Cate Zone Chinese Cafe has amassed a large, loyal following

Sauce 75: the essential St. Louis restaurants right now

It takes a lot for a Chinese spot to stand out on Olive Boulevard, but Cate Zone’s Dongbei cuisine has amassed a large, loyal following since the restaurant opened in 2016. The recent addition of a Chesterfield location will only extend the restaurant’s fame. The menu offers plenty of familiar dishes, like sweet and sour pork – tender meat coated in a crunchy crust and served in a pool of gloriously sticky sauce – killer stir-fried noodles and crispy eggplant. But what sets Cate Zone apart is its bevy of traditional favorites from northeastern China. The hot crisp fish is seasoned with a spice blend including powdered Sichuan peppers and cayenne, dipped in a light batter then fried until golden and served on a bed of even more Sichuan peppers. Pro tip: While waiting for your table at the original University City location, head a few doors down to Soup Dumplings STL – or as we affectionately call it, the “Cate Zone Wait Zone” – for a pre-dinner appetizer. 

Multiple locations, catezone.site

The Sauce 75 is a photomosaic of the best in St. Louis dining in 2024. 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.