The Best Soul Food Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri

Jo Ann Brown
Soul food has a special ring and tone. When people think of soul food, their mouths water for down-home cooking, the kind that mama makes. Visions of collard greens, candied yams, fried chicken, and sweet potato pies dance in their head. Chain restaurants don't offer these choices and their mimicked replicas don't come close to satisfying a craver's taste buds for soul food.

Whenever you want to celebrate Christmas in July with a big meal the first thing you think of is soul food. No big meal is complete without the healthy portions of collard greens and home made macaroni and cheese. When you have this desire and you don't feel up to the shopping and preparation for it, you'll find plenty of Soul Food Restaurants in St Louis MO.

Pork chops and liver smothered in brown gravy, beef short ribs, and fried chicken are almost standard menu items at St Louis's Soul Food Restaurants. Some of the restaurants advertise Sara Lou style shrimp. That just means their big and good. You see, Sara Lou is a yardstick to measure the quality of your shrimps. It's all about a St Louis legend.

People forget about their nutri-system diets, exercise programs, and New Year's resolutions to loose weight, when they dine at a Soul Food Restaurant. Eating healthy is not a consideration when it comes to making the collard greens right. Everybody wants a little fat added for seasoning. Eating small portions is not a consideration either. This meal is for the hearty robust appetite.

The Soul Food Restaurants in St Louis understand that. They'll give you hearty portions at a very reasonable price. Your belly won't growl for days, especially if you get one of the deserts. Peach cobbler and sweet potato pies were invented in St Louis. They're the best.

So visitors, when you have to spend time in St Louis stop by any soul food restaurant. You can dine-in or carry-out. Here's a short list to get you started:

Brown Suga's - 12675 New Halls Ferry

Del Monico's Diner - 4909 Delmar

Jadens's - Martin Luther King

Sweetie Pie's (2) locations - 9841 W. Florissant Ave.

4270 Manchester

The menus will also include some Bar-b-que, fish, and tripe. St Louis Soul Food Restaurants serve lunch crowds. Going back to work on a full stomach would surely make someone loose their job. People just can't seem to stay awake after a big meal. Some of the best fish can be found at any of Pot nar's 4 locations:

6841 Olive Blvd

6811 Parker Rd

13076 New Halls Ferry Rd

9987 Lewis and Clark Blvd

If you want to have a cocktail and shrimp, try Playboy Cappuccino on Broadway. Shrimp is their specialty. They don't advertise Sara Lou style but it is a St. Louis favorite.

Published by Jo Ann Brown

Her professional career includes being an Auditor for the Federal Government, a Small Business Owner, and an Independent Insurance Broker.   View profile

7 Comments

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  • Phyllis Jones 1/18/2011

    Please who ever can give me inffo about where I can get some shrimp even close to the ones at the old Sarah Lou,s let me know.They were the best in the world,and the tarter sauce and coleslaw was perfect.It was to die for. No eatery in the city can beat their shrimp

  • LL 1/18/2011

    Since Soul Food comes from southern mostly African-American culture, are people of other races welcome in Soul Food restaurants?

  • rita brown 9/22/2010

    i would like recipe for sara lou fried shrimp in st louis mo

  • PAT B. 9/22/2010

    I WOULD LIKE HELP IN FINDING THE RECIPE FOR THE FAMOUS SARA-LOU SHRIMP. PLEASE HELP

  • Mary M. 11/12/2009

    I was a big fan of the original Sara Lou's shrimp and long for a recipe so I can try to duplicate it...I miss it a lot!
    We used to go get dozens of them...I also loved the Tartar Sauce...Help someone! I just want to taste it again and I'm in SF now so never in Saint Louis to even try it anywhere! Thanks, Mary

  • Kenya 8/12/2008

    Great choices for delicious food.However I was a fan of Sara Lou's but Playboys' shrimp are even bigger & better!A must have!!

  • Willard 8/11/2008

    Jo Ann
    The next time I come through St. Louis I will definitely be dining at one of those fabulous soul food restaurants.
    In fact, I'll be traveling through St. Louis in 1-1/2 months.
    You make me wish I was dining at one tonight.

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