Explore St. Louis Mentor Recommendations

The Grad Student Mentors have made this list of some tried-and-true suggestions for fun places to eat, shop, visit, and play around the city we call home. We'd love to visit these place with you and explore STL together!

Restaurants

On the Delmar Loop (or near campus)

Seoul Taco: fusion of Mexican and Korean cuisine

Corner 17: Chinese + Boba Tea

Salt + Smoke: Great BBQ (try their Mac n Cheese!)

Session Taco: unique fusion tacos

Winslow's Table: nice breakfast or brunch, and bakery items

Mi Ranchito: Mexican

Brasas: Peruvian

Other favorites: 

Sultan Mediterranean

Grace Meat + Three: Southern-style fried chicken and catfish 

The Gramophone: sandwich pub + live music and events

Union Loafers: sandwiches, pizza, and bread bakery

Have a Cow: burgers and all-day breakfast

ChiliSpot: Sichuan

Cate Zone: Northeast Chinese cuisine

Anthonino's Taverna: Italian (the best cannoli)

Ehsani's Hot Kabob: Persian

Desserts & Sweet Treats

Ted Drewes: frozen custard, a St. Louis staple

Mr. Wizards Frozen Custard

Clementine's: ice cream 

Tous Les Jours: French Asian Bakery 

Bars & Breweries

Urban Chestnut: local brewery and bierhall

Updown: arcade bar

Rockwell Brewing Co: local brewery

Sasha's: wine bar

Brennan's: fancy cocktail bar in the CWE

Attractions in Forest Park: 

St. Louis Zoo: one of the best zoos in the country, and among our favorite free activities. Also, it's just a mile from campus - walk over or park for free on the streets (there is a pay lot, but why bother). For a few dollars more you can visit the Children's Petting Zoo, feed stingrays, and watch the sea lion show! 

St. Louis Art Museum: Another favorite free attraction is the Art Museum. Perfect for a rainy day, the gallery houses everything from Egyptian mummies and pre-Columbian statues to Matisse, Van Gogh, and Picasso. Art Hill, located just in front of the museum, is a favorite sledding spot in the winter.

St. Louis Science Museum: For the fourth-grader in us all! Push all the little munchkins out of the way to try to figure out the basic physics of cool kids' toys. The Science Center is very near the zoo, so it's a great activity if it is too hot or rainy to wander the zoo.

Missouri History Museum: St. Louis has a fascinating history. Come here to learn more about the city and the state; there are permanent exhibits, such as one about the 1904 World's Fair which permanently left its mark on the city, as well as rotating exhibits, such as #1 in Civil Rights: The African American Freedom Struggle in St. Louis. 

The Muny: This is a huge (12,000 seat!) outdoor theater in Forest Park that shows first rate plays from nationally recognized touring groups. Plays show in the summer and make for a great evening - bring a picnic and sit outside to watch some classic musicals on a warm summer evening. You can get pretty good seats for about $15, or show up a bit early and get free tickets that are a bit far back but still fine. (On weekends you need to be at least an hour early, but on weeknights you can essentially just walk up and get a free ticket.)

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race: The race (in September) is cool (and nearly causes lots of accidents around the city from people watching), but it is the Balloon Glow the night before that you can't miss! They have hundreds of hot air balloons getting ready in Forest Park. You can wander around and chat with the operators, or just bring a picnic and sit on the hill and watch as they periodically light the fires in the balloons so they fill up and glow beautifully. Be sure to go!

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival: Every year in early summer, all the world becomes a stage. Or more accurately, a stage arises in the Shakespeare Glen (near the Art Museum). Free shows begin each night at 8 pm (come early to get a good spot), so bring a blanket, lie on the grass, and see the works of the Bard of Avon.

Steinberg Skating Rink: the largest outdoor skating rink in the midwest! The perfect place to meet friends and family for a fun day on the ice. Open November - March. 

Other Notable Places

Activate: live-action gaming adventure

Climb So Ill: indoor rock-climbing gym

City Museum: basically a huge playground for adults

The Gateway Arch: a must see! You can ride an elevator up to the top for a great view of the Mississippi River and Downtown St. Louis

Global Foods Market: international grocery store

Hi-Pointe Theatre: historic independent theatre

St. Charles, MO: the original capital of Missouri, located about 30mins northwest of St. Louis. Good for a relaxing weekend getaway, you can find plenty of bed-and-breakfasts in town, and its Main Street is full of little store and coffee shops. 

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis: known for its mosaics, which contain 1.5 million pieces of more than 7,000 colors covering 7,700 square meters. 

Six Flags: it's got roller coasters and a water park! When Halloween rolls around, be sure to check out Fright Fest.