I was looking for someplace new for lunch and a friend recommended, Cafe Nova. When I lived in STL,…read moreI drove by numerous times and always told myself I needed to check it out. Well, I no longer live in STL and I am finally checking it out. Now that I have, I am pissed at myself that I didn't try it sooner. I stopped by for lunch and enjoyed a Nova Gyro that was served with a side of fries. For a minimal up-charge, I had them add Feta Cheese to mine. When the Gyro arrived, it was super huge. It was so big, I could hardly pick it up to take a bite. I ended up eating part of it as a salad with a fork until I could finally pick it up and eat it like a true Gyro. The gyro meat was well seasoned and tender. It was smothered in their house made tzatziki sauce and wrapped in a warm Pita. The toppings were plentiful and they were; sliced red onion, shredded crisp lettuce, cucumbers and vine ripe tomatoes. Adding the Feta Cheese, was a wise move. It added, an extra Greek kick to the Gyro. My glass of Pinot Grigio was a perfect accompaniment to my lunch. With it being super huge, I took a third of it home and made a salad out of it for dinner. The only negative, is their take home vessels are styrofoam and not eco-friendly. The service was attentive and friendly. My server was training a new gentleman and think he's going to do a great job. I'm already thinking about a return visit, because I need to try the baklava. When: February 26, 2026 Why: Lunch in the Big City

I have been going to Cafe Nova for years and have seen it expand from a small little spot to all…read morethe lovely additions they have added. The new outside patio is great in the summertime. I mostly order to go from here however (especially in the winter) as their inside dining is a little smaller. The food is always consistently good and their Caprese is one of my favorites in STL. The family that owns it is always so nice (especially the mom and son) so I love supporting this small business. If you are a coffee lover they have the best Arabic style coffee and flavors that are worth going for on their own.

I had the breakfast special and it was absolutely fantastic. Even the scrambled eggs were…read moredelicious! They were fluffy and moist and you could tell that it was real egg. The potatoes were cooked perfectly with lots of flavor and that Belgium waffle Yum Yum Yum!! Our server was great. She was very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed multiple times during our dining experience. The ambience is very inviting and clean. One of the things I loved most were the pictures of old sports areas from St. Louis

Saw a recommendation for BC and wife and I thought we'd stop by on Tuesday morning. There was no…read morewait, although the restaurant was full. FOOD-Omelettes were that, actual real omelettes not scrambled eggs with varied ingredients! My chorizo omelette was delicious. Chorizo was flavorful, I may nah e wanted more spice/hear, but float was there! Potatoes were cooked nicely. Wife's avocado omelette was also tasty as we're here potatoes. Wife also had a plain pancake which was a towering height and yummy. I had the Harvest waffle with bananas and strawberries. Again, flavorful waffle and the fruit was fresh and tasty too. We love coffee and the blend at Breakfast Corner is delightful! SERVICE-Sierra was wonderful. Gave us time to peruse the menu and took our orders. Coffee refill was timely and we kept the pot! Although the restaurant was full, food came out relatively quickly and hot. Management/ownership could be seen assisting with order deliveries and extra smiles...always a good sign! AMBIANCE-Space is brightly colored, has tasteful lighting fixtures, and the huge black and white St. Louis prints on the walls are a very nice touch! Overall noise level was good and we could take at a conversational level with ease. OVERALL-Our dishes were delightful and make us want to be back to try more items. Service was wonderful and also makes us want to be back. Happy to have found a new breakfast/brunch spot! Thank you!

I've always wanted to try a ramen bar like this and it is awesome!! Love the atmosphere and the…read morefood is delicious!! Service is fast and friendly!! Would highly recommend!!

Incredible. So good. Highly recommend. The food and service is both great and friendly!read more

Lovely place as always. Affordable prices, unique food and great customer service. Was offered a…read morefree coffee while I awaited my pick up.

One of the best kept secrets in South City! Great breakfast and lunch. Everything is homemade. Nice…read moreowners. People wait in line at the other end of the block for breakfast at Hatch'd.They don't know what they're missing here. It's very under assuming from the outside so it's easy to drive past and not know what it is.

What a cute cafe! Super clean inside with amazing prices. Stopped in to try a matcha. The quality…read morewas okay, still had a bit of an aftertaste but the brown sugar syrup was fabulous! I also loved that they had ready made flower bouquets to buy from a separate seller! Definitely will come back to try a coffee next time.

I enjoyed the coffee more than the matcha here, I am more of a matcha person though. I like that…read morethey are open until later which is great for studying. The staff is really nice and friendly and the drinks are made quickly. It does get a bit busy and seats fill up but it's a big space. I believe they have people play music in there sometimes too.

Came here for brunch. Was seated right away on the patio. It was a bit chilly but they had heaters…read moreand blankets which was much appreciated. Service was quick and our waiter was nice and knowledgeable. Very friendly. I go a coffee and my "friend" got a mimosa. We got the buttermilk biscuits to share and I got the breakfast sandwich. Everything was so delicious. I accidentally dropped my fork on the patio floor and it fell through a crack in the wood and I was too embarrassed to say anything. Everything was amazing and I would love to come back and try some new things like the delicious looking baked goods.

I don't think I will ever stop talking about this dinner. I always knew Russell's was good, but…read morethis was next level. When I saw their post about the "cold weather comforts," I knew I had to go. We each did the pre fixe dinner- this included a salad, entree and dessert. Each. The chicken pot pie soup was not included, but was worth it. This soup--one of the best things I have ever eaten. I was speechless eating it. I had to text multiple people mid soup to tell them about it. The chicken was flavorful, and huge pieces. The soup itself was so delicious. It felt like a warm hug. I ordered the cottage pie. So delicious and hearty. The braised short rib was so tender. The potatoes were perfectly whipped. I cannot wait for the leftovers. My friend ordered the lasagna. The lamb was incredible. So hearty, and didn't feel heavy like some lasagnas can be. The serving size was huge. We will also be eating this tomorrow! Now the apple crisp. We were full by course two, but we had to dig in. It was fresh out of the oven. The vanilla bean whipped cream was so fresh and balanced out the crisp. The apples were perfectly jammy and the cinnamon was so intense but perfect. This made me feel like I was sitting in my grandma's dining room eating dessert after Sunday dinner. If you see any of these items appear on their menu, run-- and I will see you there!

Wonderful Café Loved…read morethe latte. The service was friendly and personal. This place has a unique Eastern European feel!

I'm not the best authority on coffee, but on the scale of Starbucks to Venetian cafe without a lick…read moreof English, the coffee here leans towards the latter. Decor is great, rustic brick with plenty of plants, pops of red on black with a classy black leather booth sitting area -- very cozy -- and a patio outside. I've seen reviews lambasting the smoke and some stating there's no smoke smell at all. My experience here is somewhere in the middle. If you've ever been out of country to a small local cafe, it adds to the atmosphere, but if a whiff of tobacco ruins the feel, be aware that some patrons do smoke on the patio, and the smell does drift inside. Service was very quick. I swung by because my fiber cut out at home and I wanted a place to game on a Sunday night. Don't know how relevant this is to anyone else, but the wifi here is great -- 180 MBPS and stable. Barista was very friendly and told me to get comfy with my setup. Owner peeked in to say "Oh we have a DJ!" Seems like a charismatic guy, he was out there entertaining the regulars for quite some time. Otherwise didn't bother me, which I appreciated. Over all a great local place. $8 gets you a quality drink and quality company if you're for that, and quality wifi if you're not. 10/10 introvert recommended, would come back even without my fiber going out.

What an amazing place!…read more The food was WAY better than expected - soo good!!! Loved the gluten free bread and portion size for gluten free. The ability to be around a bunch of dogs while eating our lunch was AWESOME. Everyone was so nice and the ordering area had a bunch of cute stuff you could get! Can't wait to come back and wish I would have come sooner!

Adorable dog-friendly café with a great vibe. Friendly staff, comfy space, and a perfect stop for…read morecoffee + a snack with your pup. We'll be back!

I've come here multiple times to study with friends and it's become a go to spot. When you walk in…read morethere's a market in the front with a deli and food you can order, which I love because it's nice having options beyond just coffee. I've ordered drinks and the mushroom sandwich, both really good and reasonably priced. We tried to get the cheeseboard too but it was sold out, which was a little sad but just means I have a reason to come back and try it. The coffee is solid as well, no complaints there. For studying, the space is really great. Good amount of tables, enough room to spread out, and there are charging ports which is a non negotiable for a long study session. The workers are friendly too. Oh and there's an ice cream shop attached to it. It's such a well rounded spot, whether you're coming to grab a quick bite, study for a few hours, or treat yourself to ice cream after. Highly recommend!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

We met another family here for a Sunday brunch. It's a cool spot with a bright, chill vibe and lots…read moreof seating, including a great outdoor patio. The food was delicious as well, we each got a variety of hot and baked goods. My quiche was yummy and the chocolate chip cookie was delish as well. My kids liked the plain avocado toast and breakfast burrito. You go to a counter and order and they package it to go. The line was long and it was a little confusing with different counters giving you different things (coffee drinks, non coffee drinks and food). You seat yourself, we initially were asked to move from sitting in an outside space that apparently was connected to another restaurant. So we had to find and put together another table for 7. This wasn't the most conducive for eating with little kids nor groups. I probably wouldn't return with little ones or a big group, but it would be great for a solo brunch or small group of adults!

What a wonderful experience I had at Mountain House Cafe. The owner was the kindest person and very…read morewelcoming. He made sure that our pup was taken care with a water bowl and treats. This places outdoor patio is relaxing and the atmosphere is very welcoming. I got the strawberry honey matcha and it was perfect. I highly recommend.

What a gem! It's like a window into the streets of Europe. The croissants are so amazing. Only…read morecomparable to a Europe coffee shop and then found out they are actually flown in from France. We were told by the owner that all pastries are organic farm.to table. The coffee and service was great! They have nice seating inside and some small tables outside. They even have a dog wash station outside. Fantastic find and will be stopping by on a regular basis when in STL.