These nine hometown family-owned restaurants offer the best of home cooking and some of the best meals you can get anywhere in St. Louis. These places offer food prepared from scratch and served by people who truly care about your dining experience. Whatever you're craving for dinner, these places serve everything from the best fried chicken in St. Louis to authentic Italian meals.
1. Cusanelli's Restaurant
Since 1954, this family-owned restaurant has been serving some of the best Italian and American cuisine you can get in South County. They are known for serving great cracker-thin St. Louis style pizza.
Cusanelli's is located at 705 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125
2. Protzel's Deli
Bob and Evelyn Protzel opened a delicatessen in 1954, and they serve the same high-quality handmade food that they have since day one. Protzel's offers many great deli choices; the chopped liver spread and corned beef are two highly-rated favorites.
Protzel's Deli is located at 7608 Wydown Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63105
3. The Best Steakhouse
The name says it all...The Best Steakhouse really does serve the best steaks around. Dean Kases opened The Best Steakhouse in 1964, but these days, his son Dean Jr. and son-in-law Phil Schreiber are keeping the grills hot. You'll get a great steak and excellent service at this family-owned restaurant.
The Best Steakhouse is located at 516 N Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103
4. Mama's On The Hill
Opened in 1939 as Oldani's, later known as Mama Campisi's and now called Mama's On The Hill, this famous restaurant is considered by some to be the birthplace of the Toasted Ravioli! The Ervin family keeps the tradition of this iconic St. Louis restaurant alive, serving all of the fantastic dishes this establishment has been known for for 78 years.
Mama's On The Hill is located at 2132 Edwards Street, St. Louis, MO 63110
5. Adriana's
Adriana's opened in 1992 and is still serving great food with caring service 25 years later. A favorite dish here is the "Mary Special," a hot roast beef on cheese garlic bread.
Adriana's is located at 5101 Shaw Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110
6. Cunetto House of Pasta
In 1972, the Cunetto family opened a casual restaurant serving outstanding Italian dishes. They are still hard at work today, creating authentic meals and serving some of the best pasta in the state.
Cunetto House of Pasta is located at 5453 Magnolia Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63139
7. Grbic Restaurant
The Grbic family serves amazing Balkan and Bosnian inspired dishes at this beautiful restaurant on Keokuk Street. Favorite dishes here are the Valdostana and the Mixed Grbic Plate.
Grbic is located at 4071 Keokuk Street, St. Louis, MO 63116
8. Concord Grill
The Concord Grill opened in 1989 and has since been a fixture in South St. Louis. Steve and Debbye Greer serve a 20 oz. pork steak and 50 different burgers... yes, 50 different kinds of burgers! You can also get pastas, salads, soups, and more at this hometown grill.
Concord Grill is located at: 11427 Concord Village Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63123
9. Gallagher's
John and Susie Gallagher opened this charming restaurant in Waterloo, Illinois in 2002. They are famous for their fried chicken, but you can't go wrong with any of the handmade dishes here.
Gallagher's is located at 114 W Mill Street, Waterloo, IL 62298.
Have you visited any of these family owned restaurants? Share your experience with us in the comments below.
Check out this Hometown Ice Cream Shop in St. Louis for handmade sweets.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!