St. Louis has long needed more places like Songbird, a metropolitan but farm-to-table-leaning spot where people can stop through for top-notch coffee (in this case, Blueprint Coffee) and a killer meal that satisfies on every level. The sprouted grain English muffin sandwich with Buttonwood Farm chicken sausage, omelet-style eggs, micro greens, pickled red onions and brown butter aioli plays like an artisanal Egg McMuffin. Try it, in season, with Songbird’s fermented hot sauce if you want to light up your palate in the best way. And then there’s the combo breakfast sandwich: Originally available only at the Saturday Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, where owners Chris Meyer and Mike Miller ran the Kitchen Kulture pop-up, “the sandwich” was like a secret handshake for foodies, industry members and Tower Grove locals. Featuring toasted sourdough, aged white cheddar, bacon and a fried farm egg, topped with sea salt and honey, it’s a master class in texture and flavor – salty, sweet, crunchy, silky and savory all at once. If the sandwich isn’t part of your order, you’ve made a critical error.
4476 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.4344, songbirdstl.com
The Sauce 75 is a photomosaic of the best in St. Louis dining. This list is a celebration of the diverse skills, techniques and culinary traditions that meet across our region. In sum, it tells a story about where St. Louis has been, where it is now and where it’s going next. Many great and good St. Louis restaurants have not made the cut. (Seventy-five is a lot fewer than you think!) Restaurants are constantly growing and evolving and go through ups and downs. Newly opened restaurants can take time to find their feet: There are a few exciting new places we’re cheering for, but which we feel haven’t yet fully hit their stride. Read the entire list here.
This article appears in December 2024.