What to do in St.Louis??

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wildwest450

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Ok, SWMBO and I, along with bro & sis in law are going to be in St.Louis from the 25th to the 29th, the girls are both cosmetologists and are attending a hair show. Besides the famous arch, what other cool things are there to do? We are going to the Van Halen show on Saturday night:rockin: :rockin: . Any other suggestions, beer related or not would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
I hear BierMuncher has some surplus beer.....

Perhaps HarvInSTL has some too.

Then again, BBQ comes to mind.
 
I would go here and find out where they are storing the brewer's souls.

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Seriously, if you have never toured a major brewery, you should.
 
You absolutely must go to Schlaflys (spelling). The food is great and the beers are awesome. I think the pub is called the tap room if im not mistaken. was only there once but it was good.

And yes, if you like to hear about how big ABs wiener is then go to the brewery and take the free tour. But dont ask the little hot ass chick that guides you around any questions, it makes their heads explode and they respond with things like, 1200 cases a minute, which has nothing to do with your questions but further solifys the giant wiener status.

There was a brewery in the river district that i found not all that good. but it only had one shot to impress.
 
I'll second Shlafly's. Food is excellent and the beer ain't bad either.

I visited there a few weeks ago.
 
I've been to St. Louis a couple times now. Here's a few recommendations. First off if you've never done the arch it's a must. If you're into baseball there may be a game going on next door. As far as breweries go you definately should go check out Anheuser Busch. As much crap as it gets it's a very impressive brewery in size. The tour is kinda disappointing though. (Hope you like bus rides, videos and horses) Downtown there is also the Morgan Street Brewery and the Schlafly Taproom. Personally I've not been to the taproom as I usually go to their Bottleworks facility which is just a few miles away. The tour at the Bottleworks is kinda fun as it's a good sized operation yet small enough that the tour is intimate and hands on. O'Fallon Brewing doesn't really offer tours as they are really tiny. Call ahead if you plan on going for a tasting. Oh and you have to go check out Fast Eddie's Bon Air in Alton, IL. It's a short drive but the menu is unbelievably cheap and good food. There are some other breweries in town that I've not had a chance to visit. Good luck!
 
z987k said:
I'll second Shlafly's. Food is excellent and the beer ain't bad either.

I visited there a few weeks ago.
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I'll definitely go there, I love their oatmeal stout and pale ale.

We'll probably tour AB, even though I don't drink their beer, seeing the operation would be cool.

Thanks for the tips, keep em coming. :ban:
 
I won't mention schlafly's again but you should go, good food and good beer.
There is a newish brewery in Kirkwood called Alandale.
Like Italian food? Visit "The Hill" make sure you eat at Favazzas or Charlie Gitto's. Seriously good Italian food can be found around that part of town.
Grants Farm which is owned by the Busch Family is good.
Our Zoo is one of the best in the nation and free.
Catch a Cardinals game and pay 8.50 for a glass of yellow fizzy stuff. :)
The St. Louis Art Museum is nice if you like that sort of thing.
Ride to the top of the Arch unless you are afraid of heights.
Fast Eddies does have crazy cheap good food and is a decent bar to catch a game in.
The St. Louis Science Center
Forest Park is pretty cool.
Six Flags: A great place to watch overweight rednecks in tiny t-shirts eat giant turkey legs.
The Landing down on the riverfront is where Morgan street brewery is and there are several other places to drink/party out down there.
Lukas Liquors: It's like an amusement park for beer lovers.
There is not much in the way of good BBQ, expect maybe Super Smokers out in Eureka which is about 40 minutes from downtown. There are a couple other places but hell I can make better ribs than all of them but super smokers.
 
wildwest450 said:
Does Fast Eddies have a good beer selection? How far is it from downtown?

Yeehaa, just found this http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/16915 looks like a must do. I think im gonna like St.Louis.
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Fast eddies is really a BMC joint (they used to be owned by AB back in the day) They might a few other selections but nothing as notable as the cheap good food. They are maybe 20 minutes from downtown. You could skip this and not be heartbroken.

For beer selections go to Ciceros on the Ucity Loop, it's only about 10 minutes from downtown and they have a nice selection of beers on tap and quite a few bottles too.

Also the beerfest is very close to Lukas Liqour where you can pickup just about any beer to satisfy your craving. They also do wine/beer tastings every Saturday but it wont compare to what beerfest has going on. I will be there for sure Saturday.

Another palce you might want to check for food is the Iron Barley, i havent been but saw it on the food network last week and the guys at BA seem to like it.
 
Lots of great things have already been mentioned. I always like to double mention the zoo, because IMO it is pretty freakin cool and absolutely free.

Beer wise, one place that I would not let myself pass up is Square One Brewery Go there and get a beer to your liking (which will be good) and get their pot roast (which will likely be the best you ever had).

Schalafly's is a must in STL. Personally I prefer the bottleworks location, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the tap room. And regardless of the comments, you should do the AB tour. They may not make a style of beer you like, but it is impressive to see them do the things they do. At least IMO.

Other places I would not miss out on....Riddles Penultimate Cafe, and the U-City loop in general

Riggazzis and the Hill in general

And, if you like pizza and want to eat the best pizza you ever had, go to Pizza a Go Go

Plus, you could always come out to the county and have some homebrews with Cubbies :mug:


Seriously though, have a good time and check out some of the stuff that has been recommended here.
 
Personally, I'd skip the O'fallon Brewery. I grew up in that town, and you'll end up driving at least 30 minutes just to get there and that's about all you'll do (although, should you go to O'fallon, eat at Stefanina's). Go to Cicero's!!!!! It's on the Delmar Loop in U-City. AMAZING beer menu, and they make a mean pizza!!! I swear, it's the only place in MO where I've been able to get Mardesous (sweet nectar, indeed). Plus, Vintage Vinyl is right across the street, and who doesn't like records?
 
Oh yeah! I almost forgot: boats in moats!
Gambling in riverboat casinos in the Missouri River. Also, if you head out that way, check out Old Town St. Charles; there's some pretty good restaurants down there. And Trailhead Brewery (though honestly, it's good, but not stellar).
 
Sweet! It's going to be a good trip! SWMBO wants to know if anyone's else's SWMBO's are going to the hair show? With all the good beer to drink in St.Louis I say who cares.:cross:
 
Seriously, I can't think of a restaurant with a better beer menu than Cicero's. SWMBO insists that I mention the different samplers that can be had...and their salmon pizza.
 
Doxology said:
Seriously, I can't think of a restaurant with a better beer menu than Cicero's. SWMBO insists that I mention the different samplers that can be had...and their salmon pizza.
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Seriously, after seeing the beer list we are going there. Living in beer deprived TN, I can't wait to try some different styles to see what to brew next.
 
If I remember right, their Top Shelf Sampler consists of La Chouffe (really good), Delirium Tremens (meh), Mardesous (huzzah!), and Maudite (another huzzah!).

Trying the beers there on my honeymoon was a huge part of SWMBO giving me the go ahead to start homebrewing 2 months into my marriage.
 
cubbies said:
And, if you like pizza and want to eat the best pizza you ever had, go to Pizza a Go Go
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Damn cubbies, thats pretty to close to where I work.. I will have to check that out for lunch one day. I have heard the name but never knew where it was. Thanks for the heads up.
 
No, it is not st Louis style. I don't know how to describe it. It just has to be had. I have had pizza in many different places and this seriously takes the cake. It is a small little place run by an Italian family and it is just awesome. I don't know what else to say.
 
cubbies said:
No, it is not st Louis style. I don't know how to describe it. It just has to be had. I have had pizza in many different places and this seriously takes the cake. It is a small little place run by an Italian family and it is just awesome. I don't know what else to say.
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But the question is.. Provel or Mozzarella?
 
I moved to the St. Louis area about 7 years ago. I'm still discovering new things, and haven't checked out all the city has to offer since I live 20 miles out in the boonies, but I'll chime in with a bunch of advice/links for you:

Here's a variation on a link posted earlier. It shows all the breweries, good beer stores, beer bars, and LHBSs in our fair city.
http://beermapping.com/maps/citymaps.php?m=stlouis

I give another nod to Schlafly - either the Tap Room or the Bottleworks.

I still haven't been to Square One. The Lafayette Square area is centered around a park. The surrounding streets contain not only the brewpub, but a damn good Mexican joint (Arcelia's - empanadas to die for), and Bailey's Chocolate Bar which is usually a hit with SWMBOs - tons of chocolate confections, cocktails, and a good selection of Belgian brews.

The Delmar Loop is a section of Delmar Blvd in University City (aka U-City). It's a great part of town for hanging out and people watching. There are lots of bars (including Cicero's), cafe's, restaurants, shops, Vintage Vinyl records, and the Tivoli theatre (independent cinema). Cicero's (at the western end of the Loop) is great for their beer selection. Another good spot down the street is Blueberry Hill - arguably the best burgers in town. This is where Chuck Berry plays his monthly gig. On the eastern end of the Loop (just east of Skinker) is the Pin-Up Bowl if you care to roll a few frames in a fun atmosphere. It's a cocktail lounge cum bowling alley and has some decent beer (Schlafly on tap, some New Belgiums in bottles). Good option if the weather keeps you indoors.

The Loop isn't far from Forest Park - one of the largest urban parks in the world! It was the site of the 1906 World's Fair and contains the Art Museum, several lakes, some golf courses, and miles of trails. Plenty of spots for a picnic or a nap. I work right across the street from the park and it's great to step away from the job and chill out for a while. I can't say if it's legal to drink a beer in the park, but let's just say that it has been done before. :)

Downtown isn't that great - sorry. There are a few spots where you can have fun and it's convenient to hang out there if you're going to a ballgame, but personally I'd steer you to the nearby neighborhoods of The Landing (immediately north of the Arch - lots of bars including Morgan Street Brew Pub) or Soulard (south of the Arch). Soulard contains some of the oldest residences in town and is the home of the oldest Farmer's Market west of the Mississippi. Good restaurants abound and I highly recommend Norton's Cafe if you're in a cajun mood, or McGurk's - one of the top 10 Irish Pubs in the country. And if you're in Soulard, you're just a short car ride from the A-B brewery...

Speaking of pubs, there are two great Welsh pubs in town: Llewellyn's (which has several locations) and Dressel's. In fact, they are just around the corner from each other in the Central West End neighborhood. It's fun to stumble from one to the other!
Dressel's is more quiet and subdued while Llewellyn's is very casual.

I'm gonna stop typing now but if I think of anything else I'll chime in again.

Oh - one last thing. This might be really odd to check out the night before a Van Halen show, but the most incredible ukulele player in the world will be playing on Friday the 25th. Jake Shimabukuro is his name. He doesn't sing. He doesn't have a band. He just conjures incredible sounds from his instrument - everything from fusion jazz to Beatles covers. A video of him playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps was an 'internet sensation' a few years back. When he isn't playing solo, he's a member of Jimmy Buffet's Coral Reefer Band. Just had to throw that out there - he's truly a master. Seriously - do a YouTube search... The show is at a sweet venue called Lucas School House in Soulard just a couple blocks from the aforementioned McGurk's.
 
Lived here all my life so here's my input-

Yes, Schlafly's is great! I prefer the Dry Hopped APA. It's in Maplewood.
Ball game is a great time.
My wife is a wench at The Royal Dumpe Dinner Theater on the landing. Newcastle and Bass on tap!
http://www.royaldumpe.com/ She's the one standing, second from the right.
Growlers Pub is a awesome beer joint. http://www.saucemagazine.com/growlerspub/
There's a cool Museum of Transportation. (Cars, Trains, planes, etc.)
Grants farm, The Brewery tour. All fun.
Check out this website---
www.virtualtourist.com
Lots of good info there.
 
Air Pirate said:
you know theres a reason why you can only find St. Louis pizza in St. Louis. :p
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I was so disappointed to try what passes for pizza when I moved here. Provel cheese? Do St. Louisans really believe that every other pizza making society throughout history got it wrong by using mozzarella?

I don't get out for pizza much since I haven't found a good spot. Racanelli's is OK. Where can I find some Chicago-style deep dish? Black Thorn has been recommended to me but I haven't been yet.
 
99% of places don't use real mozzarella, they used a processed mozzarella which is tasteless and bland, you might as well not put any cheese at all on it. At least Provel has flavor. And deep dish? thats not a pizza, thats a cassarole.
 
Racanelli's is great.
Try Talaynia's in West Port. Just a hole in the wall pizza joint where you can buy it by the slice.

Pizza is like any other food in any other city. Local tastes are the rule.
If you want the food that tastes the same all over try McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell.......
 
I agree dex and funny thing is I grew up in the tri state area so I raised on NY style pizza and when I moved here I was like most others and said.. wtf is this? Maybe I'm strange but I really liked the different taste and the extra crispy crusts. I also like Greek pizza which is pretty darn tasty.

Also Pizzarellis out in West County has good NY style pizza too.
 
wildwest450 said:
Is anyone else going to the beerfest? Will it be worth it. http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/16915
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Going? Yes. Worth it? Eh, that is debatable.

There is a couple of things. First of all, the vast majority of people are just there to get sauced. Not saying there is anything necessarily wrong with that, to each his own, but it takes away from it a little bit IMO.

Secondly, and I know this may sound a little contradictory to my first statement, but the glass they give you is way too small. It is like 2-3 ounces, basically a big shot glass. Normally this wouldn't bother me so much, but the lines are so long that what you have to do is get a beer, and then go drink it in the back of some other line. Again, it takes away from it a little bit.

However, there is a lot of great beers to sample, and I know that all in all I had a good time last year. If I was running it, I would offer say a 6oz glass or something like that. Something that is small enough that you can still safely sample a few different beers, but big enough that you can sit at a table with chums and enjoy yourself. Plus, I think that would help the lines some.

See ya there!
 
I'll be there, couldn't tell you if it will be worth it because I have never been. Even if its just ok, on the way back you can hit ciceros and check out their awesome beer selection.

Another thing I forgot to mention is they are having an exhibit by a french artist at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I saw a preview of the stuff and it was pretty amazing if you are into art at all.
 
Oh...and I almost forgot....The Bowling Hall of FAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone ever been there? My friends and I used to joke about it, and so I'm kinda curious...
 
Just wondered about the construction on I-64, are detours well marked, will extra travel time need to be allowed for this? Also, will anyone from HBT that is going to beerfest this Saturday please write HBT on their foreheads with a black magic marker, so I can say hey. :D I'll be the bald headed guy, with an Eskimo looking brother-in-law in tow.:ban:
 

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