After a winter hiatus Jennifer Smith Schmid, left, and Susie Smith, middle, are gearing up for another season of fabulous Savor Saint Louis Food Tours in the Central West End. My first post about the Smith family (read it here) occurred after a meeting at Bar Italia that included Steve Smith, right, proprietor of The Royale Food & Spirits on Kingshighway in South City. Before deciding to launch a food tour in St. Louis, the family had done its homework taking food tours offered in other cities around the country. The Smiths felt strongly that the CWE was the best place to initiate the food tour idea because it's a walking neighborhood with a colorful history, interesting architecture, and a surfeit of wonderful restaurants.
I was invited to participate in one of the tours last summer and quickly realized how much fun it was to experience the neighborhood through the eyes of those unfamiliar with the area. Instead of getting on a tour bus, more people than I realized get to know a city through its food.
Savor Saint Louis Food Tours are offered on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 to 2. Other days are available upon request. As you walk from restaurant to restaurant, the tour guide gives a brief history of the neighborhood including the architecture and interesting people who have called the CWE home. The visit to five restaurants, which lasts about 1/2 hour each, includes generous samples of favorite dishes at Dressels, Cafe Osage at Bowood Farms, Pi, Cafe Eau at the Chase (Bar Italia is an alternate if the Chase has a prior event), with a final stop at Bissinger's. Gift certificates are available and are a really different and fun way to entertain out-of-town guests. The cost is $46 per person including tax and gratuities.
Jennifer and Susie have generously offered a gift certificate for two to one of my readers. Here's how this will work: Email me ([email protected]) with the name of your favorite neighborhood restaurant and why you love it. I'll put all the submissions into a hat and choose one. Deadline is 5 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday). ***(the winner!)
Also, readers of the blog can get a 10% discount on Savor Saint Louis Food Tours if booked during the month of April. Use promo code SAVOR10 when you sign up on the website. The tour can be taken any time, the date must be booked in April.
Plans are in the works to initiate a second tour that would encompass the wonderful and varied restaurants located south of Lindell. I'll let you know when Jennifer and Susie get that together.
Savor Saint Louis Food Tours, 11 to 2 Fridays & Saturdays, other days upon request.
***Mary Ann Tipton is the winner of the contest. Here's what she said when she threw her name into the ring: