In the mood to visit the best Italian restaurants in St. Louis? Your stomach will be in for a treat. After all, there’s no shortage of fine dining options here on all fronts. From modern Italian venues to quaint bistros and signature STL takes on traditional dishes, you won’t go hungry – that’s for certain. Following, you’ll find a huge guide to the best Italian restaurants in St. Louis of every kind, each of which can help you readily expand your palette, and fill up on sauces, pastas, pizzas, and pastries of every kind.
Best Modern Italian Restaurants in St. Louis
Acero – If you have a New Yorker or a native Italian with you, this is a strong option, and one that offers a chic atmosphere, located in the Maplewood suburb. Pasta is handmade. The cheese boards are cruel. They don’t have an off night.
Basso – Trendy upscale basement in the Cheshire Hotel. Feels like more like West Hollywood than a local STL hangout. Offers a universal bar scene for any occasion with Italian-inspired fare and woodfired pizza. Its warm atmosphere is ideal for a winter night by the fire; the cool stone cellar also offers a ready way to escape the summer heat.
Cafe Napoli – Think lawyers, financiers, and fine suits. It’s where the power elite dine and play. The restaurant’s valet area is a display of luxury European autos; were Napoli to magically appear in Dallas, LA or River North, no one would blink. Stop in for a great power lunch or dinner, with excellent staff and food. On a warm night, the patio is a place to see and be seen.
Il Bel Lago – A fabulous upscale option in the Creve Coeur area: The food is excellent, and wine list top notch. If you aren’t taking clients or execs here for business lunches and dinners, you should be.
Katie’s Pizza and Pasta – We’re not sure what’s happening here as of late, but the food is so good it makes you angry. Think handmade squid ink pasta with caviar – for brunch. The venue is so adorable and cool, one might forget that Katie is a chef’s chef. Fair warning: if take your wife or significant other here first, you probably won’t be going anywhere else too often. Even better, you won’t care.
Mia Sorella – If you’re cruising around out west in Chesterfield, this is a more casual option than Paul Manno’s that may fit the bill. While the place is great for the kids, the biggest draw here is the restaurant’s authentic Italian food (it’s one of the few places in town sweetening its red sauce with carrots as opposed to sugar, and making toasted ravioli by hand).
Napoli 2 – Another great option out west for business dinners and such. Service is top notch. You can enjoy steak, seafood and Italian. The chairs are insanely comfortable for a long stay as well, and the vibe here (especially around the bar scene) is always excellent.
I Fratellini – Hailed by some (especially visitors to the city) as a top spot to try in STL – also, adorable and romantic. Be sure to grab a champagne drink at Bar Les Freres near the Wydown/Hanley intersection across the street beforehand.
Lorenzo’s – Has a more northern menu, and out-of-town feel. Located on The Hill.
Paul Manno’s –Found in a nondescript strip mall in the burbs, Sopranos posters adorn its walls, while Frank sings in the background. The wine list is epic, and the food equally so. If you want to splurge and/or impress locals or visitors alike get a reservation. It’s packed no matter what.
Peno (Calabrese) – Bills itself as serving “Southern Italian Soul Food” – one look at the menu, and you won’t disagree.
Roberto’s – Found in one of the most run down strip malls in South County you’ll ever see. But the owners and chefs speak Italian, and will make things off the menu for guests with discerning palettes.
Top Italian Restaurants – STL-Style
Adriana’s (Lunch) – There are several famous and beloved places to go on the Hill for lunch. Then there’s the place where people who actually live on the Hill (i.e. those in the know) go to for lunch. In fact, STL transplants who’ve moved out of town and are living around the world miss this place viscerally. Adriana works the register. Just ask her what’s good and order what she tells you to order. They aren’t kidding about the off-menu items or specials either.
Cunetto House of Pasta – Unapologetically St. Louis-style Italian – it’s arguably the most authentic Hill dining experience you can enjoy, and one that’s been around for decades. Portions are comically huge; like, practical joke big. When the bowling ball-sized meatballs arrive, watch non-native guests gasp in horror. Much of the food is fried. Over sauced. Over creamed. Over buttered. Utterly drenched in dressing. And it’s pure heaven. There’s a “diet” section of the menu, but why would you bother?
Dominic’s on the Hill – Popular with older crowds, this is where generations past either closed the deal or got engaged. In a romantic homage to days of yore gone by, waiters wear tuxedos. Serving is tableside. Lights are low. And it’s essentially a real-life throwback that’s not in any way a recreation.
Trattoria Marcella – If they know you here, the experience can be as good as anything you’ll enjoy in New York. Ask for Joe’s section. Don’t be afraid of the bar either.
Returning from Washington DC in 2003, Bartlett is a St. Louis native who founded St. Louis Transplants as a unique talent attraction and retention service. He has been featured in numerous media outlets including: St. Louis NPR affiliate KWMU, 9 Network Stay Tuned, St. Louis Business Journal, KTRS-550 AM, St. Louis Magazine, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KSDK-TV,
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