St. Louis Restaurants That Are Closed But Never Forgotten

Noah's Ark

1500 S. 5th Street
The food was nothing to write home about, but hey, it's Noah's Ark! The whole point of this place was to go and get a picture there. Generations of families followed this tradition until it closed. Now we hunt for Noah's Ark again.

Photo courtesy of Cameron Collins

Gringo

398 N. Euclid Ave
Guacamole made fresh tableside, a huge selection of tacos, massive margaritas and a breezy patio in the Central West End. How did this place ever close?

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

Halls Ferry Inn

3425 N. US Hwy 67
This North County favorite served some of the very best St. Louis-style pizza and some outrageously good onion rings, too. Halls Ferry Inn eventually became a jazz cafe but, sadly, the building had a fire in 2012 and the entire thing had to be torn town.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Harvest

1159 S. Big Bend
Harvest was open for 18 long years. The Richmond Heights landmark was very welcome in a neighborhood that wasn't necessarily known for its delicious dining options. We're convinced that Harvest could re-open and thrive on the promise of delivering that legendary bread pudding again.

Photo courtesy of Alissa Nelson

Duff's

392 N. Euclid Ave.
Duff's had the kind of dark, moody atmosphere that made it the perfect place for the poetry readings that occured there for decades. (The not-lame kind. Truly.) The food was pretty great, too, but it was the chill literary feel of the space that is missed the most.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

India Palace

4534 Long Rd.
This restaurant has not closed, but it did recently move out of its long-time location in Bridgeton -- a romantic spot up at the top of a ramshackle building, which was a huge part of its charms. India Palace combined a great view overlooking the airport with the Polynesian-themed decor of its predecessor for a truly unique dining experience. It was glorious.

Photo courtesy of Mabel Suen

Mike Shannon's Steaks and Seafood

620 Market St.
Shock waves erupted through St. Louis when broadcaster Mike Shannon announced he'd be closing his namesake restaurant in January 2016. The downtown destination had a long, proud run as the place downtown for a sportsman to tuck into a big ribeye and a dirty martini. Fortunately for us, the place lives on in a suburban spinoff; unfortunately for west county fans, that spinoff is all the way in Edwardsville.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

La Tropicana

5001 Lindenwood Ave.
La Tropicana didn't look like much from the outside. In fact, it just looked like a small market. And it was, but it also served food that was supremely delicious. The meats were juicy, the bread was soft and the guacamole was always spot-on.

Photo courtesy of Deborah Hyland

The Libertine

7927 Forsyth Blvd.
We once described the Libertine as having "an atmosphere that perfectly hit the sweet spot between upscale and comfortable." That was so spot-on. It was one of the best places to hit if you wanted to go out for a nice meal but didn't want to make a big production of it, either. Quality plus chill with badass cocktails.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

Monarch

7401 Manchester Rd.
All of the big chefs started at Monarch and all of St. Louis loved to dine at Monarch. This Maplewood favorite was called a "food lover's paradise," offering haute cuisine with a French twist.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Silverberg

Natural Fact

7919 Big Bend
Ah, the Natural Fact. You called it the "Natty Fact" if you were a regular. This little joint lived in two different locations in Webster but the food was great no matter where it called home. This place had all-natural food -- including quick and delicious sandwiches for the hungry Webster University students nearby.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Ponticello's Italian Garden

12260 Bellefountaine Rd.
This Spanish Lake restaurant was a North County institution, serving the community classic Italian for nearly 60 years before it shuttered in 2013. If you needed a big batch of mostaccioli for your oh-so-STL wedding reception, Ponticello's was the place to hit up

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Lemmon's

5800 Gravois Ave.
A lot of patrons only saw this place at night when the space turned into a music venue, but during the day and on quieter evenings, Lemmon's served some bomb food, including heavy thick crust pizza and fantasitcally peppery hot wings. Today it's Lemmons by Grbic, a much different restaurant (and, in truth, an even better one).

Photo courtesy of Jason Stoff

Pope's Cafeteria

3538 Washington Ave.
Throwing it way back, your grandparents probably loved Pope's Cafeteria. This place had nine locations in the area that served great food at great prices. The restaurant was eventually a casualty of the rise of fast food, and the last location in Florissant closed in 1989.

Photo courtesy of Missouri History Museum

Remy's

222 S. Bemiston Ave.
Remy's was the best place to kick back in all of Clayton. It offered Mediterranean food and a huge wine selection-- making it a place that was always host to a ladies' night out. If you wanted to kick it with some fun (drunk) gals, this was the place.

Photo courtesy of Mary Belzer

Casa Grill

1155 St. Louis Galleria St.
The Casa Grill was located just inside these doors, where an Urban Outfitters is now at the Galleria. Casa Gallardo was a St. Louis institution from 1975 until the time the last of the series closed in 2012. But this location was extra special. It was called the Casa Grill and it served higher-end, slightly chic Mexican food, including specialties like the fire-roasted tomato soup.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Rizzo's Top of Tower Restaurant

9953 Lewis & Clark Blvd.
Located at the top of a cicular apartment building that looked like a giant stack of records, Rizzo's Top of Tower Restaurant didn't rotate like Stouffer’s Top of the Riverfront did downtown, but it did offer a "Spinning Salad" that customers loved.

Photo courtesy of Carrie Zukoski

Salt

4356 Lindell Blvd.
Though it only lasted for a couple of years, Salt immediately drew curious visitors upon its opening in 2011. Co-owner Wes Johnson (who was already known for the Shaved Duck and Eclipse) opened the restaurant in what looked like an old funeral parlor. Many Salt smashes later, Salt ended up closing because of "overwhelming financial burden."

Photo courtesy of Chrissy Wilmes

Terrene

33 N. Sarah St.
A sleek look, terrific cocktails and some seriously good cooking helped John and Sunny McElwain's Central West End restaurant win a legion of devoted fans. That beautiful patio didn't hurt either. Open for almost six years, the Sarah Street spot closed in 2011 and its space is now home to the Block.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Three Flags Tavern

4940 Southwest Ave.
A casualty of the long (long) construction project to rebuild the Kingshighway bridge just south of highway 44, Three Flags closed in March 2017 after wowing our critic. Brunch was particularly a hit here, but not enough to sustain the restaurant through the multi-year construction project.

Photo courtesy of Corey Woodruff