City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 621-0702

Description: The shop offers high quality gifts and apparel with a variety of St. Louis brands and trademarks, including the NFL’s Rams, NHL’s Blues, and MLB’s Cardinals merchandise. It’s also a great place to pick up a variety of St. Louis souvenirs featuring the Arch, Budweiser, and other “only in St. Louis” locales.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 367-7750

Address: 32 Maryland Plaza

Description: Bissinger’s is one of the last handcrafted chocolatiers in the world. Serving chocolate to Americans since 1863, the family-owned candy company makes more than 900 different confections. Bissinger’s candy orders are still made in the St. Louis kitchen, and most still use the original recipes from the family cookbook, dated 1899. No high-tech machinery here—the candy makers personally oversee the production of each piece. Hand-dipped and hand-decorated, the confections are still made in copper kettles, then cooled on marble slabs.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 776-1062

Address: 2232 Marconi

Description: DiGregorio’s is a neighborhood tradition on The Hill. You can get a variety of imported Italian foodstuffs, meats, spices, wines, cheeses, and olive oils, as well as homemade pasta, sausage, and assembled Italian food baskets. The expanded deli area features an overwhelming number of options, including several varieties of olives, fresh bread, and homemade specialties. Closed Sunday.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 771-5476

Address: 8935 Shaw Avenue

Description: Viviano’s is a classic, old-world Italian grocery store that has been open at its current location since 1949. The family-owned and operated business continues to offer the best imported cheeses, spices, sauces, and myriad Italian specialties to customers from throughout the bi-state area. Pick up a bottle of olive oil, some pesto sauce, a pound of prosciutto, or some fresh grated Parmesan and Romano cheese, along with some wine or a favorite liqueur—you won’t be disappointed. Closed Sunday.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 231-9463

Address: 1913 Park Avenue

Description: This intimate neighborhood wine and beer bar offers more than 300 wines from around the world, as well as an assortment of 30-plus global brews—and most are available by the glass or by the bottle to go. The proprietor, Jake, seems to always be on duty, and he loves nothing more than introducing new wines to his patrons. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 865-3522

Address: 1415 South 18th Street

Description: Located adjacent to SqWires Restaurant, this cozy Lafayette Square market features an assortment of gourmet foods, wines, deli items, fresh seafood, and microbrews. The shop, located inside SqWires restaurant, offers fresh-baked breads, bagels, muffins, and pastries, as well as fresh veggies and fruits, imported and domestic cheeses, and groceries. The market’s chef prepares and packages entrees and side dishes for diners on the go.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 771-5542

Address: 5430 Southwest Avenue

Description: Urzi’s has been around for more than 60 years, and it has a veritable feast of imported wines, cheeses, specialty foods, and the most reasonably priced spices you’ll find. From homemade pizza shells and fresh bread from the neighborhood bakeries to hard-to-find Italian specialties and an excellent deli, Urzi’s is a great spot for gourmets, amateur chefs, and foodies of all types. Cash only. Closed Sunday.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 535-3945

Address: 4140 Forest Park Boulevard

Description: Located directly across the street from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s thrift store, this Goodwill store offers a fairly good selection of housewares, books, and furniture. Clothing is the main draw here, and the selection is usually varied and extensive. Women’s and children’s clothing dominate the selection, with a smaller section devoted to men’s apparel. Additional retail stores are located at 7575 Olive Street, (314) 727-9280; 9116 Manchester Road, (314) 918-7804; and 10570 Baptist Church Road, (314) 842-9114.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 531-9364

Address: 4127 Forest Park Boulevard

Description: This local thrift store, operated by the Archdiocese of St. Louis for the benefit of lower-income families, has a revolving stock of used furniture, household items, and affordable clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. If you’re willing to dig through the racks and stacks of stuff, you might happen across an actual antique or other buried treasure.    

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Address: 524 Trinity Avenue

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 533-1884

Address: 634 North Grand Boulevard, Suite 10-A

Description: Grand Center is home to more than two dozen arts groups and offers the broadest range of exceptional arts and entertainment in the St. Louis region. Dance St. Louis, the Black Repertory Company, Portfolio Art Gallery, and the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts are just a few of the numerous artistic outlets that call Grand Center home.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 754-1850

Address: 3716 Washington Boulevard

Description: The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts seeks to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the relationship between contemporary art and architecture. Through its works of art, library, and collaborative programs with other cultural and educational institutions, the foundation serves artists, architects, scholars, students, and members of the general public. The building, designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando, provides a tranquil place for contemplation, enjoyment, and study. Works by George Braque, Alberto Giacometti, Juan Gris, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, and Richard Serra are among those on permanent display.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 727-9599

Description: St. Louis’s oldest and largest visual arts center, the St. Louis Artists’ Guild is housed in a restored 1920s mansion located in Oak Knoll Park in Clayton. Since 1886 the guild has been the regional center for artists and art lovers, and its mission remains “to encourage excellence and appreciation in the visual arts” by providing programs, classes, and exhibitions. The guild also holds national, regional, and local competitions; hosts national exhibitions; and participates in collaborative and exchange exhibitions with other art organizations. Closed Monday.

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 863-5811

Address: 6128 Delmar Boulevard

Description: The St. Louis Regional Arts Commission (RAC) promotes, encourages, and fosters arts and cultural institutions throughout the St. Louis region by creating an environment that nurtures local artists. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse for local arts organizations and volunteers, RAC funds numerous popular music festivals and events throughout the region, including Taste St. Louis and performances with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. (See the Annual Events chapter for more information.)

City: St. Louis, MO

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (314) 865-0060

Address: 4255 Arsenal Street

Description: Located in a renovated gatehouse in Tower Grove Park, the studio welcomes drop-in visitors as well as students in the ongoing classes offered in drawing, painting, clay, bookbinding, and more. Kids are encouraged to explore art at their own pace and can choose from a variety of hands-on art activities. Young artists ages 5 to 17 can explore everything from drawing and painting to ceramics and bookmaking. Call for reservations and class schedules.