Photo by David Carson (Post-Dispatch)
Taste
Taste is a smart concept and — so long as the culinary zeitgeist doesn’t turn against small plates and cocktails — generally a foolproof one. Taste excels, though, and once again earns a place in the Top 25 not for this concept but for owner Gerard Craft’s knack for finding greatly talented chefs to execute it. Now leading Taste’s kitchen is Bryan Moxey, who is also the executive chef at Craft’s Brasserie by Niche next door and who returned to his native St. Louis a few years ago after cooking at the acclaimed New York City restaurant Hearth. My most recent visit to Taste found Moxey working with bold flavors and a global reach, like prawns in a sweet-chile sauce with avocado, peanuts, cilantro and mint. The cocktail program remains among the very best in St. Louis, with drinks that are inventive and intriguing but never unbalanced.
Hours: Dinner daily
Last year's ranking: No. 18
Opened: 2009
Must order: Menu changes frequently