There is only one thing you should get when you go here and it is the pistachio ravioli. Not really, because everything here is good, but that pasta is something I always think about. Their wine pours from the staff are good and their gelato is the perfect night cap. The vibe here is always lively.
Stephen R.
Very expensive for the food and service. Found the food pretty standard fare...also very loud during popular times.
Tri P.
Came here on a whim, but there was no wait time to be seated. The vibes were pretty nice, and the ambience was cozy. We ordered 4 different dishes, and they were all good in their own way. Crispy risotto balls: Crispy, salty with a tangy herb aoili. Some people preferred the marinara, but I think the aoili was a little bit better. Nothing that wowed me here, but it was decent. Toasted semolina linguine: This was probably my personal favorite dish that we got, but I just love the salty, briny taste of seafood, especially shrimp. The noodles had a good, satisfying chew. The seafood was so juicy and well-seasoned and paired very well with the rich linguine. Pappardelle: On paper, this one sounds the best, but I think it was probably my 3rd favorite pasta dish that we got. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I don't think it could ever fully hit the gear it was intended to. It was salty, rich, slightly smoky with a decent balance. I didn't really taste the apple, but I think a little bit more would've slightly benefit the dish. The pasta was satisfying and chewy. Canestri Cacio e Pepe: This was pretty good. Simple, straightforward, executed well. Something about the creaminess of the sauce and the saltiness of the cheese that was so well balanced, cut through by the pepperiness. Reminds me of a classy, elevated mac and cheese. Overall, it was a lot of food. There were 3 people, and I think we could've gotten by with 1 appetizer and 2 dishes. Overall, a good experience with good food. 4/5 stars.
Michael C.
Tonight fabulous dinner, the kale salad was fabulous perfect amount of dressing, cheese, and crumbs. Had the Allen pizza, asked for more cheese, did NOT happen, until I asked Carolyn, our fabulous waitress, she took care of that pronto! So yes fabulous dinner but little disappointed with one of the chefs who did not honor my request of extra cheese! So the chefs need to listen to staff! Later the staff went out of their way but a bit too late. Of course I will be back, we're only human.
Rupel J.
Fresh, housemade pasta. Complimentary bread with chili oil for apps. The ambiance is nice, very busy place but still feels semi-formal. The servers are very nice and helpful. Great dessert too!
Cheryl Rasmussen
Complimenti! My three teenage kids and I were seating promptly. Showing up without a reservation, we were kindly offered seats at the “cook’s counter”. I sat directly in front of the warm wood burning oven and my son was completely enthralled by the atmosphere of the kitchen. Although our bread was more American than rustic Italian, it served as a conveyor of some of the best olive oil I have tasted in a while. Ingredients were fresh and flavors gustoso. Our pizzas, GF pasta, and salads were served timely and warm. Despite showing up without a reservation, we were treated with kindness and true Italian hospitality as complimentary “arancini” or risotto rice balls were offered as compliments from the kitchen. My daughter ordered the 4 cheese pizza and was noticed by the staff that the cheese was too strong for her liking. The manager came out personally and spoke to her with kindness and a sincere desire for her to walk away from her dining experience fed and happy. We had been traveling all day and our stop in Clayton for a bit of respite before another day of driving turned into an evening my children and I will remember largely due to our dining experience at la Pastaria! Complimenti allo chef!Dietary restrictions: They do substitute any non stuffed pasta with GF noodles. Salads are very fresh.
Carolyn made his birthday celebration BEST EVER! Steve and I have been flying in from Austin, TX for GREAT food here at Pastaria St. Louis since 2017. Always amazing…. Thank you so much!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rick S.
Eaten here several times. Food is great and the service has been awesome. Location is good although parking can be tough at times. Ambiance is nice.
Marissa J.
This is a very accommodating restaurant. While I did not prefer what I ordered they did ask me if I wanted to order something else which I did and enjoyed it. The gelato is also very delicious.
Hannah Orellana
I love their food!! So much so much so that I tolerate eating there. The tables are so close together that the waiters keep brushing your elbows. And when you have tables that close together that also means you have loud strangers right at your ear. If you are looking for a romantic dinner, in my opinion this is not it. But the food is great and waiters are nice.
Nice pasta. I loved the beets appetizer. Service was exceptional. I'll definitely
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pistachio Ravioli
Rob Schlette
Pastaria is a top go-to restaurant for our family. It's some of the best cooking in STL, without a doubt. Very consistent quality, and the food always has that 'how do they do that' factor that keeps me returning. For example, tonight I had a rabbit mezzaluna in a green sauce that was RIDICULOUSLY balanced and delicious: savory, acidic, herbaceous. If you really love food that's well prepared from excellent ingredients, and served by people that respect that standard as a baseline for quality, you'll love Pastaria.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lucy Tindel
The food is amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BT A
Upscale and real culinary art. A bougie place with bougie food. Everything I’ve had here was very interesting and full of flavor. The service is excellent too, though they are often busy even on weekdays and on Sundays (definitely be sure to make a reservation on their website in advance, it’s so busy that they usually can’t even seat you until a few minutes after your reservation, but it’s so worth it.) But busy-ness is a good sign, it just means the place is fantastic and in high demand, which it is. A great place to take someone if you’re trying to impress (I wouldn’t do a first date here, because it’s too loud to have a meaningful conversation…. Maybe a good place for a 5th date or someone you’ve been with for a while.)
There is only one thing you should get when you go here and it is the pistachio ravioli. Not really, because everything here is good, but that pasta is something I always think about. Their wine pours from the staff are good and their gelato is the perfect night cap. The vibe here is always lively.
Very expensive for the food and service. Found the food pretty standard fare...also very loud during popular times.
Came here on a whim, but there was no wait time to be seated. The vibes were pretty nice, and the ambience was cozy. We ordered 4 different dishes, and they were all good in their own way. Crispy risotto balls: Crispy, salty with a tangy herb aoili. Some people preferred the marinara, but I think the aoili was a little bit better. Nothing that wowed me here, but it was decent. Toasted semolina linguine: This was probably my personal favorite dish that we got, but I just love the salty, briny taste of seafood, especially shrimp. The noodles had a good, satisfying chew. The seafood was so juicy and well-seasoned and paired very well with the rich linguine. Pappardelle: On paper, this one sounds the best, but I think it was probably my 3rd favorite pasta dish that we got. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I don't think it could ever fully hit the gear it was intended to. It was salty, rich, slightly smoky with a decent balance. I didn't really taste the apple, but I think a little bit more would've slightly benefit the dish. The pasta was satisfying and chewy. Canestri Cacio e Pepe: This was pretty good. Simple, straightforward, executed well. Something about the creaminess of the sauce and the saltiness of the cheese that was so well balanced, cut through by the pepperiness. Reminds me of a classy, elevated mac and cheese. Overall, it was a lot of food. There were 3 people, and I think we could've gotten by with 1 appetizer and 2 dishes. Overall, a good experience with good food. 4/5 stars.
Tonight fabulous dinner, the kale salad was fabulous perfect amount of dressing, cheese, and crumbs. Had the Allen pizza, asked for more cheese, did NOT happen, until I asked Carolyn, our fabulous waitress, she took care of that pronto! So yes fabulous dinner but little disappointed with one of the chefs who did not honor my request of extra cheese! So the chefs need to listen to staff! Later the staff went out of their way but a bit too late. Of course I will be back, we're only human.
Fresh, housemade pasta. Complimentary bread with chili oil for apps. The ambiance is nice, very busy place but still feels semi-formal. The servers are very nice and helpful. Great dessert too!
Complimenti! My three teenage kids and I were seating promptly. Showing up without a reservation, we were kindly offered seats at the “cook’s counter”. I sat directly in front of the warm wood burning oven and my son was completely enthralled by the atmosphere of the kitchen. Although our bread was more American than rustic Italian, it served as a conveyor of some of the best olive oil I have tasted in a while. Ingredients were fresh and flavors gustoso. Our pizzas, GF pasta, and salads were served timely and warm. Despite showing up without a reservation, we were treated with kindness and true Italian hospitality as complimentary “arancini” or risotto rice balls were offered as compliments from the kitchen. My daughter ordered the 4 cheese pizza and was noticed by the staff that the cheese was too strong for her liking. The manager came out personally and spoke to her with kindness and a sincere desire for her to walk away from her dining experience fed and happy. We had been traveling all day and our stop in Clayton for a bit of respite before another day of driving turned into an evening my children and I will remember largely due to our dining experience at la Pastaria! Complimenti allo chef!Dietary restrictions: They do substitute any non stuffed pasta with GF noodles. Salads are very fresh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Risotto Balls, Nduja Pizza
Carolyn made his birthday celebration BEST EVER! Steve and I have been flying in from Austin, TX for GREAT food here at Pastaria St. Louis since 2017. Always amazing…. Thank you so much!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eaten here several times. Food is great and the service has been awesome. Location is good although parking can be tough at times. Ambiance is nice.
This is a very accommodating restaurant. While I did not prefer what I ordered they did ask me if I wanted to order something else which I did and enjoyed it. The gelato is also very delicious.
I love their food!! So much so much so that I tolerate eating there. The tables are so close together that the waiters keep brushing your elbows. And when you have tables that close together that also means you have loud strangers right at your ear. If you are looking for a romantic dinner, in my opinion this is not it. But the food is great and waiters are nice.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Nice pasta. I loved the beets appetizer. Service was exceptional. I'll definitely
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pistachio Ravioli
Pastaria is a top go-to restaurant for our family. It's some of the best cooking in STL, without a doubt. Very consistent quality, and the food always has that 'how do they do that' factor that keeps me returning. For example, tonight I had a rabbit mezzaluna in a green sauce that was RIDICULOUSLY balanced and delicious: savory, acidic, herbaceous. If you really love food that's well prepared from excellent ingredients, and served by people that respect that standard as a baseline for quality, you'll love Pastaria.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Upscale and real culinary art. A bougie place with bougie food. Everything I’ve had here was very interesting and full of flavor. The service is excellent too, though they are often busy even on weekdays and on Sundays (definitely be sure to make a reservation on their website in advance, it’s so busy that they usually can’t even seat you until a few minutes after your reservation, but it’s so worth it.) But busy-ness is a good sign, it just means the place is fantastic and in high demand, which it is. A great place to take someone if you’re trying to impress (I wouldn’t do a first date here, because it’s too loud to have a meaningful conversation…. Maybe a good place for a 5th date or someone you’ve been with for a while.)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, reasonable prices, good drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5