St. Louis names top dining spots

Scout’s has been named the restaurant of the year for the St. Louis region.

The November and December 2026 issue of St. Louis Magazine published the list of top culinary establishments. Scout’s, located at 2704 Locust in Midtown, secured the top honor. The award recognizes the venue for its food and its distinct atmosphere.

The dining room features raw brick walls and spalted wood tables. A compact bar with a chilled marble top sits near the entrance. Two fireplace fronts decorate the opposite wall. The seating area includes stuffed barrel chairs, a sofa, and a coffee table inspired by the work of George Nakashima. The magazine noted the aesthetic quality of that specific coffee table as a standout feature of the room.

The menu emphasizes shareable plates. A burrata starter arrives with olive oil marinated tomatoes, a puréed peach salsa, and sunflower seeds. Diners also receive thick slabs of house-baked sourdough bread. The bread is served with a dip made of ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Vegetable dishes include a roasted cauliflower lobe topped with a curry yogurt and cashews. A charred cabbage wedge is served with pork sausage 'nduja cream, allium oil, and dill.

Three main plates were highlighted in the review. A roasted chicken with crackly skin sits on Sardinian fregula, a roasted pearl couscous. The dish is finished with a Marsala reduction, pearl onions, and maitake mushrooms. A flank steak is served with whole-grain farro, roasted peppers, capers, and smoky Calabrian chiles. A fist-thick cod fillet is roasted and served with Corona beans and sweet squash.

The house-made pastas use semolina sourced from Southern Italy. Radiatori spirals are served with a red pepper Bolognese sauce mellowed with ricotta and olive oil. The cacio e pepe was identified as the best dish on the menu. Bucatini strands are mixed with a slurry of pecorino and Parmesan cheese, then speckled with cracked pepper. The reviewer described the aroma as stunning and the taste as superior to the standard set by Clayton’s Pastaria.

Other restaurants on the list include Aubrey at 3001 Locust, which features an art nouveau interior and a menu that includes steamed mussels and wagyu tenderloin. Kishimoto Mendō at 6394 Delmar is owned by Steven Pursley, who also runs Menya Rui. Kishimoto focuses on tonkotsu broth and offers a larger space with blond wood and steel finishes. Robin at 7268 Manchester is the debut restaurant of chef Alec Schingel. The venue earned a finalist nod for the James Beard Awards’ Best New Restaurant category for its interpretation of Midwestern cuisine, such as a mushroom and wild rice dish.

The Gin Room at 3200 S. Grand in Tower Grove East features Persian cuisine under the heading “Eats by Mom.” Hamishe Bahrami, who retired from Café Natasha in 2022, now cooks at her daughter Natasha’s bar. Dishes include ghormeh sabzi stew over crispy rice and beef kabobs. Gamlin’s at 2704 Sutton in Maplewood was opened by Derek Gamlin and Henry Arciniega after they left the restaurant business for a few years. Chef Chris Arnold prepares Italian-inflected dishes that range from appetizers to a ribeye.

The Noble Crown at 300 N. Euclid in the Central West End was created by restaurateur Kevin Brennan. It occupies the space formerly held by Culpepper’s. The venue features a top-tier bar program that includes non-alcoholic options. Cibo Italia at 7489 Delmar in University City is owned by Michael Del Pietro. The former auto service bays now feature sliding glass doors, a covered patio, and an emerald-tile bar. The menu includes fried mortadella sandwiches, Roman-style pizza, and house-made pastas.

The magazine encourages readers to sign up for dining newsletters and listen to the Arch Eats podcast for ongoing coverage. Guides for specific neighborhoods are also available on the publication's website.