Photo by Laurie Skrivan (Post-Dispatch)
Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant
I can think of few other establishments on this list besides Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant that I would recommend as avidly to meat lovers and vegetarians alike. This South Grand staple offers an impressive, diverse slate of beef dishes, from raw kitfo to berbere-seasoned tibs wat to the dried beef of kwanta firfir. Meskerem's vegetarian entrees display a similar variety of choices, including lentils, chickpeas and collard greens (miser, shiro and gomen wat, respectively). Fittingly, the Meskerem Combo platter brings beef and vegetarian dishes together atop the restaurant's injera. St. Louis doesn't boast a robust array of Ethiopian or other eastern African restaurants, but for over a decade now we have been fortunate to have Atsede Wondem and Henok Gerbi's Meskerem.
Hours: Lunch and dinner daily
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2007