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The St. Louis area has seen dozens of restaurant openings in the past year, many of which we have come to love. Here, we shine a light on 10 of the most notable new restaurants to join the ranks of the best in town.

Editor’s note: A few high-profile spots opened just after the deadline for this feature, which was part of our December 2024 issue, so be on the lookout for future coverage if your new favorite restaurant is missing from this list.

Bormio, formerly known as Bacaro Credit: photo by Meera Nagarajan
Amaizing Arepa Bar Amaizing Arepa Bar is bringing a taste of Venezuela to downtown St. Louis. The business began at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market in 2019 as Amaizing Cakes Latin Food and opened its first brick-and-mortar earlier this year. The 3,500-square-foot space is industrial, open and airy with touches of Venezuelan décor woven throughout. The menu features an expanded selection of what was offered at the farmers market, including the namesake arepas, empanadas, tequenos, and cachapas, massive sweet corn pancakes that have consistently stolen our hearts. The cachapas envelop chewy, toothsome mozzarella, and are topped with salty feta (a stand-in for Venezuela’s queso llanero) and a generous drizzle of nata (Venezuelan-style milk cream) plus your choice of meat. Be sure to ask for extra sides of the deliciously verdant cilantro-garlic sauce. 500 N. 14th St., St. Louis, 314.925.8423, Facebook: amaizingarepabar Credit: Christina Musgrave
Bormio Formerly known as Bacaro, the newly rechristened Bormio is the new cicchetti and aperitivo bar sharing a building with sister concept Noto Italian Restaurant. It’s decked out with Italian marble, beautiful stone-topped tables and warm lighting, and the cocktail list has a range of approachable drinks, including spritzes, cocktails, Italian beers and some NA offerings. The food menu focuses mainly on cicchetti, snack-style small plates such as whipped ricotta with ciabatta, charcuterie and salads, but some entrees are available as well, including wild boar served with polenta. Whether you’re popping in for drinks ahead of a Noto reservation or going to Bormio just for spritzes and snacks, it is sure to be a popular destination as it brings a unique, Venetian-inspired experience like nowhere else in the St. Louis area. 5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters, 636.244.0874, notopizza.com Credit: photo by Meera Nagarajan
Brasas Brasas, the new Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant from Jalea chef-owner Andrew Cisneros, opened this summer in the Delmar Loop. Building on the concept Cisneros (a 2021 Sauce Ones to Watch honoree) first work-shopped at Original J’s Tex-Mex and Barbecue and later during a series of pop-ups, the restaurant’s specialty is Cisneros’ take on traditional Peruvian pollo a la brasa, served with a selection of sides and sauces, with the menu also offering a few hits from Jalea and other Peruvian dishes. The variety of flavorful sauces is one of the restaurant’s strengths, and a visit to Brasas isn’t complete without trying each of them, including our favorite: the cilantro-infused aji verde. 6138 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.256.1937, brasas-stl.com Credit: photo by Meera Nagarajan
Esca No new restaurant opening this year has nailed concept, design, service and menu execution so completely as Esca, the “coastal Mediterranean bar and grill” from Bengelina Hospitality Group owner Ben Poremba that opened this spring in the Delmar Maker District. The dining room is among the most appealing in the city with blush pink sofas, rugs on wooden floorboards and other wood furnishings giving the space a cozy, homey feel. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the room in glorious natural light, while a patio on the side of the building offers additional seating. The restaurant’s rotating menu features meat, seafood and vegetables grilled over charcoal, fresh salads and cold appetizers, and a large amaro selection. Most of the food is prepared over live fire, which demands a certain degree of expertise and control. Each dish carries a smoky kiss, but the food never feels too weighty. Don’t skip dessert, such as the brioche with whipped cream and the vegan vanilla gelato which is finished tableside with olive oil, sea salt and tahini. The cocktail list is noteworthy too, with favorites including the clay pot negroni and an almond Old-Fashioned. 5095 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.365.2686, bengelina.com/esca Credit: photo by Michelle Volansky
Florentin Florentin is another hit from Ben Poremba’s Bengelina Hospitality Group, which opened this summer across the street from Esca. Named after one of Poremba’s favorite areas of Tel Aviv, Florentin draws inspiration from that neighborhood’s bohemian culture and vibrant food and drink scene. If you’re looking for a hot brunch dish, the shakshuka here is a satisfying and richly spiced blend of poached eggs and tomato-based sauce, aided by Florentin’s warm, spongy pita bread. The menu offers multiple options for sharing, like the irresistible dip trio (mohammara, green tahini and tzatziki), along with a selection of toasts, overnight oats, hummus, plenty of fresh juices and all the coffee you could want. The sorbets are a perfect sweet finish – we loved the coconut and mango flavors. 5090 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.348.1111, bengelina.com/florentin Credit: photo by Meera Nagarajan
Jinzen Fusion Cuisine The first thing that captures your attention at Jinzen Fusion Cuisine is the lovely interior design of the space. A predominantly light wooden interior and soft, golden light evokes an Asian design aesthetic with wood beams crafted into intricate patterns throughout. The furniture carries the same tones, and the main dining area has beams overhead with a fabric ceiling treatment to add visual interest. Cherry blossoms, a rock garden, bamboo and bonsai bring in an element of calm – it doesn’t matter that they’re artificial, it all works to set the mood. The menu is a collaboration of dishes from China, Korea and Japan, with highlights including naengmyeon, a traditional Korean cold noodle soup, and the Volcano Fried Rice with fried kung pao chicken. There are crowd-pleasers like the bibimbap, black pepper garlic steak bites and squid karaage, as well as various ramen options. Mix and match the cuisines however you please, but don’t miss out on the luscious, creamy matcha pudding. 8113 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.354.8086, jinzenstl.com Credit: photo by Meera Nagarajan
Neon Greens Neon Greens is not just a restaurant – it’s also a hydroponic farm in the Grove where all of the various types of lettuce used in the many salads on the menu are grown. A conveyor belt allows the greens to easily be transported from the farm to the kitchen. There are several signature salads always available, plus a few rotating seasonal salads on the menu, but you can also have your meal customized in an assembly line with an impressive variety of interesting cooked and pickled veggies, grains and more. So far, we’ve most enjoyed the chilled curry salad and The Chouteau, a Southwestern-inspired delight. A few soup offerings also rotate, but our favorite is the green soup, a riff on tom kha gai with coconut cream and freshly picked herbs. Don’t miss the chewy cheese bread, inspired by Brazilian pão de queijo. For dessert, there is soft serve in matcha or Thai basil flavors – go all out and order it swirled with The Works: miso caramel, sesame nougatine, candied smoked almonds and brown rice crunchies, all lending depth and textural juxtaposition. 4176 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, neongreens.com Credit: photo of Josh Smith by Lauren Healey
No Ordinary Rabbit The former Nixta space in Botanical Heights is now home to one of the most happening cocktail and wine bars in town: No Ordinary Rabbit. On the food side, they feature chef-driven, shareable Mediterranean plates, thoughtfully and artfully prepared. The house-made fry bread is the star of the show, where a crisp exterior reveals a soft and pillowy interior with just a touch of sweetness. It pairs perfectly with the butternut squash hummus, but it could be a vehicle for just about anything on the menu. There’s a sizable wine list, but it’s the cocktails that have us wanting to return again and again. The menus are ever-evolving, so you’ll have to go find out for yourself what all the buzz is about. 1621 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, noordinaryrabbitstl.com Credit: photo by Lauren Healey
Stews Food & Liquor The laid-back, friendly vibe at Stews Food & Liquor is immediately contagious, thanks to co-owner and bartender Nate Burrows’ bright personality and knack for hospitality. The small space is cozy with alternating forest green walls and classic Soulard brick, glowy candles and intimate seating. From cheap lagers to craft brews, well-made classics to fresh new cocktails, the concise drink menu has something for everyone. Come with an appetite, because the eclectic Asian fusion food menu is not to be missed. An order of edamame “hummus” for the table is mandatory. There’s also a respectable roster of hearty mains; noodle dishes, savory grilled skewers, a decadent pork burger with sweet chile and Kewpie mayo, and popcorn chicken with an assortment of sauces to choose from. 1862 S. 10th St., St. Louis, stewsstl.com Credit: photo by Zachary Linhares
Telva at The Ridge The new counter-service restaurant from the Balkan Treat Box team is housed in the same building as Rolling Ridge Nursery with its own suitably plant-filled space. Start with the wood-fired Bosnian coffee, an intensely flavored brew resulting from boiling coffee grounds in small copper pots. Espresso drinks are also available, including the chocolate- and coconut-accented cupavac latte. On the don’t-miss list is the cilbir, Telva’s take on Turkish eggs: Warm garlic yogurt and gently cooked eggs make for a rich base, a tomato-chile brown butter sauce adds a little acid for balance, and a flurry of herbs provides a fresh finish. The avocado toast was similarly layered with flavor, from thin ribbons of cucumber, roasted tomato, kalamata olives and avocado to salty feta, tzatziki and a nutty sesame crunch garnish. Telva also impresses with deft pastry offerings like the pistachio shortbread cookie and the unforgettable baklava, generously packed with roasted nuts, flaky pastry dough and ajda, a sweet Bosnian syrup. 60 N. Gore Ave., Webster Groves, 314.395.2760, telvastl.com Credit: photo by Spencer Pernikoff

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