Eat Like A Lou-Natic! STL's Tastiest History Tour

About this activity

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert — one afternoon, on foot, all St. Louis originals. From the diner-legend "slinger" to our signature toasted ravioli, a Guy Fieri fave and the controversial Provel cheese. Plus a few surprises we'd rather not spoil.

We'll grab a seat and a bite at climate-controlled neighborhood gems across STL's most enduring neighborhood, the Central West End. Most guests skip dinner.

Between bites, a St. Louis local walks you through this historic enclave — where Gilded Age fortunes built mansions and the cocktail party was invented. Hear the stories guidebooks skip: beer barons, the check that bought the Spirit of St. Louis, the Delmar Divide, and the arc of wealth, race, and power that still shapes this city.

We don't dress up the uncomfortable parts. Looking for a sanitized Chamber-of-Commerce tour? This isn't it. If you want the real story of a real American city, come hungry.

Itinerary

1. Stop 1 · pass by

   See the most important venue in American chess, see where the "cocktail party" was invented, and taste some of our most storied cuisine including a cheese you'll only find in St. Louis. We'll wrap up the tour with a final nibble in homage to our sister city, where the founders of St. Louis had previously called home, while hearing of St. Louis earliest days at a locally famous bistro and music venue known for great food and great jazz.

2. World Chess Hall of Fame · pass by

   We'll stop at the World's Largest Chess Piece and talk about how St. Louis became the chess capital of the USA.

3. Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis · pass by

   St. Louis' European chapter began with the settlement of French Catholics, bolstered by the arrival of thousands of Irish Catholics throughout the 19th century. One can barely speak of any element of the history of St. Louis where the presence of the Catholic community was not felt, and the enormity of St. Louis' importance to the church was eventually made manifest in one of the great churches of North America.

4. Stop 4 · pass by

   We'll walk past mansions where future presidents once slept, brewing heirs enjoyed their fortunes, and where the "Spirit of St. Louis" was born. After enjoying a couple of local snack staples, we'll discuss the star-studded history of the iconic Chase Park Plaza hotel and enjoy one of St. Louis' most delicious mistakes.

5. Holy Corners District · pass by

   Within a literal stone's throw of the Delmar Divide sits some of the most impressive architecture from the World's Fair era that still remains, and it's completely outside of Forest Park. Hear hidden history and see artifacts from the early days of this "Valley of the Giants" listed in the National Register of Historic Places. We'll discuss the dichotomy of living in St. Louis, including the long term effects of the 32 of our 79 neighborhoods collectively referred to as the "Northside" that sit north of Delmar Boulevard and have borne witness to many generations of disinvestment and abandonment.

6. Stop 6 · pass by

   We'll return to St. Louis' roots with a final culinary tribute to our fabulous, much more French sister city downstream. But not before seeing a historical landmark that dates its roots in the city to 1860, and would become the launchpad for one of the most famous dance troupes in the world.

Meeting point

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

End point: Southeast corner of Euclid and Washington,

Good to know

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• About 3 hours and 1.75 miles on flat city sidewalks, with every food stop indoors and seated. On hot days we bring cooling towels. The menu is fixed and may change; we can't accommodate gluten-free, vegan, or allergy-specific requests, but a pork substitute is available on request.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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