Photo by Hillary Levin (Post-Dispatch)
Savage
The sign outside Savage in Fox Park still announces the previous inhabitant of the address, the A he designed the space and with friends built it. That DIY ethos infuses Savage, where Ely, with minimal support staff, is turning out some of the most exciting food in St. Louis. The menu (a six-course or 12-course tasting menu or a rapid five-course selection of bites) favors “humble” ingredients, mostly vegetables, and uses fermentation and other old-school techniques to transform them into dishes as memorable as foie gras or caviar. Months after my review dinners last year, I still think about the single grilled spot prawn he dipped in a sauce of its own roe and about the sunchoke Ely roasted, warmed up in chicken fat and served with a barbecue sauce made from parsnips cooked for 90 days. Savage was St. Louis’ best new restaurant of 2018 and in its first year has already become one of St. Louis’ most important restaurants, too.
Hours: Dinner Wednesday-Saturday (a-la-carte menu available noon-4 p.m.)
Last year's ranking: New this year
Opened: 2018