Brunch & Lunch

American Custard Co. In a town famous for French colonial history, American Custard Co. represents something equally important—what happens when a family-owned establishment decides that consistency and quality matter more than convenience. Located near the water park, this local flagship for American fare delivers proof that chain restaurants didn’t create modern fast food because it’s inevitable but rather because it’s profitable. Every detail receives attention that corporate standardization abandoned decades ago. The burgers—whether standard classics or featuring culinary twists—are cooked properly with actual technique. Hot chicken sandwiches can be grilled for those seeking healthier options without sacrificing flavor. The fries swim in beef tallow like they’re supposed to be, not vegetable oil. Salads feature fresh lettuce and homemade vinaigrette rather than mass-produced dressing. The coffee rivals St. Louis Starbucks, eliminating the need to miss city amenities while visiting. And the frozen custard that gives the establishment its name? It fills the role Ted Drewe’s plays in the city—genuine frozen custard excellence capturing what dessert should be. This is Ste. Genevieve’s testament to community commitment: a family working their tale off serving fresh-cooked food reflecting care that can’t be systematized or franchised. Family Ownership: Work Ethic Visible in Every Detail American Read more...

Audubon’s Restaurant  The Unequivocal Center of Downtown Ste. Geneviève Nestled in the heart of downtown Ste. Genevieve at 9 North Main Street, Audubon’s occupies a century-old building that has anchored the town’s social scene since 1901. Originally the historically famous Palace Bar starting in 1903, the restaurant reopened under current ownership in 2015 with a mission to reflect the cultural identity and history of Ste. Genevieve through scratch-made cuisine. The menu celebrates the town’s diverse heritage—French, Cajun, German, and Italian dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients. One satisfied guest summed it up: “We ended our wine tasting day with dinner at the Audubon. We had the Schnitzel, Cajun Shrimp and mushroom burger. All were wonderful! Staff is great! Facility is clean.” Where the Past Meets the Present Audubon’s philosophy centers on giving visitors a chance to taste the history and diversity of Ste. Genevieve’s community while offering locals an opportunity to taste a bit of their own heritage. The scratch-made menu balances upscale dining with comfort food familiarity—German schnitzel and spaetzle sit alongside Cajun pasta, French onion soup, Italian fettuccine, and American classics like burgers and brick oven pizza. Signature dishes draw consistent praise. The pork schnitzel comes “bigger than Read more...

950 Ste. Geneviève Dr (Hwy 61) Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-883-3562 Hours Tuesday thru Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Serving: Lunch and Dinner Daily Breakfast: Saturday and Sunday Cuisine: American and Local Specialties Alcohol: Wine and Beer Read more...

Charleville Brewery & Winery  Uncork and Unplug at this Regional Tourism Icon Perched high above Saline Creek Valley in western Ste. Genevieve County, Charleville Brewery & Winery delivers what one guest called “one of the best views in all of Missouri” alongside distinctive handcrafted wines and beers. Since opening in June 2003 as a retirement project, then expanding with a $5 million renovation under new ownership in 2023, Charleville has evolved into a 10,000-square-foot destination featuring an innovative 24-tap iPourIt self-serve wall, elevated food menu, fire pit patios, and an 1860s log cabin lodge for overnight stays. The wristband-activated pour system lets you sample as much or as little as you want while the Saline Creek Valley panorama unfolds below. As one visitor raved: “Upon entering, you are given a magic bracelet that you can swipe on their ‘ipourit’ wall. You just swipe and drink. It bills you based upon how much you pour. Aaron walked us through the process perfectly. Absolutely amazing…This is probably the best food I’ve ever had at a winery. This is not a basic cheeseboard. This is coconut shrimp, fantastic pizza, & ahi tuna nachos.” iPourIt Wall: Beer, Wine, and Charle-Ritas on Tap The 24-tap Read more...

110 Plaza Drive (off Hwy 61) Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-883-8868 Serving Lunch and Dinner, Monday thru Saturday Cuisine Asian specialties Read more...

18575 Highway 32 Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-883-9800 Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Dairy Queen is an American chain of soft serve ice cream and fast-food restaurants Read more...

Dew Drop Inn At 710 Highway 61 in Bloomsdale, the Dew Drop Inn serves traditional Americana cuisine daily from lunch through dinner, offering fun twists on American classics alongside craft beers and wines. While its sister restaurant, The Kozy, focuses on breakfast excellence, the Dew Drop Inn takes over when appetites shift toward heartier fare and afternoon drinks. The menu allows customization toward health-conscious preferences or indulgent satisfaction—whatever your mood demands. As part of an integrated complex including The Mill Room event space and outdoor game area, the Dew Drop Inn works perfectly for solo diners wanting quality meals or groups gathering for casual celebrations. The casual bar atmosphere, daily service, and flexible menu pricing make it accessible destination whether you’re stopping between Baetje Farms tours and wine tastings or seeking Bloomsdale’s primary evening dinner option. Traditional Americana: Lunch and Dinner Daily The Dew Drop Inn’s focus on traditional Americana means familiar cooking executed with care—the kind of cuisine that satisfies without pretension. The “fun twists” on American classics indicate the kitchen respects tradition while adding contemporary creativity. Unlike The Kozy’s breakfast specialization, this is where you find lunch sandwiches, dinner entrées, and the kind of casual fare that works Read more...

El Potosino / Huasteca Potosina Mexican – Authentic Taste of Real Mexico in a Family-Run Ste. Genevieve Gem At 634 Ste. Genevieve Drive (also listed as Ste. Genevieve Drive), El Potosino Mexican Restaurant—now also known as Huasteca Potosina Mexican—brings “a taste of real Mexico” to Ste. Genevieve through family-run dedication to authentic regional cuisine. This is not Tex-Mex, not Americanized Mexican, not chain restaurant formulas—this is the real thing, the kind of food you’d find in family kitchens across Mexico, served with genuine warmth in modest setting where, as one enthusiastic reviewer noted, “judging from the low overhead and sparse furnishings, you are here for one reason: the food.” Since opening, El Potosino has quietly built devoted following among those who recognize authenticity when they taste it—fresh tortillas made daily, salsas that pack flavorful punch, moist and delectable chicken dishes, and regional specialties like Zacahuil (giant tamale steamed in banana leaves) representing Huastec indigenous culinary traditions. With consistently excellent food, patient and kind staff, fast service, and prices running $10-$20 per person, this family operation represents the type of place that’s “the first stepping stone to a full-blown, first-rate Mexican restaurant…It’s only a matter of time before El Potosino needs Read more...

Gegg’s Farm Market: An Artisan Experience in the Most Unlikely of Places Off State Route B in Ste. Genevieve County, on your way to Charleville Brewery and Winery, stands Gegg’s Farm Market—a far-flung mini Bucee’s celebrating local agriculture, artisan foods, and community sourcing in county setting where farm-to-table means walking distance to actual farms. Operated by Pat and Jessica Gegg (the same owners behind the acclaimed Silo Farm Haus), this unexpected retail treasure stocks locally grown and rendered pork rinds, cuts of meat from local farms, homemade sourdoughs, cookies, brownies, bulk jellybeans, and pickled everything—while anchoring the operation with full-service Blue Bell Ice Cream bar and made-to-order sandwich shop featuring homemade bread baked in-house. The signature Cajun Turkey sandwich (absolutely not to be missed) exemplifies the operation’s philosophy: take exceptional local ingredients, combine with quality execution, deliver experience that justifies the drive. Open Thursday-Sunday 9 AM-5 PM, Gegg’s Farm Market transforms rural location into destination—the kind of place wine country visitors stumble upon and immediately text friends about. From Silo Farm Haus to Farm Market: Pat and Jessica’s Expanding Vision Pat and Jessica Gegg operate within philosophy many entrepreneurs miss: build one excellent thing, then expand thoughtfully in directions that Read more...

Shaved Ice 21561 Highway 32 Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Facebook Phone: (573) 615-8803 Website: Luna’s | All Natural | Missouri, USA Hours:  Open Seasonally Monday 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. About Luna’s:  Luna’s Shaved Ice has the fluffiest shaved ice around and features all-natural syrups, hand-dipped ice cream for shaved ice sundaes, and fresh fruit toppings! Read more...

McDonald’s Sainte Geneviève – Fast Food Slows Down and Adapts to Small-Town Sensibilities Every American knows McDonald’s—the golden arches, the Big Mac, the French fries, the relentless standardization that means a Quarter Pounder in Miami tastes identical to one in Seattle. Corporate consistency is the entire point: you know exactly what you’re getting regardless of location. Except when you don’t. Except when a McDonald’s location in a small historic town operates just differently enough that it stops being generic fast food and becomes something more interesting—a franchise that adapted to local expectations rather than imposing corporate uniformity. Sainte Geneviève’s McDonald’s, tucked into Missouri’s oldest town, is that exception. It serves the same menu corporate requires, features the same branding, and technically operates as the McDonald’s you know. But walk inside and you’ll notice differences: the atmosphere is relaxed rather than rushed, the interior resembles a lounge more than typical fast-food dining room, your food arrives at your table rather than being thrust across a counter, and you’re greeted with genuine smiles rather than harried efficiency. Even the menu bends slightly toward local preferences—you can order a basket of fries alongside a meal featuring two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, a combination reflecting small-town Read more...

Midway Bar and Grill At 13551 Highway 32 between Farmington and downtown Ste. Genevieve, Midway Bar and Grill delivers roadside Americana with hunting lodge atmosphere since September 9, 2003. The rustic interior—complete with taxidermy, nature motif, and uniquely shaped bar containing local history artifacts—creates cozy retreat for families, motorcyclists, hikers, and locals seeking country cooking and cold beer. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily with menu highlights including elk burgers, buffalo burgers, half-pound Midway Burger, meatloaf lunch specials, and fried chicken dinners, Midway pairs hearty portions with reasonable prices. Saturday night live bands, outdoor patio with horseshoe pits, covered pavilion, sand volleyball courts, pool tables, jukebox, and full bar create entertainment destination beyond the dining room. As one hiking family testified: “After a long day of hiking in the nearby state park, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Midway! I had the 1/2lb Midway Burger and my wife had the fried chicken dinner. Delicious!” Classic Roadside Spot: Hunting Lodge Meets Family Restaurant Opened in 2003, Midway Bar and Grill occupies that distinctive niche between sports bar and family restaurant—a place equally welcoming to Goldwing Road Riders Association members (“Tuesday Old-Man Riding Group”), parents with kids, state park hikers needing post-trail Read more...

675 Ste. Geneviève Dr. Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-880-7313 Hours Open Daily from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Serving: Breakfast and Lunch Daily Family, friendly, home-cooked meals and catering. Mimi’s is a locally owned and run family business. Their recipes are inspired by Ste. Geneviève’s Mimi, Cindy Viox. Read more...

The Old Brick At 90 South 3rd Street in downtown Ste. Genevieve stands The Old Brick—the oldest brick building west of the Mississippi River, erected in 1780 by John Price, a local merchant and ferry boat operator, its bricks reputedly brought as ballast on boats from France and still bearing plaster evidence of centuries past. This historic structure once served as courthouse, school, and fur trading post before becoming restaurant destination famous for fried chicken, hand-pattied burgers never frozen, and liver dumplings—now under new ownership by Stephanie Gadell and Cade Marceaux, the same couple who operate the Anvil Saloon & Restaurant. The reimagined Old Brick maintains what made it legendary while bringing fresh direction: fresh buffet service from open to close, hand-cut chicken breast prepared in-house, scratch-made burgers, full bar, Thursday-Monday operations (Tuesday-Wednesday closed), and simplified yet substantial menu honoring the building’s generations of hospitality. As one regular testified: “Amazing history. Over 240 years old and still running! Wonderful buffet and great food!” 1780: The Oldest Brick Building West of the Mississippi The Old Brick carries distinction unmatched by nearly any American restaurant: housing the oldest brick structure west of the Mississippi River. John Price, a Kentuckian merchant and ferry Read more...

Oliver’s Restaurant – Where Handmade Pasta Meets Hometown Heart Tucked away in the heart of historic Ste. Genevieve, Oliver’s Restaurant has quietly become something of a pilgrimage site for those who understand that truly great pasta isn’t mass-produced or pulled from a box—it’s crafted by hand, with patience, skill, and an uncompromising dedication to quality. This cozy little spot may not announce itself with flashy signage or pretentious ambiance, but what it lacks in size and fanfare, it more than makes up for in flavor, creativity, and genuine passion for the craft of pasta-making. A Passion for Pasta: The Foundation of Everything At Oliver’s, every dish starts with one thing: a passion for pasta. Not the dried stuff that sits on grocery store shelves for months, but real, honest-to-goodness fresh pasta made the old-fashioned way—by hand, every single morning. Before the restaurant opens, before the first customer walks through the door, the team at Oliver’s is already hard at work rolling, cutting, and shaping pasta dough. This isn’t a show put on for diners or a gimmick to justify higher prices. It’s simply how they believe pasta should be made—with hands, with time, with attention to texture and consistency. The Read more...

Quintessential Rivertown Spice & Tea At 195 Market Street in downtown Sainte Geneviève, Quintessential Rivertown Spice & Tea occupies an 1811 historic home lovingly converted into a tasting lounge, gift shop, and lunch destination where over 75 tea varieties are brewed at precisely the correct temperature using thermometers ensuring each variety reaches its optimal extraction point—because green tea scorched at boiling turns bitter, black tea steeped too cool tastes flat, oolongs demand specific ranges, and the difference between mediocre and exceptional tea comes down to temperature precision most cafés ignore. This is where proper afternoon tea meets serious spice appreciation: dainty sandwiches with crusts trimmed, finger foods arranged on tiered serving platters, expertly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves, and over 100 specialty spices (organic, wildcrafted, kosher options) creating sensory experience impossible in supermarket aisles. Open Wednesday-Friday 11 AM-2:30 PM and Saturday-Sunday 11 AM-5 PM, Quintessential Rivertown manifests Sainte Geneviève’s slower pace, appreciation for craft, and commitment to doing things properly in cups of perfectly brewed tea and plates of beautifully presented food. As one regular testifies: “Finally, a place where tea is treated with the respect it deserves—proper temperatures, real varieties, and service that understands what afternoon tea Read more...

River Rapids Waterpark at the Y Located at 1301 Progress Parkway in Ste. Genevieve, River Rapids Waterpark delivers family-friendly summer fun in Missouri’s oldest town—a welcome escape from history tourism and a reminder that water play, laughter, and splashing are just as much part of a complete vacation as exploring colonial homes and French heritage sites. This amazing facility includes several tubular tall water slides delivering genuine adrenaline, a lazy river offering relaxing floats around the park, a 6-lane lap pool featuring a zip line, climbing ropes, and diving board, and an exciting kids’ play area with 30 different activities. Operating daily from 11 AM to 6 PM from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, River Rapids Waterpark transforms summer afternoons into wet, wild celebrations perfect for families, friends, or anyone needing cooling-off relief from Missouri heat. Multiple Ways to Play: Every Thrill Level River Rapids Waterpark understands that water fun means different things to different people. The tubular tall water slides deliver genuine speed and excitement for thrill-seekers—you climb the tower, feel the anticipation as you position yourself at the slide entrance, then plunge through enclosed tubes toward the splash pool below. That closed-tube design creates additional thrills Read more...

Sara’s Ice Cream is the place that you expect to find in Sainte Geneviève, which makes it all the more satisfying when you do.  It’s what makes you feel like you’ve arrived at a destination—that’s how important it is to the DNA of what we’re trying to build here.  Sara’s has been a fixture here since 1981 and it’s now under new ownership that has breathed even more life into the town’s favorite stop for locals and visitors alike. Set in the town’s de-facto center right across from Audubon’s Hotel and Restaurant, Sara’s will take you back to the good times when coffee was 10 cents —it still is at Sara’s — where malts needed heavy equipment — they still do at Sara’s —and you could get house-made sodas called phosphates — guess what?  You can get them at Sara’s. It’s the perfect spot to take a break while exploring Main Street—close to local shops, restaurants, and historic sites. Whether you’re after a quick cone or a hand-dipped shake, Sara’s Ice Cream delivers a sweet taste of Sainte Geneviève. Read more...

Sirros – Nearly Three Decades of Familiar Faces, Good Service, and Homemade Onion Rings in Downtown Ste. Genevieve At 261 Merchant Street in the heart of historic downtown Ste. Genevieve, Sirros delivers what a family restaurant should: consistently good food, friendly service, comfortable atmosphere, and the sense that you’re eating somewhere deeply embedded in the community. Since opening in 1989, this casual ninety-seat restaurant has built devoted following among locals and wine country tourists by specializing in what they call “samiches” (yes, deliberately spelled that way), hand-tossed pizzas, hearty pasta dishes, and those legendary homemade made-to-order onion rings that customers describe as “munching crunchy mouthfuls of heaven.” Open daily (Monday-Thursday 11 AM-8 PM, Friday-Saturday 11 AM-9 PM, Sunday 11 AM-8 PM) with dine-in and carryout options, Sirros occupies a building with remarkable history—the 1930s soda fountain here once served as the lone bus stop between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. Now, under longtime manager Lauren Smothers’ leadership, Sirros continues three-decade tradition of making visitors “feel at home, feel comfortable, and leave with a smile on your face.” The Name: Orris Spelled Backward (Plus an “S”) Sirros “began life backward”—literally. The restaurant’s unusual name comes from spelling “Orris” backward with an Read more...

Stella and Me Within Main Street’s historic pulse, tucked into Sainte Genevieve’s newly claimed “Little Bohemia,” sits a café where sandwiches arrive so perfectly composed that diners forget, quite literally, their own names. At 198 North Main, rustic hardwood floors carry the warmth of countless lunch hours. Local artwork adorns walls. The tearoom atmosphere whispers invitation—intimate, deliberately cozy, the kind of space where time moves differently than outside on crowded streets. Stella and Me has built its reputation one carefully crafted meal at a time, earning awards, devoted regulars who return weekly, and the kind of genuine enthusiasm that makes food-focused travelers detour specifically for lunch here. This isn’t chain dining masquerading as local flavor. This is small business where fresh ingredients, creative combinations, and genuine hospitality transform midday refueling into something memorable. Small Space, Generous Portions, Award-Winning Restraint The café occupies modest square footage—the kind of intimate space where parties larger than five contemplate waiting, where tall visitors watch their heads, where the smallness itself becomes virtue rather than limitation. Award-winning sandwiches didn’t earn recognition through volume or marketing but through genuine excellence: pretzel bun creations that have achieved near-legendary status among regulars—soft, slightly chewy rolls providing ideal vessels Read more...

725 Ste. Geneviève Dr. (HWY 61) Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-883-5330 Hours Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Subway is an American multi-national fast food restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches (subs), wraps, salads and beverages. Read more...