SHAW/BOTANICAL HEIGHTS
Elaia
In November 2012, Ben Poremba descended upon a forgotten swath of the city called McRee Town and opened a small, fiercely ambitious restaurant in a former drug house. With a menu of elegant, Mediterranean-inflected cuisine, a world-class wine list and impeccable service standards, Elaia (1634 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-932-1088) quickly landed in the pantheon of the city's best restaurants. Since then, Poremba has launched a mini-empire of restaurants that represents the best of the city's dining scene, and McRee Town (now called Botanical Heights) has become a major dining destination. But through it all, Elaia has remained his flagship, a gallery of culinary elegance. The new à la carte menu (now an option alongside the restaurant's traditional tasting menu) only serves to make that elegance more approachable. $$$. Opens at 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Indo
Headed by James Beard Award semifinalist Nick Bognar, Indo (1641D Tower Grove Avenue, 314-899-9333) combines his stunning command of sushi with the Thai cuisine that is his heritage as the son of Nippon Tei owners Ann and Mike Bognar. Offering Hot and Cool Tastings, larger shareable plates and an impressive nigiri selection, Indo's menu respects tradition without being married to it. Instead, Bognar uses classic techniques and recipes as a jumping-off point for exploration, whether with candied pine nuts in lamb laarb or a rice flour and water "lace" that lies atop two flawlessly cooked gyoza. Though there's an indulgent omakase offered, Indo as a whole is not a fine-dining restaurant, despite being thoroughly luxurious. Rather, it's a revolution. $$$$. Opens at 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
Nixta
Nixta (1621 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-899-9000) has seen significant change since its debut, switching chefs a few times as well as regional focuses. But the restaurant still remains true to its original vision: to be a forum for exploring upscale Mexican cuisine that causes American diners to check their preconceptions. An ethos like that transcends individual plates — and results in transcendent food. Don't miss the crispy octopus, which has become Nixta's signature dish. A mezcal focus keeps the cocktail list as smokily sexy as the low-lit bar area. $$$. Opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Patio.
Olio
It's no surprise that Ben Poremba's Israeli-inflected wine bar Olio (1634 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-932-1088) serves up great food. Poremba, after all, is one of the city's most acclaimed chefs. What might be surprising to first-time visitors, though, is just how much it retains its bar feel, even though the menu items it's serving are good enough to carry a restaurant. Located in a renovated Standard Oil filling station, the quarters are close, lending an intimate vibe. Poremba's food is a stunning reflection of his Israeli-Moroccan heritage, like hummus studded with almonds, pine nuts and braised lamb shoulder, and egg salad that has become legendary in the metro area. $$-$$$. Opens at 11 a.m. daily.
Union Loafers
Union Loafers' (1629 Tower Grove Avenue, 314-833-6111) lunch menu is simple — a ham-and-cheddar sandwich, chicken-and-rice soup, even a humble PB&J — but it's the best version of simple food you will ever have. Then there is what may be the best salad known to man, the Little Gem, a mix of lettuces, herbs, breadcrumbs and buttermilk dressing that is so transcendent you'll wake up in the middle of the night craving it. Indeed, once you've ordered it, this salad will be the first thing that comes to mind anytime someone mentions Union Loafers — the city's best bread shop. This doesn't just say a lot about the Little Gem; it speaks volumes to just how much care head baker Ted Wilson and company put into everything they do. $-$$. Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with an entirely different pizza-based menu from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Patio.
