St. Louis, MOSoups

The Fountain on Locust keeps more than fifty house-made soups in rotation, and the one to order is the signature Polish Dill Pickle Soup, created by founder Joy Grdnic from a family recipe and kept on the menu after she retired and new owners took over. The Midtown room is also a specialty cocktail and ice cream bar, so a bowl of soup here can end with something from the fountain.

The soups rotate daily at The Daily Bread, the so-called DB, but the Vegetarian Vegetable is a constant. It comes from owner Patrick Judd's mother's recipe and carries a summer garden's worth of produce: onions, celery, tomatoes and a scratch-made tomato puree, potatoes, zucchini, white mushrooms, sweet corn and carrots, with green and Great Northern beans. Order the Vegetarian Vegetable at this Des Peres bakery and cafe, and ask what else is on that day.

Companion's café in Ladue offers four soups every day. The roasted red pepper is a top seller, made with cream and a hint of smoked paprika to round out its spices. The bakery pairs it with its signature cornbread, and a crusty French roll is the other option. Order the roasted red pepper with the cornbread.

SqWires has kept its baked onion soup on the menu for more than 20 years: yellow onions slow-cooked with beef stock, sherry and thyme, under a generous layer of cheese. The Lafayette Square restaurant adds a second soup of the day that changes daily, and either one comes as part of a half sandwich and soup combo. Order the baked onion soup.

The Gramophone is known for its sandwiches, and its soups hold their own: a rotating selection changes daily at this Grove eatery, and the jalapeño popper soup is served every day. Rich and spicy, it takes its cue from the bar snack, with cream cheese and fiery jalapeño. Order a bowl on its own or use it as a dip for one of the sandwiches.