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Toasted ravioli is the appetizer St. Louis claims as its own: ravioli that is breaded and deep-fried until crisp, then served with a dipping sauce, usually marinara. It's a fixture of the city's Italian-American restaurants, and the neighborhood most tied to it is The Hill.
What it is
The ravioli itself is ordinary; the difference is what happens next. Menus describe it as lightly breaded and fried to a golden brown, often finished with grated parmesan. The filling varies by kitchen: Mama's on the Hill describes meat or cheese, Rigazzi's beef and pork, and Lombardo's an oversized meat-filled version. It arrives as a shared starter, and the sauce for dunking matters about as much as the ravioli.
Who started it
Nobody has proved it, and St. Louis Magazine's piece on the question lays out the competing stories without crowning one. In the version told for Oldani's, now Mama's on the Hill, a cook dropped ravioli into hot oil by accident, and the owners rescued the result with parmesan. The magazine presents that as longtime waiter Mickey Garagiola's account. At Angelo's on the Hill, now Charlie Gitto's, the story is also an accident: a kitchen misunderstanding sent ravioli into the fryer. Charlie Gitto's own page tells it as legend, crediting an unnamed chef in the 1940s.
Lombardo's makes a third claim. Its owner, Tony Lombardo, says he believes he has menus from the 1930s listing the dish, and the restaurant's own history page says the toasted ravioli helped the family business prosper in 1934. Mama's goes furthest on its own site, saying the dish was born in its kitchen. Treat all of it as lore. The story is part of the fun, and each dining room tells it a little differently.
Where to try it
Each place below lists the dish on its own website. Check the linked page for current menus and hours.
Mama's on the Hill — The Hill
The restaurant's site calls toasted ravioli a St. Louis tradition and says it was born in Mama's kitchen. The menu describes handmade meat- or cheese-filled ravioli, lightly breaded, deep-fried and served with Mama's marinara. See the menu on mamasonthehill.com.
Charlie Gitto's — The Hill
Charlie Gitto's, at 5226 Shaw Ave, has a page devoted to the dish. It describes handmade ravioli, breaded and fried until golden outside and soft inside, with marinara or another dipping sauce. Read about it on charliegittos.com.
Cunetto House of Pasta — The Hill
Cunetto's, at 5453 Magnolia Ave, describes itself as right on The Hill, and its dinner menu lists Toasted Ravioli among the antipasti. See the dinner menu on cunetto.com.
Rigazzi's — The Hill
Rigazzi's, at 4945 Daggett Ave, says it has been on The Hill since 1957. Its menu lists toasted ravioli as breaded St. Louis-style beef and pork ravioli with house-made meat sauce and parmesan. See the menu on rigazzis.com.
Lombardo's Trattoria — Downtown West
Lombardo's, at 201 S. 20th Street across from the St. Louis Wheel at Union Station, lists Toasted Ravioli under antipasti as a famous oversized meat-filled house specialty. Its menu also offers a house-made version by the hundred for events. See the menu on lombardostrattoria.com.
Four of the five place themselves on The Hill, so one evening in the neighborhood can double as a comparison. The guide to The Hill covers the rest of it, from delis to bakeries.
Nearby stays
No Airbnb on The Hill yet
VisitingSTL doesn't feature a stay right on The Hill yet. See the featured stays to pick a base, then plan a dinner trip for the toasted ravioli.
See Places to Stay →Quick answers
What is St. Louis toasted ravioli?
Ravioli that is breaded and deep-fried, then served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, usually marinara. Restaurants fill it with meat, cheese or both, and some top it with grated parmesan.
Who invented toasted ravioli?
Nobody has settled it. Mama's on the Hill (once Oldani's), Charlie Gitto's (once Angelo's on the Hill) and Lombardo's each have a story, and St. Louis Magazine's look at the question presents the evidence as largely anecdotal.
Where can I try toasted ravioli on The Hill?
Mama's on the Hill, Charlie Gitto's, Cunetto House of Pasta and Rigazzi's all list it on their own sites, and each places itself on The Hill. Lombardo's Trattoria lists it downtown, across from the St. Louis Wheel at Union Station.
Is toasted ravioli always filled with meat?
No. Mama's on the Hill describes its ravioli as meat or cheese filled, while Rigazzi's describes beef and pork and Lombardo's an oversized meat-filled version. Check each menu.
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