The 32 Essential St. Louis Restaurants

"When chef Nick Bognar opened his 40-seat restaurant, Indo, in Botanical Heights in 2019, first the local, then the national food media absolutely lost their minds. Bognar soon received a lifetime’s worth of accolades and critical praise for the profoundly flavorful Southeast Asian dishes he offered, but it was his masterful and deft sashimi preparations that initiated the tidal wave of national attention, making it nearly impossible to snag a reservation. Those who did get in watched Bognar slice and torch rare fish like striped horse mackerel, young sea bream, and fatty tuna belly, all served with nikiri rather than soy, and fresh-ground wasabi root. During the pandemic, Indo pivoted to a more casual Thai street food takeout menu, but the reopened dining room provides Bognar a chance to flex a little of his culinary muscle again." - Holly Fann