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St. Louis barbecue is not the slow-smoke, dry-rub tradition people expect from elsewhere. Its shorthand, per St. Louis Magazine’s “Ask George” column, is grilled, then sauced, with a tomato-based sauce that leans sweet and tangy.
The style, piece by piece
The rib. The same column explains that “style” in “St. Louis-style spare rib” describes the cut, not the cooking: the slab is squared by sawing off the rounded tip, a trim the column says began in or near St. Louis meatpacking houses.
The pork steak. The column credits St. Louis with giving the pork steak its notoriety.
The snoot. Pig snoots, along with rib tips, belong to the local canon. The usual picture is crisp pieces in sauce, often with white bread underneath.
The sauce. St. Louis Public Radio reports that Louis Maull claims he invented America’s first barbecue sauce here in 1926. It is his claim, so treat it as local lore rather than settled history.
Where the tradition comes from
Barbecue history is argued over, and the same St. Louis Public Radio piece features soul-food historian Adrian Miller, who says that after the Civil War, Black barbecue ambassadors from West Tennessee carried the cuisine to cities including Kansas City and St. Louis. He also says the city’s distinctive barbecue, snoots especially, is better known within Black culture than in the mainstream.
Where to try it
Each place below lists ribs on its own website. Menus and hours change, so check the venue’s page before you go. Two of the four, Roper’s and Salt + Smoke, name the St. Louis cut outright.
Roper’s Ribs — West Florissant Avenue, north St. Louis
The most direct match for this page. Its menu lists “STL Style” ribs alongside baby backs, rib tips and a snoots meal, and says the meats are hand-rubbed and smoked with hickory. See the Roper’s Ribs menu.
Salt + Smoke — Delmar Loop
The restaurant lists the Delmar Loop among its St. Louis-area locations, and its online menu includes “St. Louis Cut Ribs” in half and full racks, plus its own “trashed ribs.” Pair it with a walk of the Delmar Loop. See the Salt + Smoke menu.
Bogart’s Smokehouse — Soulard
At 1627 S. 9th Street, in what its site calls historic Soulard. The house specialty is apricot-glazed ribs, a house twist rather than the traditional sauced rack, with pulled pork, brisket, tri-tip and pastrami on the menu too. The site warns it may sell out early, so call ahead. More on the neighborhood in the Soulard guide. Visit Bogart’s Smokehouse.
Pappy’s Smokehouse — Midtown, 3106 Olive Street
A different style, and its own site says so: it calls the barbecue Memphis-style, with dry-rubbed ribs slow-smoked over apple and cherry wood. Worth knowing as the contrast to the sauced St. Louis tradition above. Visit Pappy’s Smokehouse.
Nearby stays
Base yourself in the neighborhoods
Bogart’s sits in Soulard, where VisitingSTL features a stay in the neighborhood itself, and the Delmar Loop has its own guide. Compare the featured properties and pick the area that suits your route.
See Places to Stay →Quick answers
What makes a rib St. Louis-style?
According to St. Louis Magazine, the name refers to the cut rather than the cooking method: the slab is squared off by sawing away the rounded tip.
What are snoots?
Snoots are pig snouts, cooked until crisp and served with sauce. Roper's Ribs lists snoots as a meal on its own menu.
Is St. Louis barbecue smoked?
The traditional description, from St. Louis Magazine, is grilled and then sauced rather than dry-rubbed and smoked for hours. Many restaurants today smoke their meat; Roper's Ribs, for one, says it smokes over hickory.
Where can I try ribs near Soulard?
Bogart's Smokehouse, at 1627 S. 9th Street in Soulard, lists apricot-glazed ribs on its own site.
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