Photo by J.B. Forbes (Post-Dispatch)
Pho Long
I’ve long celebrated University City’s Pho Long for being at the vanguard of St. Louis restaurants confident enough to focus on a single dish, and now I also celebrate Pho Long opening a second location on South Grand Boulevard in the city’s Shaw neighborhood. The spacious new dining room will be a shock to those of us who have squeezed into the University City location (and especially those who recall the even smaller original location), but the pho retains the deeply beefy essence that lingers past the herbal, floral top notes, the warming spices and whatever else you add to your own bowl.
Hours: Lunch and dinner daily (University City location closed Tuesday; South Grand location closed Monday)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2006