Since 2008, this vegan restaurant and bakery has been offering all manner of sweet delights in Shaw. But chef and owner Reine Keis has become equally famous for her plant-based dishes like the Audre Lorde crispy chikn sandwich, her soy- and gluten-free burger with (if you fancy) coconut bacon, and her once-in-a-while “fish” sandwich made with hearts of palm. We love a cupcake happy hour if we can find one, and SweetArt offers that precise, gorgeous thing every Wednesday and Thursday. Throughout both business days, cupcakes ($3.95) are buy-two-get-one-free, then buy-one-get-one-free during the last hour before closing.
Now, after years of nourishing its neighborhood, SweetArt itself is growing. In 2025, the beloved bake shop will leave its flagship location for a new home at The Coronado on Lindell Boulevard, and a second outpost opened recently at City Foundry STL. The address may change, but SweetArt remains a place to experience love and magic.
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.
This article appears in January/February 2025.