St. Louis Has Foods You Won’t Find Anywhere Else. 6 to Try on a Holiday Visit

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Some St. Louis foods to try are easy to find elsewhere, like barbecue and fried chicken. But a handful of dishes are so tied to the city that most people outside the region have never heard of them. Several were invented in St. Louis kitchens in the 20th century and never really spread beyond the metro area.

If you’re in town for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or visiting family over the holidays, these six are worth seeking out. Some are easy to find at almost any local restaurant. Others take a little effort. One comes with a Christmas tree lot.

6 to Try on a Holiday Visit

1. Toasted ravioli

Despite the name, toasted ravioli is deep-fried. Meat-filled ravioli are breaded and fried until crisp, then dusted with grated Parmesan and served with marinara sauce for dipping. You’ll find it on nearly every Italian menu in the city, and at many bars, pizza places, and sports venues.

The dish is linked to The Hill, the historic Italian neighborhood in south St. Louis. Two restaurants on The Hill, the places now known as Charlie Gitto’s and Mama’s on the Hill, both trace their claim to the dish to the 1940s. The usual story is that a cook accidentally dropped ravioli into hot oil instead of boiling water.

Where to try it: Any Italian restaurant on The Hill is a good bet. Many local grocery stores also sell frozen toasted ravioli, which makes an easy appetizer for holiday gatherings.

2. Gooey butter cake

Gooey butter cake is a flat, rich coffee cake with a dense bottom layer and a soft, sweet, buttery top, dusted with powdered sugar. The story is that it was created by accident in the 1930s, when a German-American baker in St. Louis mixed up the proportions of ingredients. The mistake turned out to be popular.

There are two main styles. Bakery versions often use a yeasted dough for the base. Home versions often start with a boxed cake mix, butter, eggs, and cream cheese. Both are popular, and families often argue about which is better.

Where to try it: Many local bakeries sell gooey butter cake, and some, like Park Avenue Coffee, offer many flavors. It’s a common holiday breakfast treat and a good gift to bring to a host.

3. St. Louis-style pizza

St. Louis-style pizza has a thin, crisp, cracker-like crust made without yeast. It’s topped with a sweet-ish tomato sauce and Provel cheese, then cut into squares instead of wedges, a style called a “party cut” or “tavern cut.”

Provel is the key ingredient and the most debated. It’s a processed cheese that blends cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, with a low melting point and a gooey, slightly smoky texture. You’ll rarely see it outside the St. Louis area. Some people love it, others don’t, but it’s part of the city’s identity.

Where to try it: Imo’s Pizza, founded in 1964, is the best-known chain, with many locations across the metro area. Plenty of local pizzerias also make their own versions. Grocery stores in the area sell Provel by the bag if you want to take some home.

4. The St. Paul sandwich

The St. Paul sandwich is an egg foo young patty, made with egg, bean sprouts, onion, and usually meat, served on white bread with dill pickles, white onion, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. It’s sold at Chinese takeout restaurants across St. Louis, often for just a few dollars.

It’s usually credited to Park Chop Suey, a restaurant in St. Louis where a cook named Steven Yuen is said to have created it in the 1940s. He named it after his hometown, St. Paul, Minnesota. The sandwich is rarely found anywhere else.

Where to try it: Many Chinese restaurants in St. Louis, especially carryout shops, serve St. Paul sandwiches. Ask whether you can choose a filling, like chicken, pork, shrimp, or a combination.

5. The slinger

The slinger is a late-night diner meal that’s famous for its size. It typically starts with hash browns and eggs and a hamburger patty, then gets smothered in chili and topped with cheese and onions. Some versions add a second patty, sausage, or ham.

It’s associated with all-night diners, where people go after a night out. Each diner makes its own version, and some offer smaller portions.

Where to try it: Look for classic St. Louis diners and late-night spots. Many also serve it at breakfast. It’s a good meal after a cold night out during the holidays.

6. A Ted Drewes concrete

A concrete is a frozen custard blend so thick that it’s handed to you upside down to prove it won’t fall out of the cup. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a family-run St. Louis business dating to the 1930s, made it famous. Its flagship stand at 6726 Chippewa Street opened in 1941 on Historic Route 66.

There are dozens of flavors and mix-ins, from fruit to cookies and candy. Popular choices include the “Cardinal Sin,” with cherries and hot fudge, and seasonal flavors.

Here’s the holiday tie-in: the Chippewa stand also sells Christmas trees. Ted Drewes Sr. started selling trees in 1952 to make up for slow custard sales in winter, and the lot is now one of the city’s holiday traditions. It opens the day after Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas Eve, so you can pick out a tree and eat a concrete on the same visit. Ted Drewes’ other stand, on South Grand Boulevard, is open seasonally.

Planning a Food Tour of St. Louis Foods to Try

If you have a day or two, you can try all six:

• Lunch on The Hill: toasted ravioli at an Italian restaurant, plus a stop at an Italian deli or bakery.
• Afternoon snack: gooey butter cake from a local bakery.
• Dinner: St. Louis-style pizza with Provel.
• Late night: a slinger at a diner.
• Next day: a St. Paul sandwich from a Chinese carryout for lunch.
• Anytime: a Ted Drewes concrete on Chippewa, even in December.

St. Louis is spread out, so you’ll need a car or rideshare to get between neighborhoods. Many restaurants have holiday hours, especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas, so check before you go.

Other Local Favorites

If you have room for more, St. Louis also has:

• Pork steaks: sliced pork shoulder, grilled and simmered in barbecue sauce, a backyard tradition.
• Gus’ Pretzels: a family-owned pretzel bakery in south St. Louis known for its pretzel sticks and fresh twists.
• Fitz’s root beer, made in the Delmar Loop, in University City.

How to Bring St. Louis Foods Home

If you’re visiting for the holidays and want to take some of these foods home, a few travel tips:

• Gooey butter cake travels well. Keep it covered and cool, and it should last a few days. Many bakeries box it for travel, and some ship it.
• Provel cheese is sold in many St. Louis grocery stores. Keep it cold in a cooler if you’re driving. If you’re flying, solid cheese is allowed in carry-on bags under TSA rules.
• Frozen toasted ravioli is sold in local grocery stores. Pack it in a cooler with ice packs for a road trip.
• Toasted ravioli, pizza, and slingers are best eaten fresh, so plan to have them while you’re in town.
• Ted Drewes concretes don’t travel. Eat them on the spot.

Where to Eat on The Hill

The Hill is one of the best places in St. Louis to try toasted ravioli and other Italian American dishes. The neighborhood, in south St. Louis, has many family-owned restaurants, bakeries, and delis, and some of its fire hydrants are painted red, white, and green, like the Italian flag. Many restaurants are busy on weekend nights, especially during the holidays, so make a reservation if you can. Delis and bakeries in the neighborhood also sell Italian cookies, breads, and other treats that make good gifts or holiday desserts.

Holiday Timing Tips

St. Louis is a big city, but many of its favorite local spots are small, family-owned businesses that close on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and some reduce hours between the holidays. A few tips:

• Call ahead or check websites and social media for holiday hours.
• Expect crowds at popular spots on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the days after Christmas, when visiting families go out to eat.
• The Ted Drewes Christmas tree lot is busiest on weekends in early December, so go on a weekday evening if you want shorter lines.
• If you’re staying with family, ask them where they go. Many St. Louis families have strong loyalties to a particular pizza place, bakery, or Chinese carryout, and they’ll tell you which one is best.

A Note on Provel Etiquette

If you’re eating St. Louis-style pizza with locals, don’t be surprised if the conversation turns to Provel. Some St. Louisans grew up on it and swear by it, while others order their pizza with mozzarella instead. Many pizzerias will make it either way. Trying it once, with an open mind, is part of the experience.

The Bottom Line on St. Louis Foods to Try

St. Louis has its own food culture, built by Italian, German, and Chinese immigrants and generations of diners and bakeries. Toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, Provel pizza, the St. Paul sandwich, the slinger, and a Ted Drewes concrete are all easy to find if you know where to look. Try them all, and you’ll understand why St. Louis natives miss them when they move away.