While Independence Day celebrations were going off in the United States on July 4, 1924, down in Tijuana, Mexico, the first Caesar salad was being served – and it had nothing to do with the Roman Empire. According to legend, the kitchen at Caesar’s Restaurant was running low on produce, thanks to a rush of visitors from the Prohibition-era United States keen to celebrate July 4 with an alcoholic drink. Using a few ingredients that were at hand, a salad was improvised then tossed table-side to give the dish a performative flourish, and the Caesar was born. One hundred years on, the Caesar is an institution and surely one of the most ubiquitous items on menus around St. Louis. With that said, here are three of the local Caesars we swear by.
Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta The grilled Caesar salad from the latest restaurant from the Napoli group was our favorite thing we tried on a recent visit. This wedge salad is drizzled with a lovely, not-too-fishy Caesar dressing and piled high with shaved Parmesan and crispy breadcrumbs, but it’s the delicious char flavor that comes to the fore. A lemon wedge is served alongside the dish, but the salad is so flavorful on its own, we didn’t feel the extra citrus was necessary. We’ll definitely be stopping here on our next visit to The District.
17081 N. Outer 40 Road, Suite 205, Chesterfield, napolistl.com
1929 Pizza & Wine Amy and Matt Herren are discerning curators of a menu, and such is their faith in their take on the Caesar that it’s one of only two salads offered at their Wood River pizza restaurant. The recipe sounds simple, but it starts with the quality of the ingredients. Hearts of romaine sourced from local farms, Parmigiano Reggiano and toasted breadcrumbs all play their part, but the star of this Caesar is the light and lemony dressing. The 1929 Caesar dressing relies on olive oil more than mayonnaise or egg yolks for emulsification, and the kitchen uses anchovy paste in the dressing to ensure the flavor remains consistent week after week. “It should be bright, refreshing and that fish should come through,” said Amy Herren. Enjoy 1929 Pizza in Wood River while you can: In the fall, the Herrens will relocate the concept to Edwardsville as part of their forthcoming Patisserie 29 projects. 7 N. Wood River Ave., Wood River, 618.216.2258, 1929pizzaandwine.com
Wright’s Tavern Owner Matt McGuire and executive chef Cary McDowell’s created the Tavern Caesar salad at Wright’s Tavern by asking “what do we want to eat?” Their answer turned out to be “one of the best Caesars in town.” It’s got everything you want in a Caesar, from the crisp romaine to the bundle of shredded Parmigiano Reggiano on top, to the well-balanced dressing. It’s just right, both as a standalone dish and alongside anything from Wright’s menu of classic steakhouse dishes. 7624 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, 314.390.1466, wrightswydown.com
This article appears in July 2024.
