5 new St. Louis restaurants to try in October

1. Savage
2655 Ann Ave., St. Louis, 314.354.8488, savagestl.com

Chef Logan Ely made waves last year with Square1 Project, an underground pop-up restaurant with a barebones kitchen and staff that served fancifully presented tasting menus with creative techniques and ingredients. 

Now, Ely has taken his passion aboveground with Savage, located in the space that formerly housed A & B Market in Fox Park. The A & B sign remains, but the interior has been transformed into a study in minimalism – a completely open kitchen surrounded by 20 seats where guests can interact with staff and observe the creative process firsthand. 

There are three menu options: a five-course snacks menu and six- and 12-course tasting menus. The artfully composed dishes change constantly, but recent offerings included yeast mousse with preserved onion and turnip, as well as milk sorbet with local honey and brown rice.

2. Krab Kingz Seafood
5860 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.390.2400, Facebook: Krab Kingz Seafood St. Louis

Texas-based crab boil franchise Krab Kingz Seafood has made its way north to Delmar Boulevard, serving piping hot platters of fresh shellfish. Sample the full spectrum with the crab and shrimp platter: two clusters of snow crab legs and six succulent shrimp, all piled atop a buttery mess of fall-apart potatoes, a hard-boiled egg, a piece of corn on the cob and a spicy sausage link. Customize your order with your choice of five flavored butters – we like the Cajun and lemon-pepper – then get decadent by tossing in some more shrimp or adding a lobster tail. Stock up on paper towels and start cracking. 

3. Jerk Soul
2016 Salisbury St., St. Louis, 314.601.3871, jerksoul.com

This tiny, carryout-only counter in North City deserves your attention. Jerk Soul serves some of the best Caribbean food we’ve tasted in St. Louis, from the spot-on coconut rice and peas to a classic, heavily seasoned jerk chicken. Do not miss the curry chicken in a deeply flavorful coconut milk broth (more earthy than bright Thai versions), and the bone-in oxtail served in a dark, rich and velvety sauce. Don’t worry – entrees come with two sides, so you don't have to choose between the super savory Caribbean cabbage and mac and cheese.    

4. Yellowbelly
4659 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, yellowbellystl.com

 The moment you walk into Yellowbelly, you feel good vibes, and the menu matches the mood. A sweet and vegetal snap pea daiquiri, made with snap pea syrup, rum and lime juice, is a fantastic introduction to the cocktail menu that combines unlikely ingredients for a harmonious result. 

The drinks sound fruity but are seriously balanced and pair to perfection with the seafood-heavy menu. Try a Frio Fresco, made with gin, aloe vera and coconut, alongside the Sea Biscuits: souped-up mini cheddar biscuits served with luscious uni butter. Add an order of deviled crab fritters, filled generously with crab swathed in a creamy sauce, breaded, fried and served with passion fruit mustard for a sweet-tart, intensely rich bite. 

Texture was thoughtfully considered in larger plates like the whole branzino with skin seared till crispy with perfectly cooked fish inside. The sleeper hit is the grilled charred carrots dish with a silky texture, served with eel sauce, garlicky chimichurri and finished with hazelnuts for crunch. And don’t deprive yourself of dessert: Grandma’s Coconut Cake is a colossal three-tier slice flecked with shredded coconut. 

5. Pie Guy Pizza
4189 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.899.0444, pieguystl.com

Pie Guy Pizza’s neon slice sign is the shining beacon of hope we have looked for in The Grove. St. Louis’ late-night dining options are notoriously few and not that late, so the new pizza spot’s 3:30 a.m. close time on Friday and Saturday is a godsend.

 Order an 18-inch pie with your choice of toppings, or opt for a $4 or $5 massive slice of cheese, pepperoni, sausage or veggie (green olive and artichoke) to end your night. The New York-style pizzas have a sturdy sourdough crust, a pleasantly acidic house tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese – nothing fancy and just what you want after a few beers next door at Gezellig. The tiny restaurant is connected to the taproom and bottle shop where you can sit and enjoy your pizza with an enormous selection of beer.