We occasionally venture out of our home to enjoy some local food at our favorite restaurants and have discovered what we consider to be some true gems. If you are new to the area, or happen to be looking for some new places to dine, here's a quick run-down of our favorites.
Pizza
We first found Dewey's Pizza first while living near Dayton, Ohio, and our family quickly concluded Dewey's serves the best pizza in the nation. There are two in the immediate St. Louis area and one in Edwardsville, IL. We usually visit Dewey's Pizza in Webster Groves, MO.
Their crust is very light and the selection of toppings is second-to-none. You may even watch them prepare your meal through large open glass windows separating the dining area from the kitchen. The image below is half-taco and half-Socrates pizza with Dewey's regular crust.
Dewey's Pizza
Greek
Our family stumbled upon the Olympia Kebob House & Taverna after visiting the St. Louis zoo many years ago. We moved out of the area, and decided to visit again upon our return. Some restaurants disappoint with their inconsistency, but Olympia has remained consistently delicious over the years!
Try their stuffed grape leaves as an appetizer and order Greek salad or a Deluxe Pita for a light but fulfilling meal (pictured below).
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Deluxe Pita
Greek Salad
Vietnamese
The building used to house a small Chinese buffet years ago, but is now the home of a new restaurant serving up some superb Vietnamese food. Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine in Belleville, IL has become our overall most-frequented restaurant of any kind in the local area. The menu selection is very broad and the quality of every dish we've tried has been mouth-watering good. I'm especially fond of the egg rolls and Rice Flour Crepes (the latter served with tender, marinated sliced pork). Their noodles are succulent, and the menu includes a variety of Chinese dishes as well.
Vietnamese Egg Rolls
Rice Flour Crepes
And here are a few more of our other favorites, with photos and an expanded description to come later:
Thai: Arroy Thai Cuisine – 1140 Central Park Drive, O'Fallon, IL – (618) 628-1000 (no known web site)
Sushi: Sushi Ai in O'Fallon, IL – Menu-based all-you-can-eat sushi, or order a la carte.
Chinese Buffet: Hokkaido in Swansea, IL – Good buffet with a large selection. Dinner and weekends include crab legs and a chocolate fountain.
All-American: Eckert's in Belleville, IL – Visit the restaurant and the country store. Pick your own fruits from the orchards in-season (strawberries, peaches, and apples).
Eckert's Fried Chicken
Frozen Custard: Eckert's in Belleville, IL – Custard shop is located beside the restaurant and is only open during the summer season.