The best of the rest of St. Louis neighborhoods

The SND conference is focused around Washington Avenue so you can walk to the events and bars. But if you have more time to get out and about in St. Louis, here are some great neighborhoods to explore.

Laclede’s Landing

This tourist destination is a short walk from Washington Avenue. The area is by the riverfront, between the Gateway Arch and Lumiere Place casino. Expect to run into more than a few bachelorette parties if you spend a weekend night in this area. The Old Spaghetti Factory is a popular dinner spot. For sushi, visit the Drunken Fish. When it’s party time, hit The Big Bang dueling piano bar, which is always hopping. Morgan Street Brewery offers food and drinks downstairs, a bar and pool tables upstairs and a back patio area. On weekends, walk through the back patio to the back building and you’ll find a rocking dance floor.

 

Soulard

This neighborhood located south of downtown and Busch Stadium is the location of the city’s Mardi Gras celebration. But you can find plenty of places to eat and drink the rest of the year, too. To get there, you’ll need to drive or take a short cab ride. Tucker’s Place is an excellent steak joint. McGurk’s Irish Pub has good food and drinks with live music seven nights a week (often brought in from Ireland). It has an authentic pub feel inside and two bars in its large outdoor area. Another place for food and drink is Molly’s, which includes a bistro and bar buildings and serves a French-Creole-Louisisana menu. The Shanti is a laidback atmosphere with a large outdoor area. If it’s beer selection you’re looking for, try iTap, with its 40 taps and 500 beers.

For a more eclectic and island atmosphere, visit Venice Cafe, a mostly outdoor bar near Soulard. (Be sure to hit an ATM first; this place is cash-only.)

 

South Grand/Tower Grove

South Grand, also a drive or short cab ride away, has many food options, including City Diner, LemonGrass Vietnamese, Al Waha Afghani and Bedouin cuisine, and Mojo tapas restaurant. Mangia offers great Italian food and a bar. CBGB is a cash-only dive (and one of the few places in St. Louis where you can still smoke in the bar). Urban is the place to go for freshly muddled drinks.

Just down Arsenal Street, you’ll find Riley’s, a neighborhood pub with St. Louis-style pizza and often live music.

In the other direction are more establishments, including The Royale (a neighborhood bar with a great outdoor space), Tin Can Tavern (a bar that specializes in canned beer) and Three Monkeys (great for a drink or wood-fired pizza — or the Sunday brunch buffet).

 

Central West End

This hip area between downtown and Forest Park is a great place for dinner and drinks and is accessible by Metro or cab. Check out Duff’s for dinner. You can catch a show at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas. (While you’re there, sneak a peek at the ritzy hotel or sip a drink at the hotel’s Cafe Eau.) Afterward, grab a drink at the trendy SubZero Vodka Bar. (Sit at the ice bar!)  For someplace a bit more laidback, try Dressel’s. If wine, scotch and a cigar is more your speed, visit Brennan’s. Then check out Club Viva for some Latin dancing. Salsa, anyone?

 

University City

U. City, just outside the St. Louis city limits, is home to the Delmar Loop (often called just “The Loop”). This shopping and dining area is accessible via Metro or cab. You can catch a movie at the Tivoli Theatre or a show at Blueberry Hill or The Pageant. Fitz’s is famous for its root beer, and Cicero’s has a good selection of grown-up beer. Pin-Up Bowl lets you sip a cocktail while you knock over some pins. Pi Pizzeria also has a location on this stretch. The area also offers some stellar shopping options. Check out TAG (for vintage clothes), Vintage Vinyl (for new and used music) or Subterranean Books (an independent bookstore).

 

Across the river

OK, this area is really only good for a couple things. One, we mentioned in our 7 Deadly Sins post (under lust). The other is almost as seedy. If you want to party late — we mean, really late (after the downtown bars close at 3 a.m.) — you’ll want to head over to Pop’s in Sauget, Ill. This “nightclub and concert venue” on the East side does host concerts — sometimes quite good ones. (Upcoming shows include Taking Back Sunday and Panic! At the Disco.) But mostly the draw is its hours — open 24 a day, that is. With that comes the expected sticky floors and crappy beers. But for entertaining people-watching, this establishment gets a full five stars. (It’s especially useful for those wanting to drink for a while after putting the paper to bed.) You’ll need to drive or take a cab to get here.