Tim’s Chrome Bar makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a time capsule. The design of this revived South City staple is a ’70s-inspired maximalist masterpiece with patterns and textures everywhere: flowers on the ceiling, plaid wallpaper in one corner and orange shag carpet on the bar. The large space features plenty of tables and chairs, as well as comfy couches outfitted with vintage melamine TV trays. The food and drinks fit the theme too: After-school classics like housemade pepperoni pizza rolls with ranch for dipping are irresistible, while crab Rangoon nachos made with wonton chips, crab Rangoon filling and sweet chile sauce perfect the art of the sheet pan nacho. On the drinks side, the Gimme Gimme Gimlet with gin, strawberry, lime and edible glitter, as well as the Tim’s Punch of the Moment with vodka, Kool-Aid, citrus and a tiny scoop of sherbet, are the kind of drinks that make you lose track of place and time.
4736 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, timschromebar.com
The Sauce 75 is a photomosaic of the best in St. Louis dining. 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.
This article appears in January/February 2025.