ST. LOUIS — You don't have to travel far to find the best food in the Midwest. Some of the region's best eateries are located in the St. Louis area, according to crowd-sourced review platform Yelp.
Using reviews published between January 2021 and May 2023 for restaurants across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Yelp created its Top 100 Midwest Restaurants 2023 list. St. Louis claimed nine restaurants on the list, including the top spot!
Blues City Deli, located at 2438 McNair Ave., was rated the No. 1 restaurant in the Midwest for its exceptional sandwiches. Each day, a line of customers stretches out the door of the Benton Park shop for sandwiches made using high-quality ingredients and from-scratch sauces, condiments and house-smoked pastrami, the review from Yelp said.
Malinche Mexican Culinary Experience, located at 15939 Manchester Road in Ellisville, came in at No. 3 on the list. The tiny restaurant starts every meal with complimentary "antojitos" and features a tapas-style menu. Yelp said head chef María Gutiérrez Molina makes every tortilla, and her mole recipe dates back to her great-grandmother in Ozumba.
Songbird, located at 4476 Chouteau Ave. in St. Louis, came in at No. 5 on Yelp's list for serving "the region's most perfect breakfast sandwich." The sandwich features a farm-raised fried egg and apple-smoke bacon and aged white cheddar on sourdough, finished with local honey and sea salt.
Arzola's Fajitas & Margaritas came in at No. 8 on the list. If you're a fan of fajitas, Yelp said Arzola's, located at 2730 McNair Ave. in St. Louis, is the place to go. The restaurant serves up fajita plates, fajita-stuffed burritos and fajita quesadillas with a red chile dipping sauce.
Jafra Mediterranean Restaurant, located at 3551 Veterans Memorial Parkway in St. Peters, was ranked No. 11 on the list. Enjoy baklava, chicken shawarma, meat pies and falafel dishes.
Balkan Treat Box, located at 8103 Big Bend Blvd. in Webster Groves, was rated No. 18 on the list. The restaurant serves up Balkan staples, such as pide, lahmacun, döner and ćevapi, that feel modern and relevant.
Have A Cow Urban Farm Store and Cafe, located at 2742 Lafayette Ave. in St. Louis, came in at No. 32 on Yelp's list. According to its website, Have A Cow is a community gathering place that brings together folks from all different backgrounds to enjoy burgers, sandwiches and all-day breakfast using the farm's own pasture-raised beef, raw honey and eggs.
El Jarocho Mexican Store and Taqueria, located at 25 Stonegate Center in Valley Park, was rated No. 39. The Hispanic grocery store and restaurant serves up street tacos, tortas and breakfast burritos.
J's Pitaria, located at 91 Concord Plaza Shopping Center in Sappington, ranked No. 62. Popular dishes there include the falafel sandwich, Mediterranean chicken salads, kajmak and doner salad.
Click here to see Yelp's full list.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.