Theatre & Lounge
Peabody Opera House
St. Louis Symphony
The Muny
The Pageant
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
top fashion finds
Love to shop? Where do you go for cool clothes, great shoes, fun jewelry and have-to-have handbags—at the right prices? One thing is clear: your fellow St. Louisans know where! Plaza Frontenac, our chi chi retail emporium, got a great, big shoutout—so did Saks and Neiman inside. Nordstrom and its cut-rate cousin The Rack also are clear faves. Neighborhood boutiques got a share of the buzz, as did the secondhand shop-for-a-cause, The Scholarshop.
Ivy Hill Boutique
Lusso
Mister Guy Clothiers
Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack
Paisley Boutique
Paperdolls Boutique
Pink Magnolia (pictured)
Plaza Frontenac/Saks/Neimans
The ScholarShop
Vie
top tourist attractions
What do we like to show off about the Show-Me State? When we get visitors, it’s hard to decide what to do first. But St. Louisans have spoken! Forest Park and its many attractions dominate the list as must-do’s with visiting friends and family. And we’re not known as the brewery state for nothing: hops tours were mentioned, as was that magnificent beer-based estate, Grant’s Farm. Where else can you ride a train, pet goats and drink free beer all in one place?
Brewery Tours
City Museum
Forest Park
Gateway Arch
Grant’s Farm
Botanical Garden (pictured)
Art Museum
Science Center
Zoo
Delmar Loop
what we love about living in STL
There’s so much to love about being part of our friendly, philanthropic, fabulous city. It all starts with the people, who are the basis for the oft-mentioned sense of community, Midwestern values and great schools. Then there’s our incredible standard of living: affordable, stately homes, low gas prices, easy-to-navigate highways, free cultural institutions—and let’s not forget: friendly people make for philanthropic people. Add it all together, and we have a community that strives to keep everyone happy, healthy and appreciated.
Affordability (low cost of living)
Diverse community
Easy to get around
Just the right size (smalltown feel with big city amenities)
Family friendly
Friendly people
Variety of attractions & restaurants
Great schools
Midwestern values
Sense of community
hotspots for hair, pampering & fitness
We all have a go-to place that makes us feel like Queen for a Day. Here are where St. Louisans go to get fit and get fixed-up. For working up a sweat, Pure Barre, Wellbridge and Club Fitness racked up the votes. And it’s easy to see why Clayton hotspot Dominic Michael Salon made the list—the complimentary cappuccinos take the edge off those exhausting, 90-minute mani/pedis. As for full-out lounging around the pool and hot tub, The Four Seasons Day Spa got a special shout out, probably for its panoramic views of the mighty Mississippi and our beloved St. Louis skyline.
Club Fitness
Dominic Michael Salon
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa
Ladue Nails and Spa
Massage Envy
Pure Barre
Spa at The Four Seasons
Stone water Spa & Boutique
The Face & The Body Day Spa
Wellbridge
Pictured: Dominic Michael
Photo: Bill Barrett
customer service counts
Who deserves a shout-out for being exceptionally attentive, efficient and extra-nice? St. Louisans are paying it forward by naming names! When you’re at the end of your rope—like shoe-shopping with kiddos—Laurie’s staffers are there with the patience of Job. And for the chronic ‘returners’ out there, Nordstrom and Trader Joe’s have made that easy with no-questions-asked policies. St. Louisans have said it clearly: service counts. That’s why The Gatesworth, where the answer is always yes, is on the list. Same for Distinctions and Genovese, known for personal service with a smile.
Baumann’s Fine Meats
Companion
Distinctions
The Gatesworth
Genovese Jewelers
Janet McAfee Real Estate
Laurie’s Shoes
Nordstrom
Straub’s (pictured)
Trader Joe’s
beautifying your home
Is midcentury modern your passion, or is shabby chic more your thing? See where other locals flock to feather their nests. St. Louisans like to mix and match at longtime custom shop Expressions, but they also like comfy contemporary from national faves like Crate & Barrel. Clearly, they’re searching for some unique pieces, too, since boutiques with one-of-a-kind finds are well represented in Arlene Lilie, Three French Hens, The Refind Room and Ooh La La.
Arlene Lilie Interior Design
Crate & Barrel
Expressions Furniture
Home Goods
Ooh La La
Pottery Barn
The Refind Room
Restoration Hardware
Three French Hens Antiques
West Elm
a service provider st. louisans can’t live without?
Maybe it’s your cleaners, landscaper or pool people, but everyone works with a company they simply can’t do without. How would we feel if that Burberry coat got ruined at the cleaners? Fortunately it won’t, since we are blessed with tried-and-true places like Al’s and Marquard’s. Same for the cars. St. Louisans don’t trust theirs with just anyone, which is why Mungenast, Waterway and Clayton Car Wash are on the list. And don’t throw away those old Cole Haans—bring them to Cobblestone, like your neighbors obviously do!
Al’s Wydown Laundry & Cleaners
Clayton Car Wash
Cobblestone Quality Shoe Repair
Kennelwood Pet Resorts
Ladue Pharmacy
Marquard’s Cleaners
Mungenast Service Department
R&M Designs
Waterway Gas & Wash
Woodard Cleaning & Restoration
sweet spots for sweets
There’s no lack of options to satisfy the sweet tooth here. From chocolates to frozen treats, we’ve got it all—in quantity and quality! No holiday is complete without that telltale golden box from Bissinger’s. And how many towns can claim a nationally recognized cupcake company like Jilly’s? As for local legends, St. Louisans know Ted Drewe’s frozen custard is second to none on the planet.
Baileys’ Chocolate Bar
Bissinger’s
Comet Coffee
Crown Candy Kitchen
The Cup
The Fountain on Locust
Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Cafe
Patisserie Chouquette
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Strange Donuts
Winners are listed in alphabetical order.
Pictured: Mission Taco Joint
