Restaurants in Manchester

Husband-and-wife team Koffy and Kike Osun bring the singular flavors of African cuisine from Nigeria, Ghana, and Jamaica to the St. Louis area. The kitchen's chefs craft dishes of jollof rice, fried plantains, fried tilapia, pounded yam, and fried chicken wings with a host of ingredients they import directly from Africa. When the sun drops in the Missouri sky, a DJ sets up shop inside the eatery, spinning afrobeat, kwaito, juju, and soukous beats as patrons show off their best square-dance moves.

What do a cowgirl, a rocket ship, and Mayan statues have in common? They're all painted on the side of Giddy Up Breakfast Bar's building. By night, the Atomic Cowboy bar inhabits the space, which is rife with stretches of dark hardwood and exposed brick. By day, Giddy Up spills forth with aromas of flour tortillas, chorizo, and melting feta. Sunlight pours in through the windows, cutting through the steam forming wreaths around freshly brewed Kaldi's coffee and espresso drinks with flavored syrups. While cruising Giddy Up's free WiFi in a cozy booth, guests eye the selection of freshly baked goods, which, like the weather, or the color of a dog's nail polish, change with the seasons.

While still chasing down fly balls and crushing home runs out of Busch Stadium, Jim Edmonds knew he wanted to set up shop in St. Louis after his days in a Cardinal uniform. After about five years of planning, he opened Jim Edmonds 15 Steakhouse in 2007 along with co-owner Mark Winfield. Initially, Jim and Mark just wanted a simple but elegant nightclub, but during the planning, layout, and actualization, excitement for the project led them to fill 14,000 square feet with a sophisticated restaurant, club and lounge, and event space. Jim was reluctant at first to have any sports memorabilia in the eatery or to publicize his involvement in the venture, but a few of his framed Cardinals jerseys made it into the restaurant, as did several chunks of outfield wall that he carried home as trophies.

Playing a big part of the restaurant is, of course, the menu, which features a distinctive take on steak-house fare. With former executive chef Mihalis Chophouse's ideas and current executive chef Andrew Shrensker's recent influence, the menu boasts big cuts of meat, corn tortellini, and pesto-crusted salmon. A full bar and extensive wine list allows guests to match their decadent dishes with the perfect libation or just enjoy a drink while hanging out in the lounge.

After leaving his hometown of Salemi in Sicily, restaurant proprietor Baldo Gandolfo began dazzling locals with mouthwatering Italian recipes honed through four decades. Baldo's wife, Madda, welcomes guests on their arrival to the mirror- and artwork-flecked dining space, and Baldo's sister Rita keeps a generous supply of saucy pastas, rich veal, and succulent chicken dishes flowing from the kitchen. Diners sit down to sup at linen-cloaked tables in the floral-wallpapered dining area and toast to a satisfying meal over glasses of espresso and flavorful Italian wines. In addition to dishing out hearty entrees and gelato-tinged desserts to families and friends, Da Baldo's provisions larger gatherings with a private banquet space capable of comfortably fitting 90 people or 60 Shriner cars.

Italian murals line the walls at Trattoria Branica, setting the mood with warm Tuscan accents. After admiring the premises, diners can turn to a diverse menu of Italian dishes and a wine list featuring more than 300 wines by the bottle.

Under the dining room's modern chandelier, plates of seafood in brandy cream, marsala wine, and lemon zest sit next to fuchsia napkins, illuminated by wall sconces. Veal chops, fillets, and strip steaks swim in mushroom cognac and demi-glace as patrons sample rich red wines, dry whites, or shot glasses full of an opera singer's tears.

The cooks at Paul’z Burgerz & Dogz, which nabbed a runner-up spot for the city’s Best Burger in the Riverfront Times restaurant guide, churn out an expansive menu populated by tongue-thrilling twists on two Americana staples. The Cockadoolemoo burger combines a patty, bacon, and fried egg, blurring the lines between meals, much like a caesar salad sprinkled with Cap’n Crunch. The Windy City dog includes classic Chicago--style ingredients—mustard, relish, sport peppers, and terms of agreement prohibiting the use of ketchup—accompanied by chips and fries, which are made fresh every day. Visitors chow down in Paul’z’s lively, welcoming dining room, whose vibrant orange and red walls are decked out in autographed photos and headlines and wainscoted in corrugated metal, adding a slightly industrial vibe to the friendly establishment.