Best Italian Food in St Louis Beyond The Hill: A Local's Guide
Revised July 17, 2026
Where is the best Italian food in St. Louis?
Great Italian in St. Louis reaches far beyond The Hill. The modern destinations: Pastaria (Clayton, Gerard Craft), Louie (DeMun), Acero (Maplewood, Jim Fiala), Trattoria Marcella (Southampton), and Katie’s Pizza & Pasta (Rock Hill and beyond). For pizza: Napoli Bros (coal-fired, Chesterfield), Noto (Neapolitan, St. Peters), Pizzeoli (Soulard), Fordo’s, and Farotto’s (St. Louis-style). On The Hill, the red-sauce icons Charlie Gitto’s, Zia’s, and Cunetto endure. And don’t skip toasted ravioli — the fried-ravioli appetizer St. Louis invented.
Keep reading ↓Say “Italian food in St. Louis” and everyone pictures the same place: The Hill, the historic Italian-American neighborhood where red-sauce institutions have anchored the city’s dining scene for a century. And The Hill absolutely deserves its fame — it’s even where toasted ravioli, the breaded-and-fried appetizer St. Louis gave the world, was born.
But here’s what a lot of locals miss: some of the metro’s very best Italian food is nowhere near The Hill. There’s a James Beard-pedigreed pasta room in Clayton, an acclaimed grill-driven Italian spot in DeMun, the only coal-fired pizza oven in the region out in Chesterfield, an AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria in St. Peters, and beloved neighborhood trattorias from Maplewood to Edwardsville.
So this guide gives The Hill its due — briefly — then spends most of its time out in the rest of the metro, where great Italian is thriving in every direction. From handmade pasta to coal-fired pizza to a proper plate of t-ravs, here’s where to eat. Buon appetito.
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On The Hill: The Icons (a Quick Nod)
We can’t skip The Hill entirely — it’s the beating heart of St. Louis Italian. The red-sauce institutions still deliver: Charlie Gitto’s (a toasted-ravioli claimant), Zia’s, the old-school Cunetto House of Pasta, white-linen Dominic’s, and casual Rigazzi’s with its 32-ounce “fishbowl” beers. For a legendary sandwich, hit the Italian delis: Gioia’s (hot salami, since 1918) and Adriana’s. Consider this your Hill starter kit — then come with us to the rest of the metro, where the story gets even more interesting.
The Modern Destinations
This is where St. Louis Italian gets exciting. In Clayton, Pastaria ($$) — from James Beard-winning chef Gerard Craft — does handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza and is a genuine destination. Nearby in DeMun, Louie ($$$) is chef Matt McGuire’s acclaimed, grill-driven regional Italian — get the roast chicken. In Maplewood, Acero ($$$), from chef Jim Fiala, does refined seasonal Italian with handmade pasta. And in the Southampton area, Trattoria Marcella ($$$) has been an acclaimed modern-Italian favorite since 1995, famous for its lobster risotto. These rooms prove the metro’s best Italian isn’t bound to one neighborhood.
The Pizza Renaissance
St. Louis pizza has gotten seriously good and seriously varied. For something unique, Napoli Bros. ($$) in Chesterfield runs the only coal-fired oven in the metro, turning out blistered New Haven-style pies. For certified Neapolitan, Noto ($$) in St. Peters fires AVPN-approved pizzas in a 1,000-degree oven, and Onesto (Princeton Heights) and Pizzeoli (Soulard, with a strong vegan menu) do wood-fired Neapolitan in the city. From Gerard Craft, Fordo’s Killer Pizza does sourdough wood-fired pies at City Foundry and the Grove. And for the true local style — thin, crackery crust and Provel cheese — Farotto’s in Rock Hill has done St. Louis-style pizza since 1956. Whatever your pizza religion, the metro has a church for it.
Modern & Wood-Fired: Katie’s and Beyond
One local success story deserves its own spotlight: Katie’s Pizza & Pasta ($$), the modern wood-fired pizza-and-pasta favorite that started in Rock Hill and grew to Town & Country and Ballpark Village. It’s polished, consistent, and a reliable crowd-pleaser for a night out. Also worth knowing: the Napoli Group’s newest room, Napoli Kirkwood, brings pasta, steak, and Napoli Bros pizza to Kirkwood. These are the modern, approachable rooms that have broadened what St. Louis Italian can be — a long way, in the best sense, from the checkered-tablecloth stereotype.
Neighborhood Red-Sauce & Sicilian
Sometimes you just want a candlelit plate of pasta and a basket of bread. In Clayton, Cafe Napoli ($$$) has done casual-elegant red-sauce and veal since 1989. Near SLU in Midtown, Vito’s ($$) does Sicilian-style pizza and arancini. In Lafayette Square, Eleven Eleven Mississippi ($$$) leans rustic Tuscan and Northern-Californian. And out in Ballwin, Candicci’s ($$) and Marcella’s Mia Sorella ($$) (from the Trattoria Marcella family) keep West County in handmade pasta and veal. These are the reliable, warm, order-the-special neighborhood spots.
St. Charles County & the Metro East
The suburbs and the Illinois side hold real Italian gems. In St. Peters, Noto (above) leads on pizza, while old-school Pio’s (open since 1958) and the Main Street red-sauce spots keep St. Charles fed. Across the river in Edwardsville, Sugo’s Spaghetteria ($$) does scratch Sicilian and Northern Italian with Neapolitan pizza, Mio Osteria ($$) is a top-ranked neighborhood spot, and Bella Milano and Peel Wood Fired Pizza cover Edwardsville and O’Fallon IL. In Belleville, Mungo’s ($$) has done neighborhood red-sauce since 1983. Eastsiders and St. Charles folks don’t need to cross into the city for great Italian.
Toasted Ravioli: The St. Louis Original
No St. Louis Italian guide is complete without toasted ravioli — breaded, deep-fried ravioli sprinkled with Parmesan and served with warm marinara for dipping. It was invented on The Hill in the 1940s, most tellings say by accident (a cook dropping ravioli into hot oil instead of boiling water). Exactly who did it first is unsettled — the kitchen that’s now Charlie Gitto’s, the old Oldani’s, and Mama’s on the Hill all lay claim — so the honest version is “born on The Hill, with several restaurants claiming credit.” You’ll find “t-ravs” on menus all over the metro now, and a dedicated specialist, STL Toasted, does nothing but (in the former Mama Toscano’s ravioli space and at City Foundry). Order a plate as your table’s opening move — it’s the most St. Louis way to start an Italian meal.
What St. Louis Italian Does Best
A few genuine strengths define the scene. Toasted ravioli, of course, is the hometown original. Red-sauce classics — spiedini, veal, pasta with a Sunday gravy — are a Hill birthright echoed metro-wide. The modern pasta and pizza movement (Pastaria, Louie, Acero, Katie’s) has genuinely raised the ceiling. The metro’s pizza range is remarkable: Neapolitan, coal-fired, sourdough, Sicilian, and the local thin-crust-and-Provel style all in one region. And the Italian delis (Gioia’s, Adriana’s) make some of the best sandwiches in town. Few cuisines here offer this much depth across this many price points and neighborhoods.
Understanding St. Louis-Style Pizza
Since it comes up constantly, it’s worth explaining the hometown pizza style. St. Louis-style pizza has an ultra-thin, crackery, unleavened crust cut into squares (the “tavern cut”), and it’s topped with Provel — a distinctly local processed cheese blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone that’s gooey, buttery, and low-melting. It’s polarizing (people from elsewhere often don’t get it; St. Louisans grew up on it and adore it), and Imo’s is the famous chain, but spots like Farotto’s make excellent versions too. Whether you love it or not, trying a Provel square is part of understanding St. Louis food culture. It sits happily alongside the metro’s Neapolitan and coal-fired pies — this is a city with room for every kind of pizza.
Great for Date Nights & Family Gatherings
Few cuisines suit an occasion as well as Italian. For a date night, the modern destinations — Pastaria, Louie, Acero, Trattoria Marcella — bring candlelight, a great wine list, and handmade pasta worth lingering over. For a family gathering, the red-sauce houses on and off The Hill are built for it: big shareable platters of pasta, veal, and spiedini passed around a long table, with plenty for everyone and prices that don’t punish a crowd. And for a casual group, a wood-fired or coal-fired pizza night is a foolproof crowd-pleaser. Italian is the metro’s great connector cuisine — equally at home for a romantic dinner for two or a noisy table of twelve.
How to Order Like a Regular
A few tips to eat well. Start with toasted ravioli — it’s the local move, and a good plate is a fine test of a kitchen. For a special night, book Pastaria, Louie, Acero, or Trattoria Marcella and order the handmade pasta. For pizza, decide your mood — blistered Neapolitan (Noto, Pizzeoli), coal-fired (Napoli Bros), or a crackery Provel square (Farotto’s) — they’re different pleasures. At the red-sauce spots, the spiedini and the veal are classics for a reason. And grab a Gioia’s hot salami sandwich for lunch at least once. Spread your Italian eating across the whole metro and you’ll discover it’s far bigger than one famous neighborhood.
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Italian is the deepest, most beloved cuisine in St. Louis — and it lives in far more places than one famous hill. For the bigger picture, see our guide to the best restaurants in St. Louis — then go get yourself a plate of handmade pasta, a blistered pizza, and a starter of t-ravs. The best Italian food in this metro honors The Hill’s traditions and reaches far past them — into Clayton, Maplewood, St. Peters, Edwardsville, and every neighborhood with a family kitchen and a pot of gravy on the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is toasted ravioli a Missouri thing?
Very much so — toasted ravioli is a St. Louis original, invented on The Hill (the city’s Italian-American neighborhood) in the 1940s. It’s so tied to St. Louis that many visitors have never heard of it, while locals treat it as a standard appetizer. Though chains have since spread it more widely, breaded-and-fried “t-ravs” with marinara remain a signature of St. Louis Italian dining.
How do you eat toasted ravioli?
Toasted ravioli is finger food, served as a shareable appetizer. Each breaded, deep-fried ravioli is usually sprinkled with grated Parmesan and served hot with a side of warm marinara (and sometimes meat sauce) for dipping. You simply pick one up, dip it, and enjoy it in a bite or two. Order a plate for the table to start an Italian meal — it’s the classic St. Louis opener.
What sauce do you eat with toasted ravioli?
Warm marinara is the traditional and by far the most common dipping sauce for toasted ravioli, often with a dusting of Parmesan on top. Some restaurants also offer a meat sauce or a spicier arrabbiata. The tangy tomato sauce cuts through the rich, crispy, fried coating perfectly. At St. Louis spots, marinara comes standard — but it’s always fine to ask what dipping options the kitchen offers.
What is St. Louis-style pizza?
St. Louis-style pizza has a very thin, crispy, cracker-like crust (made without yeast), is cut into small squares known as the “tavern cut,” and is topped with Provel cheese rather than mozzarella. The result is crunchy, rich, and distinctly local. Imo’s is the best-known chain, but spots like Farotto’s make it too. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it style that St. Louisans are fiercely fond of.
What is Provel cheese?
Provel is a processed cheese unique to St. Louis — a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone with a low melting point, giving it a gooey, buttery, almost creamy texture and a mild, smoky-tangy flavor. It’s the signature cheese on St. Louis-style pizza and shows up in local Italian salads and sandwiches too. You won’t find it in most other cities, which makes it a true St. Louis culinary fingerprint.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.