Gerard Craft recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of Niche Food Group in September. Craft opened his first restaurant, Niche, in 2005 at just 25 years old. Originally from Washington, D.C., Craft decided to open Niche after seeing a Craigslist listing for a boarded-up space in St. Louis’ Benton Park neighborhood in a city that he had never visited. After opening Niche, he went on to be named a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2008 and was the first St. Louis chef to win a James Beard Foundation Award in 2015, among other national accolades. Since opening Niche in 2005, Craft has called St. Louis home, and he and his team have gone on to have an impactful influence on what the St. Louis hospitality industry looks like today. Niche Food Group has opened numerous concepts in St. Louis and beyond, 11 still in operation, with several now serving as institutions, such as Brasserie by Niche and Pastaria, to new hotspots for the community, like Expat BBQ and None of the Above.
Craft has served not only as a leading executive chef in St. Louis, but also as a culinary leader and mentor to upcoming chefs, and community ambassador for the city’s growing food scene. Through his work as Chief Flavor Officer for the food program at Energizer Park for the St. Louis City SC soccer team, and helping curate the small up-and-coming restaurant concepts to fill the food hall at City Foundry STL, he’s given new restaurateurs an opportunity to amplify their voices and build their businesses.
After 20 years in the industry, Craft notes that it’s all about putting other people first and taking care of one another. Here are 10 of his favorite restaurants around St. Louis.
Balkan Treat Box
“You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu; it’s all delicious. Even if you don’t know exactly what it is, or have tried it before, just order it and enjoy yourself. Loryn, Edo and Emir obsess over every single detail, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”
8103 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, balkantreatbox.com
Esca
“When I want to go out and be spoiled, Esca is the perfect place. Ben has a gift for creating beautiful spaces that you want to spend hours in. The food, from a wood grill, is soulful and elegant. The wine program led by Luciano should not be missed during your visit, and don’t forget to end with a little soft serve ice cream.”
5095 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, bengelina.com
La Tiendita
“This taqueria in Ellisville blows everyone’s mind, and not simply because of the area that it’s in. They have some of the best tacos in the whole country. The lengua tacos are my personal favorite, but it’s really hard to go wrong with your order here.”
15821 Manchester Road, Ellisville, Facebook: La Tiendita
Little Fox
“Craig and Mowglie have put together a restaurant that is the perfect balance of modern and comfort. The food is unique without being too out of the box, and the service is always personal and professional. I’ve also never been steered wrong on a single recommendation from their wine or cocktail list. Everything is as close to perfect as you can get.”
2800 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, littlefoxstl.com
Louie
“No restaurant list is complete without Louie. Wood-fired pizza, a fantastic bar, pasta, and a steakhouse-worthy pork chop. This place is classy, but excels with its comfort foods, especially in its elegant presentations in the more casual atmosphere. This is the best of both worlds for me.”
706 De Mun Ave., Clayton, louiedemun.com
Mai Lee
“Mai Lee is one of my favorite restaurants in town, and it also has one of the most heartwarming stories to back it up. The Tran family opened up St. Louis‘s first Vietnamese restaurant 40 years ago, and it is still packed to this day. My favorite thing to order here is the chicken PHO, but every now and then, somebody suggests a new menu item, and it always blows me away how good it is.”
8396 Musick Memorial Drive, Brentwood, maileestl.com
Malinche Mexican Culinary Experience
“It feels crazy that my top two Mexican places happen to be in Ellisville, but it’s true. Malinche falls into the slightly higher end of the spectrum, and it’s great. Think excellent mezcal cocktails served alongside modern and creative food. This place is always full, so make a reservation!”
15939 Manchester Road, Ellisville, malinchestl.com
Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.
“I grew up in Washington, D.C., so when I get a taste for home blue crab, I go to Peacemaker. It’s a double nostalgic experience for me with the Benton Park location. It used to be the home of my first restaurant, Niche.”
1831 Sidney St., St. Louis, peacemakerlobstercrab.com/st-louis
Robin Restaurant
“Chef Alec Schingel has opened a fun, innovative restaurant in Maplewood. It’s so exciting to see such a creative restaurant like this come to the city. Getting a reservation might be hard, but I promise you the wait will be worth it. Come in with an open mind and you will not be disappointed.”
7268 Manchester Road, St. Louis, robinrestaurant.com
Union Loafers Cafe & Bread Bakery
“Union Loafers always nails it. Perfect pizza. Perfect bread. Perfect salad. My girlfriend and I love to come here and get the full experience, sitting at the bar with a martini, and ordering a salad and the meatballs to share. This is the spot.”
1629 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, unionloafers.com
This article appears in December 2025.