I want to give Vicia five stars, but I can't. With a restaurant this nice, and a menu this good, why offer only counter service? There's no opportunity to hear about the menu offering - you just hurry up and order. Then you fight for a seat. Then you wait to get a text to tell you the order is ready and you go to the kitchen and pick it up on a sheet tray... in melamine bowls. Knowing the lineage of the culinary team here, I was honestly disappointed. Yes - a four star review and I was disappointed; the food was spectacular and the price was unbeatable. You can eat the entire lunch menu for $30. Splurge and get a peanut butter cookie, but go in expecting more "Shake Shack" and less "Blue Hill at Stone Barns." read more

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I'm picky and spoiled after living in LA, OC, Chicago and eating in NYE, CO, ATL, Paris, Italy and Spain. It's true, I won't lie. I have high standards and am not the easiest to please - especially when it comes to cocktails. That being said, the food and the cocktails at this establishment blew me away. We tried the chefs sampler - I found all the items to be delicious (even food that I don't normally like - who knew I'd be so enamored with a fried rice dish? I normally don't touch the stuff!) But it was the craft cocktails that really blew me out of the water. Reminiscent of the craftsmanship and creativity of my favorite joints in Chicago and NYC. They made us a special cocktail for dessert called a "Milk Punch" which I've never had before and which blew me away! I'll be coming back and bringing friends so I hope they keep up the quality and creativity!! read more

These people take COVID really seriously. We were fortunate to grab a table on a lovely lawn studded with tiki lamps. We ordered a range of small plates which arrived quickly, accompanied by a tasty Pinot Gris/Blanc blend. The oysters were fresh and aromatic, and the swordfish tacos were mediocre. The chilled melon soup was interesting but not as refreshing as I had hoped. read more

First time going and decided what the heck, might as well do the chefs tasting menu since no one in town seems to be able to pull one off properly, especially now that Privado is closed. I was told I would be satiated if I added the ten dollar flat bread course, so I only assume I would have left hungry without it for that $85 price tag ($95 with the flat bread course) It's definitely peach season... peaches started the meal and finished it. Also there were peaches in between the start and finish. One thing that was cool was that half of a habanero pepper that they bred to not contain capsaicin. It looked like one of those baby orange sweet peppers you get in a pack at the grocery store, just cut in half. I think it was cut the day before or something since all the edges were dried out and disheveled looking. The radish pesto was cool. It didn't have that isothiocyanate feel to it like I would had hoped. But hot damn would I alternate that with a pint of Sabra roasted red pepper hummus and celery sticks in bed on a Saturday night while Netflix and chilling. #dreamy But the pickled shishito pepper should have just been in jardinera. On a Vinnie's Italian Beef sandwich. Eaten in a matter of minutes so you make less of a mess, or that's what you tell yourself to make yourself feel better about deep throating a footlong with a pound of shishito jardinera spilling everywhere so you can eat the spill out with a fork and call it a salad. The tomato water. It was explained that there is zero waste here. So naturally they cheese cloth the tomatoes to extrude the water. Honestly it needed a lot less salt, a lot less salt, then a lil more less salt... some Worcestershire (preferably house made), add some muddled basil or wild shiso, and 1.5oz of high quality mezcal. Oh yeah, stirred then served over crushed ice with a 1/2oz lime juice float. (Call it the Annon Y.) That grilled peach wrapped in slaughtered, salted and cured leg of omnivorous suidae, with the soy sauce thingy, was really yummy and so simple. But like really yummy. And like, really simple. Like literally take a fresh slice of peach and wrap it in the slaughtered and cured leg of a Sus and cook it quickly over extreme high heat and BAM! You go gurl! But yeah I'd eat like then of those. The melon thing on a log with goat cheese or whatever could decay and grow a fungus for all I care. Ooh like I hope it would grow some Craterellus cornucopioides! But alas, I think the log was of a conifer variety so good luck finding a black trumpet near that log. I could take it or leave it. The tomato dish with green goddess dressing was by far the best thing. Perfectly balanced. Just enough feta. How much mayonnaise was in that green goddess though?! It was like so luscious I want to bathe in it. I don't give af how many pimples I get from that whatevs just spoon feed me green goddess while I'm a green goddess bathing in green goddess. Next, I think, was a stretch on a play of the Arpège egg. The wheat berries added some texture, which was needed, but it def needed something crunchy to go with all that oozey goo inside. It was also served in a wire egg basket thing with a bunch of fake grass. The flavors were there and seemed richer than expected. It was a lush dish to say the least, just needed crunch. The cheddar brat was good! A little better than G&W's for sure. But I didn't get a Busch when I walked in. So essentially the flat bread course was a house made cheddar brat with gherkins, mustard and whatever, all deconstructed, brat left whole as a greasy wiener on the board. Yes this course was probably worth ten dollars but it didn't really fit the whole tasting menu scheme. And I would have much preferred an actual composed flatbread pizza. I guess I was just expecting a pizza but in hindsight no one ever said Pizza, just flatbread. The pork dish left a lot to be desired. The " ratatouille " didn't even taste like ratatouille. I couldn't tell if those baby infant chunks of dice were peppers, onions, eggplant... tomato.... hell maybe even peaches? It was like an oil cured tomato salsa that you would probably put on a pizza with pineapple. " Do YoU pUt PinNabBle oN PizZaZ?! " OMG that's what the flatbread course needed!! Pineapple salsa! Just deconstruct it into what appears to be canned pineapple with a whole piece of Italian flat leaf parsley and then like I dono a pearl onion cooked in its own juice. Also, I had to cut my review short because apparently there's a text limit so no review of the dessert I guess?! I'd go back maybe in the winter to see some more heartier dishes, but, we'll see. read more

This visit was to celebrate a birthday, and we went with the Chef's Tasting Menu. (Years ago we had a Chef's tasting menu, provided by Masaharu Marimoto, better known as the Iron Chef.) Vicia provided us an adventure. We started with an array of little things - all of them very tasty, we then went to bowl-based things, then went to firepit to work our way through various condiments to go on a fire-cooked flatbread, then back to the table for roasted things, and finally dessert. We learned that freshly-harvested garlic tastes amazing, we learned that soft-cooked scambled egg tastes amazing, we learned that you can make ketchup out of red cabbage....every thing we were served was a revelation. And, sorry, Masaharu Marimoto, Vicia's Chef's Tasting Menu is now our favorite. read more

Amazing tasting menu! My boyfriend and I have several allergies and dietary restrictions which sometimes gives us less options at a restaurant like this, but they were extremely accommodating. We had a spectacular beet steak and local tempura mushrooms with lime. Everything was awesome, but those are the two that stood out to me the most. We also did the elevated wine pairings which were spot on. Great time! read more

The food was good, the service very good, but the portions are small and you will need quite a few dishes if you are a big eater. Pork dish had a few slices of meat, tasted good. Cauliflower was roasted in a large head, but it wasn't cooked enough imho, sauce was excellent with it. The polenta was excellent. Pretty space, 3 $, 4 stars. Very good, not great to me. Likely will go again, maybe if I ordered something different it would be 5 stars to me? read more

This hip and modern spot reminded us of a restaurant in Austin Texas by the name of Odd Duck. Vicia is great!. We liked virtually everything we had to eat. Our favorites were the potato pizza and the turnip tacos.When they brought out the pizza, my comment was "that's it?" It was about 4 inches in diameter and looked very humble. But wait, take a bite and you will fall in love. The crust was made of crunchy scalloped potatoes. This was followed by whipped ricotta and topped by pickled green tomatoes. Sopressata was served on the side. Very creative and most delicious. Likewise the tacos were amazing. Instead of the usual corn shell, the shell was a thinly sliced turnip. We built the insides ourselves from An interesting variety of things brought out to us on a platter. We loved the fig cocktails. The bread with various toppings was delicious, but we thought it was rather steeply priced at $12. Radishes were one of the least expensive items on the menu but were very enjoyable. Prosciutto wrapped sunchokes were very good. The only entrée we tried was beets made to look like beef. We applauded the chefs creativity, but it wasn't our favorite dish. We joked that maybe Oprah has this kind of food every night made at her place. I think I could go vegetarian if it was this good. read more

Vicia was an interesting choice for dinner. After wanting to try it for a while now, I have to admit I was a little disappointed. The restaurant decor was the highlight of the experience but the food left a lot to be desired. It almost feels as if they're trying too hard to provide an artistic experience which lead to a lack of flavor and ingenuity somewhere along the way. The staff is great and will provide all the information you need to decide what to order, even if it's not worth it. read more

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Atmosphere is everything and this place has that down. The beautiful plants surrounding you and the candles with a rustic feeling, a site to see. We all got cocktails and they all had a unique twist but we agreed some of the best. For appetizers we got a cheese board...wow...I didn't know cheese boards could be that delicious. Then we had some fried carrots and turnip tacos. The tacos were hands down some of the best, the turnip is the taco shell...how clever. Great for anyone looking for fresh, Whole and delicious food read more

This review may go up after another visit (this weekend), but my first visit with my wife was great. I loved the space itself . . . the outdoor seating area was great and the interior is cool and lively. The Food was definitely fantastic. Service was also excellent. Looking forward to a return visit this weekend. read more

Even if you cannot be seated immediately or you don't like your seat, please be kind with the hosts. Tara and Michael (the owners) don't pay the hosts very much, despite expecting quite a lot from them. read more

Absolutely outstanding experience. One of the best experiences I've had dining and I don't say that lightly. I live in Chicago and I'm from St. Louis originally and this restaurant just completely wow'ed me. Chicago food scene is supreme, but this food at Vicia was unmatched. It was so fresh in comparison to Chicago and you can tell that it really was farm to table quality. Chicago things are typically flown in and this was just so fresh and also very well done. I'm shocked that this type of place made its way to at Louis and I hope it stays!! They also served us a wine pairing with our food which was almost as great as the food. TThe price for the quality of food is extremely reasonable. The service was also top tier. So many people working and knowledgeable about everything. They were even able to curate a gluten free menu for me since I'm celiac. I also loved how bright and airy everything was. Most places are so dark and serious for dinner and this felt so fresh and relaxing. I will absolutely be returning. Try everything! read more

Clearly, much thought, effort and care is taken on menu creation. Ingredients are sourced locally and kitchen is doing really sophisticated work. It is an impressive array of delicious offerings. Vegetables are the primary concern, but the kitchen also prepares fresh bread every day. Highlights - wood grilled mushrooms, vegi platter with a dazzling selection of dips (pesto, lardo, hummus and goat cheese). Very tasty cocktails. AMAZING goose eggs with spring peas served in the shell. Mushroom tacos served in a turnip shell. Lowlights - the bar is very slow to get drinks out. The grilled peach dessert had overtones of the meat that had been grilled on the fire before it. The amount of vegis on the platter to go with are dip seemed a little skimpy. But my biggest gripe about this otherwise sophisticated and care-crafted dining experience is the sound in the room. The room, while beautiful and full of STL's beautiful people, is as loud as bombs and our 4 top could barely hear one another. Curtains, or ceiling baffles - something!- are really needed. read more

Nice location with great ambience. Food presentation was good but quality was above avg.

Amazingly good food that is "vegetable forward" but not vegetarian, mostly locally sourced - many dishes do have meat in them, but you could get a vegetarian meal. Service was top notch. There's an open kitchen and we noted that the chefs all look very young, but confirmed that they're not students, just early in their careers. Given the food and presentation and watching them work as a team, these folks will be super stars, so keep an eye on them. We had the farmers' table prix fixe meal and it was a steal at $55. I had the wine pairing for another $25, received 2 excellent wines, with great presentation and discussion with the sommelier. One was an Austrian white from the Ott family (making wine for 5 generations) and the other an Oregon Pinot from Christopher. Both were generous pours and given the quality and service this was also a great value. I've had the good fortune to eat at several Michelin starred restaurants in the US and Europe and many other excellent meals from highly ranked chefs. This was a top 10 lifetime meal! They had a James Beard award on the wall, I believe from 2018. In summary, I can't wait until the next time I'm in St Louis and have time (and money) to go back. Highly recommend for a special dinner! read more

Very pleasant experience, great for date night. Super classy. Very interesting choices and variety, we had a really fun time. Staff is knowledgeable about pairings and the explanations of the dishes were very informative. We had an awesome night and can't wait to come back!!! read more

My lady and I went for dinner on a special occasion. I highly recommend doing the Chef's Tasting. We had 4 savory rounds of all kinds of different food to try and finished with a desert. As each round was brought to the table we had an array of items and flavors, were throughly explained with delivery. The unique cocktails accompanied nicely and service fell into the background as everything was gracefully taken care of around us. The second round was especially nice; we met Chef Michael by a open fire stove just outside and he explained our ingredients while cooking them in the flames before our eyes. The use of ingredients and how the flavors were brought out impressed me and my palette. It may have just been dinner but it was a dinning experience that has changed my perspective on restaurants and food forever. read more

Exceptional food for st Louis-- or LA, New York or anywhere. Very creative, healthy dishes in a beautiful setting. We sat outside on the patio-- it was jbeautiful. The interiors were well-designed with beautiful wildflowers dotting the spaces. The patio was lined with a beautiful garden. The food was so on point. The best meal I've had this year-- amazing cocktails too! read more

Went in last week by myself, there were TWO bartenders (no other guests at the bar). Neither of them barely gave me the time of day. ZERO personality. When you're spending $120 + tip Maybe engage with your guests a bit, offer some insight on dishes, etc. especially at the bar. The food was just ok, WAY overhyped read more

Best birthday dinner evah! We had the multi-course extravaganza paired with wine. It was out of this world...we started with two wonderfully crafted botanical cocktails-blackberry shrub with white port, gin syrup tonic and mint and the chamomile infused gin with elderflower. Next an amuse bouche followed by lots of lovelies including a reconstructed kale salad that came with tiny scissors so you could lop off leaves from its artfully displayed stalk looking like a palm tree. I'm not doing this justice, but it was clever. Grilled nectarines with prosciutto = a taste sensation. It was a palette parade of tantalizing sensations! read more

Vicia - New American Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Absolutely beautiful food. Great atmosphere . We went for lunch and ordered at the counter and had three different menu items. Sooo incredibly yummy but huge portions! Two would have been enough but now that I know what I like ....... everything was superb! read more

In St. Louis to visit Grandkids. We had a date lunch at Vicia's (our kids were not out of school until 3ish). Another great meal. Our favorite were the tartine (summer squash, tomato sofrito, whipped ricotta, basil on porridge bread. Close second was a chilled sweet corn soup with a charred vegetable mole. We enjoyed the frittata (red pepper, potato & leeks). The Grains dish was good, but we had been spoiled by the earlier plates. A definite return, but for dinner next time for a broader menu offering. read more

I absolutely love this place! Everything is impeccable! Have been a multiple times and never disappoints. Every meal is absolutely delicious. I recommend the tasting menu. read more

It's hard to even know where to start when it comes to trying to explain our great meal at Vicia. Service was gracious, thoughtful and honestly just perfect. The food was better. So many restaurants talk a big game about seasonal produce but just because you have amazing fresh ingredients ... it doesn't mean you know how to use them. They do. This is a kitchen with style, grace and soul. The next day we had the leftovers as an Easter picnic and all was as good or better than the night before. Fancy gimmick kitchen food would never hold up like that. A couple days later I tried to recreate the salad course and got kudos from family for my rip off version ... besides the wonderful family memory, they taught me to be a better cook. read more

Do the farmers feast. It is incredible. Perfectly portioned. You get to try a little of everything. The service was amazing. The drinks the best I've ever had in saint Louis. Just an excellent experience all around. So excited to try this place again once the menu changes. read more

Splurged on the dinner tasting menu with wine pairings. How fun to be surprised by every course. The food was creative, visually stimulating and, of course, tasty. I loved the corn tea, oysters, chicken egg and prosciutto-wrapped nectarine. The wines were varied and well-suited for the dish. A real treat to enjoy sparkling, white and red wines all with one meal. I work nearby, so look forward to trying the lunch menu sometime. read more

An experience like no other that I have experienced in St. Louis. The attention to detail in everything that was brought to our table this evening was mind-blowing! A dear friend and I decided to do the Chef Creations tonight, and I'm glad we did. It was like going on a food journey. Everything from the cocktails, selected craft beers, and the fantastic small plates executed perfectly. Service was phenomenal. The care that Vicia takes in their fresh farm-to-table approach to every meal was exceptional. Thank you, Vicia and the entire staff for a truly magical evening! read more

There are no words...one of the most outstanding meals and experiences that I have ever had. New and exciting flavors, fabulous presentation, and a truly rad atmosphere. This experience was such a special treat! read more

Went here for our 1st wedding anniversary for a celebratory dinner and it did not disappoint! Atmosphere and decor are amazing and we sat near the kitchen where we could watch the hustle and bustle of the dinner line! We started with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, the Maine Peekytoe Crab Salad & Mushroom Kohlrabi Tacos for an appetizer. Next I ordered the Stone Ground Polenta for my entree while my husband got the Grassfed Beef, both were perfect! It was the perfect amount for two people and the plating and presentation were beautiful. Our waiter was knowledgeable and kind, he even brought us a cute assortment of desserts to end the night / celebrate our wedding anniversary. I would highly encourage other customers to try the Chef Tasting menu, I think it was $85. The table next to us got this and it looked like a blast, we plan to do it next time. FINAL THOUGHTS: There is a reason this place is making national headlines, it is a fast rising start in the STL food scene! read more

Vicia is regarded by some as the best, most interesting restaurant in the St. Louis area. I think that is a defensible opinion. The food and the service are first-rate. We had the three-course, family-style dinner which enabled us to try a lot of dishes, and they were all interesting and tasty. However, there was no coherence to the experience at all, just a jumble of tasty flavors. Unlike other top St. Louis restaurants, I did not find one dish I thought was a true standout. Vicia's kitchen shows impressive technical skill, but it's more like a great magic show than a great play. read more

The beef had rich full flavor. The burrito stuffed with polenta with a squash sauce.was a terrific twist. The ice cream sandwich an excellent finish. The venue has an open fresh feel to it. read more

Outstanding food. Chef Gallina may have the best restaurant in town. Would recommend for lunch or dinner for any occasion. read more

Can we say a culinary journey? We can. Great food. Really delicious. First time there and I was impressed. Will certainly be back. Good service and a great place for a business lunch. Was there for a lunch hosted by the British Government and we experienced a sampling of everything. Two thumbs up for certain. read more

The atmosphere is beautiful, earthy & cozy. The Zucchini Steak and King Mushroom plates were savory, amazing, flavorful & left me not feeling sorry I skipped the meat tonight. The made from scratch mint ice cream was much smaller portion size than I expected but it was yummy and refreshing. Be sure to make a reservation. There were no tables available today but luckily we grabbed a seat at bar. read more

Vicia - New American Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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Were we on an episode of Punked? The experience we had at Vicia on Thursday night cannot be what other diners are having. It was one of my worst dining experiences ever. We made reservations months ago for 3 couples to celebrate the holidays. We decided on the tasting menu with wine pairings, go all out at the number one restaurant in St Louis with national acclaim. This ended up being an over $900 mistake. The food was sparse, poorly cooked, and unimpressive. The wines were marginal at best. One course I could have pulled out of my home kitchen with minimal effort, another was mainly bland raw vegetables that were too large to eat in one bite, yet were very difficult to cut with the utensils provided. The third course was a slice of cabbage that had been grilled briefly with a side of some sort of yogurt sauce. Bland and it probably cost less than a dollar. Didn't we order the $85 5 course tasting? The pork course contained some of the toughest meat I've ever been served. Two of the 3 preparations were inedible and I left on my plate. Then we were given a menu outlining a cheese course that would be an additional cost if we chose to have it. Really? We had a party of 6 doing the chefs tasting menu with wine and 3/4 of the way thru a most unimpressive meal you want me to shell out more dough? At this point we just wanted to get out of there. I seriously cannot recount a meal I have been more disappointed with. And after settling out over $300 check, my husband and I hit a drive thru on the way home. I can only hope that this was a hugely unfortunate incident, or much of the current culinary world had lost their marbles. read more

The food is incomparable -- awesome taste and presentation, along with extraordinary cocktails and a fantastic wine list. The staff has been exquisitely trained. Kyra was outstanding, as was every other person with whom we interacted. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and comfortable. I LOVE this restaurant. read more

Vicia is definitely different than your typical St Louis restaurant - and that's why you should go. We had their chef's multi course dinner where course after course was a treat for the eyes and palette. The flavors were thoughtfully composed like the dipping sauce for the deconstructed kale salad, pork belly and turnip tacos. The wine pairing was a good choice and they treated us to two different wines for each pour - 16 between the two of us on this wine tour! It's definitely a restaurant where the complex flavors and artful display is part of the experience. We'd certainly go again. read more

Had a wonderful dinner here yesterday. When I made my reservation, I called to let them know that we would be trying to get to the symphony, so they paced our 3 course farmer's feast to get us out quickly. Our waitress, Kayla (I think), was super friendly and seemed excited about the food she was serving us. The food was very good. The potato pizza, fried rice, and the roast beef with carrot puree, and the really simple field greens salad were the outstanding dishes for us. We did bartender's choice for cocktails and loved all of the drinks. The Farmer's Feast format is really cool. A good sampling of all of the small plates, entrees served family style, and a dessert to split. We will be back! read more

Vicia provided the best dining experience that I have ever had in St. Louis! It is new and trendy, sure. However, what really sets it apart is its unique philosophy: vegetable-forward. This separates it from the majority of steakhouse-type and Italian restaurants that seem to dominate the city's food system, but it also separates it from the vegetarian and/or vegan restaurants (of which by my experience, serve somewhat bland food). Therefore, Vicia has created this environment in which it can create exceptional dishes that are not just garden-variety (no pun intended). When we entered the building, the relaxed and creative atmosphere made me feel at ease instantly. I do not think there is a coincidence that the creativity of the food here is inspired in the same lot as the creativity that is derived in the labs in surrounding the Cortex community. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and managed to fit us in via email on an otherwise fully-booked evening. We ordered radishes with whipped ricotta and pesto as a snack, beef and greens risotto as mains, and sorbet served inside a beautiful goose egg as dessert. Every dish was exquisitely fresh. read more