Coming up the ranks through St. Louis restaurants like Balaban’s, Harvest, Monarch, Terrene and his own Guerrilla Street Food, has given chef Brian Hardesty definite opinions while dining out on his own dime. “I just want it to be reliable,” he said – and being easy on the wallet doesn’t hurt, either. “Once I start going somewhere regularly, I start trying everything. If it keeps on being good each time, I just keep going back.”
“It’s in my neighborhood, and it’s one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants,” Hardesty said of this South City hidden gem. “We go there probably three to four times a month.” One of his favorites is the rare beef pho, but he seldom orders the same thing twice. “I’ll probably never make it though all of the dishes there.”
373 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.1299
“Everything they serve is good, consistent and cheap,” he said. Plus, this Lebanese eatery, market and hookah headquarters is located just down the street from Guerrilla Street Food, making lunchtime forays a regular occurrence. Hardesty is particularly partial to the beef shawarma, served with rice and pita, which he said has just the right amount of spice without overpowering the meat.
3171 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.0991
“Cheeseburgers are my favorite food, and White Knight’s is probably my favorite in St. Louis,” Hardesty said. This downtown greasy spoon is, let’s say, cozy, with just a handful of seats and unique hours of operation: 6 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. “It’s so tiny and so old, and the burgers are cheap and so satisfying,” Hardesty said. His go-to is the double cheeseburger with the classic accouterments of American cheese, lettuce, onions, tomato and pickles.
1801 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.621.5949
“These types of places kind of get forgotten about,” Hardesty said. “And we’re losing them.” Hopefully this no-frills, diminutive pizzeria will remain an oasis for New York-style aficionados in the land of Provel for years to come. Hardesty likes his La Pizza slice with cheese and pepperoni. “It’s simple and done right.”
8137 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.725.1230
“I like going someplace where I can be educated on what I’m eating,” he said. “If I have a question, they answer it here with no pretentiousness.” He appreciates Fork & Stix, which specializes in traditional northern Thai cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients, because the food is “authentic, consistent and technically well-executed.” He tends toward the hoy jaw, deep-fried dumplings with shrimp, crab and pork ensconced in a tofu skin.
549 Rosedale Ave., St. Louis, 314.863.5572
Hardesty and business partner Joel Crespo stumbled upon this West County Indian eatery by accident. “It’s in the middle of a huge strip mall with Target and Best Buy,” he said. But despite its outward appearance, he said it has one of the best lunch buffets around for only $11. “It’s traditional – no riffs or takes on classics,” Hardesty said, adding that he doesn’t have a favorite dish. “It’s all good.”
92 THF Blvd., Chesterfield, 636.728.1000
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2017.