Weekend Wandering: St. Louis, Missouri
This year travel has looked a little different for me. Rather than go on a few large international trips, I’ve focused more on “microcations” and exploring areas that are only a few hours from Nashville. Let’s rewind a few, ok, many years.
When I was growing up, travel was a luxury, not an expectation. 30A didn’t exist and families weren’t nomads wandering the globe. I think I was fortunate enough to go on one beach vacation with my family until I went to college. Spring breaks and summers were spent with my grandparents or when working when I was old enough.
Even though travel was certainly limited in my former days, I’m doing my best to make up for it now seeing as much fo the world as I possibly can. After all, the universe is vast and I want to experience as much as possible.
When one of my best friends casually mentioned a road-trip to St. Louis to catch a Cardinals game, I was immediately in. Don’t be fooled, I am nowhere close to being a baseball enthusiast, but given the fact that it had been over ten years since I last visited St. Louis, I was up for a little weekend adventure.
I’ve put together a list of my favorite places we visited while we were there. Like any trip, I wish I had a few more days because there’s so much to explore!
Vincent Van Doughnut
1072 Tower Grove Ave
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Website and Instagram
As soon as we arrive in St. Louis, we made a beeline to Vincent Van Doughnut. This family-owned doughnut shop is serving clever combinations sure to answer the call of your sweet tooth. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, but luckily I had three girlfriends that were just excited about this sugary goodness as I was. With some guidance from the staff, we ordered the following flavors: Blueberry, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Lemon Lavender. Hands down, Lemon Lavender was my favorite. Vincent Van Doughnut is worth adding to your St. Louis itinerary. Grab a latte and a Lemon Lavender doughnut and you’ll leave with a smile on your face!
** Tip: Make sure you arrive early as the more popular flavors tend to sell out quickly**
Anthonino’s Taverna
2225 Macklind Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Website and Instagram
Is it even a trip to St. Louis if you don’t have Toasted Ravioli? Known for its Italian and Greek fare, Anthonio’s Taverna serves some of the best Toasted Ravioli in the city. These perfect pillowy pastas are stuffed with ground beef, ricotta, and pecorino romano cheese, crisped and served with plenty of marinara sauce.
If Toasted Ravioli isn’t your thing, check out the Baked Goat Cheese. It was out of this world!
Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar Blvd
St. Louis, Missouri 63130
Website and Instagram
Blueberry Hill is a St. Louis landmark that is not to be missed. Known for its eclectic decor and unforgettable atmosphere, it’s most famous for hosting the father of rock and roll, Chuck Berry, for over 200 consecutive monthly concerts. Swing by for a burger and a brewski and admire the collection of pop-culture and music memorabilia. Blueberry Hill is a must!
Mac’s Local Eats
1821 Cherokee St
St. Louis, Missouri 63118
Website and Instagram
Given that my friend was from St. Louis, there wasn’t a real need to do much food reconnaissance before the trip. But I couldn’t resist. As I was scrolling through #stlouisfoodie on Instagram, I came across perhaps one of the most beautiful burgers I’ve ever laid eyes on. Granted, it was 12 inches tall, but what a beauty! Digging a little deeper, I uncovered the fact that this prize-winning burger was served at Mac’s Local Eats. I immediately sent the photo to my friends with the message “WE MUST GO HERE!”
Our timing was impeccable. Mac’s Local Eats had just closed down its original location and was in the midst of opening up at Bluewood Brewery. Stumbling upon their soft opening, we sampled some of the beers from Bluewood while we waited for our burgers. For those of you asking, no, I didn’t order the behemoth of a burger that I saw on Instagram. Um, hello. It was 24 patties tall but I did try the Captain with an extra patty and extra cheese. It was glorious.
While we were fortunate enough not to encounter a line, make sure you arrive early because everyone wants Mac’s.
Ted Drewes
6726 Chippewa St
St. Louis, Missouri 63109
Website and Instagram
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but Ted Drewes is a St. Louis institution that I could not pass up. While their signature dish is a concrete, I opted for the Salted Caramel frozen custard. TO. DIE.FOR. Reminiscent of Bobbie’s Dairy Dip in Nashville, Ted Drewes serves concretes, malts, shakes, sundaes, floats, and ice cream soda. The most perfect way to beat the heat in St. Louis.
Olio
1634 Tower Grove Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Website and Instagram
Located in a re-purposed 1930's Standard Oil Filling station, Olio specializes in Mediterranean fare that is both uncomplicated and intriguing not to mention they have one of the best bar programs in the area. Guests may arrive under the guise of only having a glass of wine but one can easily make a meal snacking on small plates, hummus or mezze. I never knew hummus could be so pretty! Even though my time here was brief, I am already plotting a return trip!
Take me out to the ball game!
Even though I am not a baseball enthusiast, there’s nothing more intoxicating than walking into a stadium surrounded by 45 thousand people chanting and cheering for the home team. That alone is worth the price of admission. Don your best Cardinal red and head over to Busch Stadium for a legendary evening.
Until Next Time!