St. Louis, MOCajun

St. Louis Magazine's gumbo guide says nowhere in St. Louis embodies the festive, music inflected atmosphere of New Orleans better than this South Broadway institution, and that the energy of the room takes nothing away from the food, including the andouille, chicken and seafood gumbo. Sauce readers voted it their favorite Cajun and Creole restaurant in 2022. Order a bowl of the gumbo with whatever is playing that night.

St. Louis Magazine says owner Don Bailey fell in love with the food of New Orleans while volunteering in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and that the love shows at his Central West End restaurant. His Championship Gumbo is built on a light roux and loaded with Gulf shrimp, Louisiana crawfish tails, andouille, smoked sausage and chicken. The guide says it tastes better still during the restaurant's popular jazz brunch, which is when to go.

St. Louis Magazine says Harry Parker left an established corporate career to open a restaurant drawing on his family's cooking, and that Gulf Shores now runs two locations and two takes on gumbo: a spicy crawfish and okra version, and one with chicken and andouille. Sauce readers placed it second in their favorite Cajun and Creole category in 2022. Order whichever of the two gumbos suits the weather.

St. Louis Magazine calls Sister Cities the gold standard of Cajun cooking in St. Louis since 2013, and credits owner Travis Parfait's upbringing in Louisiana's Mississippi delta. The guide says his seafood gumbo is as classic as it gets, a dark roux base packed with shrimp, crawfish and catfish. Sauce readers placed it third in their favorite Cajun and Creole category in 2022. Order the seafood gumbo on South Broadway.

St. Louis Magazine calls this Alton spot a metro east gem with a comprehensive selection of Cajun and Creole favorites, including two styles of gumbo: a traditional chicken and smoked pork sausage version, and a seafood one filled with shrimp, crab, chicken and pork sausage. The guide says to save room for the beignets. Order one gumbo of each style if there are two of you.