Photo by Laurie Skrivan (Post-Dispatch)
Balkan Treat Box
This year’s STL 100 catches the food truck Balkan Treat Box, 2017’s breakout hit, just as chef-owner Loryn Nalic and her husband, Edo Nalic, have opened their brick-and-mortar location in Webster Groves. And I do mean just as: The restaurant’s first day was a week before this list was sent to the press. That isn’t close to enough time for any kind of fair critical evaluation. Know, however, that the Balkan Treat Box storefront features the dishes that have won the truck local (this critic included) and national acclaim: Bosnian cevapi on Loryn Nalic’s exceptional wood-fired somun bread, the turkish flatbread pide and doner kebabs with chicken or tofu. Expanded menu items include lahmacun (also known as Turkish pizza), pljeskavica (the “Balkan Burger”), and grilled-fish and grilled-eggplant sandwiches.
Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (or sold out) Wednesday-Sunday (check social media for truck hours)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2017 (truck), 2019 (restaurant)