A Food-Lover's Guide to Cherokee Street
The hottest thoroughfare in St. Louis these days is Cherokee Street, where a growing number of businesses serving the young and hip are operating alongside the neighborhood's historically Latino restaurants, butchers and bakeries. Something new seems to open on Cherokee just about every month – and on weekend nights, the party spills over into the street and doesn't stop until long after midnight.
Start with coffee, grab a sandwich and, after you've revved up your appetite again with some shopping, tuck into a giant combo platter at one of the neighborhood's beloved eateries. There's something for everyone here, and the street's human scale makes it easy to get from one end to the other – from Cherokee's intersection with Jefferson Avenue to where the business district ends near Nebraska Avenue is just four-tenths of a mile.
Bridge Bread is a bakery you can feel especially good about visiting: founded by Fred and Sharon Domke, it provides job training and employment for people dealing with housing insecurity. Here, you'll find freshly baked loaves including sourdough, light brioche, wheat and apple-cinnamon, as well as cinnamon rolls in flavors like cranberry-orange, cherry pie and quadruple chocolate. And that's not all: Bridge Bread also recently started making authentic New York-style boiled bagels.
Bridge Bread, 2604 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.296.3077, bridgebread.org
Technically, Byrd & Barrel is located just off Cherokee Street, but it's still a neighborhood fixture. The menu centers around buttermilk-brined fried chicken; you can order wings, a half bird or fried "nugz" served with dipping sauces like honey mustard, ranch, sesame aïoli or even Provel cheese whiz. Sides are equally fun, including Kool-Aid pickles, mac 'n' cheese topped with Provel bechamel and Red Hot Riplets and roasted cauliflower. Don't miss the Mother Clucker, a behemoth of a sandwich topped with fried chicken, caramelized onion, Provel, hot pepper jelly and Red Hot Riplets.
Byrd & Barrel, 3422 South Jefferson Ave., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.875.9998, facebook.com/byrdandbarrel
Nothing about the space that houses Diana's Bakery is fancy. There's no welcoming foyer or tables to settle into. In fact, if you arrive at the wrong time of day, you'll be greeted by carts full of cooling desserts and may not even be able to find the counter. But it's impossible to complain when you're contemplating those desserts! Diana's serves up one of the most extensive selections of baked goods in town. There are gorgeous tres leches cakes, cinnamon-dipped churros, sweet empanadas, bear claws, and more cookies than you could possibly eat. Who needs fancy when you could have all that?
Diana's Bakery, 2843 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.771.6959, facebook.com/dianasbakery2843
Like Taqueria El Torito, Don Carlos is the sister to a sizable retail establishment, in this case, Latino Americana Carniceria. On first glance, the restaurant is decidedly no-frills, with a simple lunch counter in a utilitarian space. But don't discount the food – or the covered patio. A sizable space featuring a concrete floor and a TV airing Spanish-language programming, it's a pleasant spot for lunch or happy hour. (And a small Margarita is just $3 from 2 to 5pm on weeknights.) The tacos here are first rate, and on weekends, you can get menudo.
Don Carlos, 2800 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.773.1707, facebook.com/don-carlos-147977198570023
Earthbound Beer got its start as St. Louis tiniest brewery, opening in a narrow, 1,000-square-foot shotgun-style space on Cherokee Street. The brewery has since expanded to an 8,000-square-foot space just down the street in the former Cherokee Brewery Co., which features a seven-barrel brewing system, 16 beers on tap and a food menu developed by Chris Bork of Vista Ramen, as well as seating for 99 inside and another 80 outside in the beer garden.
Earthbound Beer, 2710 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.769.9576, earthboundbeer.com
Still going strong after nearly 20 years, El Chico offers baked goods from giant cookies to muffins to bear claws. There's a small adjacent room with tables, chairs and a cooler of drinks if you'd prefer to linger with your dessert. Don't miss the tamales on weekends.
El Chico, 4634 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.664.2212, facebook.com/elchicobakery
It's an all-ages music venue! It's a coffee house! It's a bar! Foam has a little something for everyone. It also opens at 10am, which makes it the perfect place to start your Cherokee Street journey even if you're not a night owl. Did we mention the free Wi-Fi?
Foam, 3359 S. Jefferson St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.772.2100, foamvenue.com
Frankly Sausages now has a more permanent home: The wildly popular food truck has put down roots on Cherokee Street. In addition to the standout sausages (ranging from chicken or chile-verde to lamb and alligator) and hand-cut fries with dipping sauces, the brick-and-mortar space serves a few new shareable dishes. Look for a chicken-liver crostini and butternut squash salad, or a maple-pecan cheesecake for dessert. Don't miss the hand-cut fries with hot imported Swiss raclette on Friday and Saturday nights.
Frankly on Cherokee, 2744 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.449.1178, franklysausages.com
Cherokee Street is no stranger to taco joints, but Kalbi Taco Shack is the only one also serving Korean kalbi, Taiwanese bubble tea, Japanese teriyaki and Chinese rice bowls. The menu is infused with Asian flavors, including fish tacos paired with Asian slaw, bánh mì sandwiches and beef short rib rice bowls.
Kalbi Taco Shack, 2301 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.240.5544, kalbitacoshack.com
On a sunny day, there might be no nicer place to be in St. Louis than La Vallesana. The Cherokee Street mainstay has lots of tables in a sheltered front sidewalk area out front, and even more in the open-air patio behind the restaurant. Check out the mole verde – it's a relatively unusual menu item, even in cities with robust Mexican food scenes.
La Vallesana, 2861 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.776,4223, facebook.com/lavallesana
This corner bakery is less than a year old, but has already garnered a loyal following for its bread, pastries and other desserts. One unique treat to try here: The niño envuelto, which translates literally to "wrapped baby." It's a popular dessert in the Dominican Republic, and at Lillys, comes topped with lightly shredded coconut.
Lillys Panaderia, 2752 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri
At Master Pieza, chef-owner William Porter pays tribute to the artist Mondrian – and serves up pies either by the slice or made-to-order whole. Hot wings and seasoned fries are also on offer, as is late night dining: On weekends, the restaurant stays open for the late-night post-bar crowd.
Master Pieza, 2846 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.899.9939, masterpieza.co
It's got the look of a standard taqueria, and the menu of a standard taqueria. The only thing that makes Taqueria El Bronco stand out, in fact, is that the tacos are really, really good. The salsa, too, earns high marks; made with avocados, it's creamy and positively delicious.
Taqueria El Bronco, 2817 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, 314.762.0691, taqueriaelbronco.com
Part of the El Torito Supermercado complex, Taqueria El Torito is one of Cherokee's grand dame Mexican restaurants. With its brightly painted walls and on-site grill, the patio is gorgeous, and the bar inside is a great place to catch a futbol game or just kick back with friends. Large parties should contemplate the Parrillada al Molcajete, which includes steak, chicken, shrimp, pork chorizo, fresco cheese, nopal, pico de gallo and salsa in the traditional Mexican mortar dish. It's served with beans and 10 tortillas – enough for the whole family.
Taqueria El Torito, 2753 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri
Burgers, beats and booze are the focus at The B-Side. The cash-only menu is small but still solid; you can get a burger and a pint of beer in just a few minutes for only $5. The signature Frito Bandito features chili, a chopped up hamburger patty, grilled onions, jalapeños, cheese and comeback sauce on a bed of Fritos. At the bar, you'll find Stag on draft.
The B-Side, 2709 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, facebook.com/bsidecherokeestusastl
The Fortune Teller Bar clearly has that laid-back Cherokee cool thing going on, but it's also a damn fine place to get a cocktail. Try the Chicago Sidecar, a twist on the classic with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and baked apple bitters. You can also order from a full menu of food from Ari Jo Ellis' newly opened The Cut, which features sausages and bratwursts. On warm days, people flock to the patio here.
The Fortune Teller Bar, 2635 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.776.2337, thefortunetellerbar.com
Breakfast and lunch are served all day, every day at The Mud House. In addition to a solid coffee menu (the lavender latte and Dank and Stormy with cold-brew coffee, ginger beer and lime are favorites), the restaurant serves stellar biscuits and gravy, a spicy tofu scramble and a breakfast burrito. A perennial best-seller, though, is the classic slinger with roasted potatoes, vegetarian black bean chili, Cheddar, red onion and two sunny-side up eggs with a side of toast.
The Mud House, 2101 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.776.6599, themudhousestl.com
In addition to Mexican fare, Cherokee Street is now a destination for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine thanks to The Palm Trees. Inside, the space is furnished with colorful imported tapestries and intricately woven baskets, and you'll also find two separate dining rooms: one with typical table seating and another with Saudi-style seating on cushions for family-style dining on the floor. The menu includes authentic kabsa, mandi, hummus, baba ganoush and falafel.
The Palm Trees, 2837 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.226.9243, facebook.com/pg/thepalmtreesstl
The family behind Bridgeton's storied El Morelia Super Mercado recently brought St. Louis The Taco & Ice Cream Joint, which specializes in – you guessed it – tacos and ice cream. The fast-casual menu features more than a dozen taco options, including carnitas, beef tongue, chorizo and shrimp. On the ice cream side, look for avocado, hot chocolate and horchata scoops, as well as traditional paletas in flavors like lime, watermelon and mango-chile.
The Taco & Ice Cream Joint, 2738 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.224.5799, facebook.com/tacoandicecreamjoint
A true drinker's bar in the heart of the Cherokee dining and entertainment district, The Whiskey Ring offers an extensive whiskey selection, a host of craft cocktails and a great area for outdoor seating. Opened in December 2013 by two Off Broadway veterans, the bar has quickly become a major neighborhood draw.
The Whiskey Ring, 2649 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.669.5817, facebook.com/thewhiskeyring
It's not hard to guess the focus of the menu at Tower Taco. Choose from fish, shrimp, chorizo, chicken, steak, pork, chorizo, tongue or tripe tacos – or, at around $2 a piece, get one of each. If you've got room left, you can round your meal out with chips and salsa, nachos or queso; the lengthy menu also includes chimichangas, quesadillas, enchiladas and more. The giant Margaritas are also a crowd favorite.
Tower Taco, 3147 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.256.1141, towertaco.com
It's hard to step inside Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop and not feel happy. The light and airy shop is decorated with whimsical art, and the constantly changing menu includes goodies like brownies, scones, cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies and more. The pop-tartlets are a particular favorite, available in flavors like lemon curd, cherry and apple pie with cinnamon glaze.
Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop, 2201 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.932.5166, whiskstl.com
Yaqui's is an intrinsic part of the Cherokee Street community. Francis Rodriguez's restaurant is a great place to go to for a Neapolitan-style pizza and a glass of wine. The space used to be the St. Louis Brewers Association Hall, which is perhaps one reason why it has such a convivial air.
Yaqui's, 2728 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.400.7712, yaquisoncherokee.com
As featured on
The pizza will be Detroit-style, but will feature Provel.
