Restaurants in Maryland Heights

The product of an artistically inclined married couple with a passion for all-natural foods, SweetArt boasts a menu of homemade, from-scratch cookies, cupcakes, cakes, sandwiches, and wraps, with an all-vegetarian lunch menu that features a bounty of vegan options. Co-founder Cbabi's colorful paintings cover the neighborhood bakeshop and art studio's sun-kissed, bright walls, making it a lovely locale to bust out your idea journal over a vegan sweet burger ($7.75) paired with a spicy cup of flad ($3.95), SweetArt's house-made, vegan, three-bean chili loaded with chunky sweet potatoes. The grilled Shaw sandwich($5.50) is served stuffed with sharp cheddar on wheat bread, while the Flora wrap ($6.85) swaddles house-made spinach and herb hummus, avocado, tomatoes, organic greens, and carrots in a secret sauce known as "love and magic".

As you approach the ornate 1916 building now known as Bevo Mill, you may notice two storks on the chimney. They aren't pausing en route to deliver twins—the stone birds were added as a good luck symbol in the German and Dutch tradition. When August A. Busch Sr. of Anheuser-Busch commissioned the structure in the years leading up to World War I, he sought to bring Europe's Flemish architecture and culture back to his native St. Louis. The historical building eventually closed its doors to the public, but in 2009, it reopened as Bevo Mill, an elegant events center that welcomes weddings, corporate gatherings, and other large-scale happenings.

Visitors can still watch the 60-foot-wide aluminum blades of the original windmill spin, and admire the exterior stucco walls’ multicolored stones, each hand-picked by Mr. Busch from his home farm. Brass chandeliers illuminate the main dining area, where vaulted cathedral ceilings curve down into arches whose bases are guarded by stone-carved gnomes. Local artisans restored the Mill Room's painted tile murals and ornate wooden beams, and the Oak Room's artisan glass and art deco light fixtures were meticulously repaired or stolen from Jay Gatsby's mansion.

In the kitchen, chefs prepare refined event menus and samplings of hors d'oeuvres such as flaky feuilletes, glazed pot stickers, quiches, and quesadillas. Buffets feature dishes as diverse as grilled Norwegian salmon, chicken roulades, and seasonal vegetable medleys. On Sundays, chefs prepare a brunch buffet that features dozens of internationally inspired recipes such as hardwood smoked bacon, belgian waffles, potato pancakes, and Hungarian-style sausage. During warmer months, weekly Friday night patio dinners present live music as guests savor entrées crafted with local and organic ingredients.

Mazara's executive chef Todd Bale uses fresh ingredients and homemade pastas to whip up a menu of authentic Italian tastes. Unearth creative twists on traditional dishes throughout the dinner menu, such as the vitello alla marsala, breaded veal cutlets and marsala-marinated mushrooms laid to rest on a bed of roasted garlic and herb risotto and sprinkled with truffle oil ($26) or the tutto mare, an amalgamation of spaghettini pasta, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, lump crab, and white-wine sauce ($25). For high-sun dining, scope out the extensive lunch menu, which includes items such as a veal burger ($9) and Mazara PLT—an Italian take on the classic BLT—layered with house-made pancetta, avocado, arugula, tomato, and peppercorn mayonnaise ($7).

After becoming the full-fledged proprietor of Soulard's Restaurant, Tim Badock fused his family restaurant's tradition of serving upscale homestyle fare with an approachable yet elegant dining space. Head chef Russel Byers draws inspiration from New Orleans cuisine to conjure up plates of expertly seasoned seafood and succulent steaks and poultry, as well as fresh salads and hearty sandwiches. In the main downstairs dining area, oceans of warm light bathe marble-topped bars and ruddy brick walls as two suits of armor stand guard at the fireplace to protect diners against Santa Claus infestations. Upstairs, a private dining area dazzles eyeparts with views of St. Louis's picturesque brickscapes and parabolic Gateway Arch.

Mama Campisi's serves up enticing Italian eats for lunch and dinner, with a menu of enough authentic entrees and big bowls of noodles to fuel a triathlon, as well as the grueling and now-illegal sesquicentathlon. Before you attempt to ascend the "Hill" of Spaghetti ($9.75), though, hire some Sherpas and work your way up to it with an order of toasted ravioli ($7.25) or crab-stuffed mushrooms ($7.95) sprinkled with asiago cheese. The abundant entree selection serves up classic Italian favorites in a variety of meaty or seafoody varietals, such as the tender veal picatta ($16.95)—which lets you savor the sautéed slices in a lemon-butter-caper wine sauce—or grilled salmon drizzled with Mama's own Chianti-balsamic glaze ($17.25). Otherwise, commit to a torrid, short-term summer fling with Mama Campisi's signature dish: pollo spedini ($15.75), a breaded boneless chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto, provel, and veggies. Pizza pies ($8.95 and up) offer ease of dining for large groups, small children, and post-pubescent reptiles skilled in the martial arts.

Serving the finest fresh pasta for over 25 years, Mangia Italiano is your home for good eats, cold drinks, and cool groves.