Al Smith's Feasting Fox
Al Smith's Feasting Fox is the newest incarnation of the old Busch's Inn and specializes in German dishes such as Wiener schnitzel, sausages and apple strudel. When Susan and Martin Luepker took over and restored the abandoned restaurant in 1993, they scavenged for benches, booths and bar chairs from old-line St. Louis restaurants as well as brewery paraphernalia to give it a real Dutchtown feel. Potato pancakes, Wiener schnitzel and sauerbraten are available at lunch and dinner, as well as other German specialties and plenty of beer.
Al Smith's Feasting Fox
4200 S. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63111
(314) 352-3500
feastingfox.com
St. Louis Gast Haus
St. Louis Gast Haus, operated by two European immigrants, made a splash on the St. Louis restaurant scene when it opened. The menu includes the traditional German dishes like schnitzel, sauerbraten, rouladen, knoedel, spaetzle, potato pancakes, sauerkraut and others. Besides the standard Wiener schnitzel, the restaurant also offers a jaegerschnitzel (breaded pork cutlet in mushroom cream sauce) with sides of spaetzle and creamed spinach. Even humble food like cabbage rolls and potato knoedel are delicious.
St. Louis Gast Haus
1740 Chouteau Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 621-4567
St. Charles Vintage House & Wine Garden
This restaurant is just across the Missouri River in the suburb of St. Charles. It offers some harder-to-find German specialties, such as Kassler Rippchen and a Holstein schnitzel. It also features a cellar and a wine garden.
St. Charles Vintage House & Wine Garden
1219 S. Main St.
St. Charles, MO 63301
(636) 946-7155
stcharlesvintagehouse.com
Dreamland Palace in Foster Pond
With an unlikely name for a German restaurant, Dreamland Palace is across the Mississippi River in Waterloo, IL. It was built in 1875 and was originally a tavern, general store, dance hall and stage coach stop. Mike and Joan Lang purchased the building in 1990 and have carefully restored it with a German flair that fits in with Monroe County tradition. Along with standard German dishes, the restaurant offers specialties such as hasenpfeffer, which is rabbit braised in a spiced red wine sauce.
Dreamland Palace in Foster Pond
3043 State Route 156
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-9922
dreamlandpalace.net
Article Written By Darrell Delamaide
Darrell Delamaide has written professionally for over three decades, having held staff positions with Dow Jones, International Herald Tribune, Institutional Investor, Bloomberg and AOL. He currently writes for publications including "MarketWatch," "Institutional Investor," "EnergyBiz" and "DSNews." A former Fulbright Scholar, Delamaide holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from St. Louis University.
