Vicia
Real-deal farm-to-table in St. Louis
GO HERE: for a taste of the finest vegetables, grains, and meats known to Missouri, delicately prepared by chef Michael Gallina. The Blue Hill alum and St. Louis native gives the utmost attention to oft-overlooked vegetables (this is your moment, turnip tops!), turning out thoughtful, precise shared plates.
ORDER THE: Goose Egg (gorgeously soft-scrambled eggs presented in what looks like a bird’s nest); the very clever carbonara made with rutabaga in lieu of noodles; and the incomparable beef fat–basted carrots, a main course unto themselves.
THE VIBE IS: grown-up and polished through and through—with all the warmth you’d expect from our country’s heartland. The menu is exciting and unusual enough to intrigue a younger crowd; the space and service are sophisticated enough to please older diners too.
STOP AND SMELL THE: smoke, emanating from the wood-burning grill on the outdoor patio. That’s what gives an impressive char and deep flavor to everything from those carrots to local grass-fed beef.
GETTING IN: isn’t too hard. Reservations are recommended for dinner. Lunch is for walk-ins only, and the bar area and patio leave plenty of space to drop by at night too.
