Ahh! What a sweet welcome to Anthonino’s Taverna on The Hill.
What fun to have lunch with a group of GoodFoodSTL friends—some of whom I’d never met except online. Yes, we had our first MeetUp, or maybe we should call it an EatUp, because that’s what we did at Anthonino’s on Tuesday. Wow! Did we ever get the royal treatment. It started with a welcome sign at the entrance followed by a brief restaurant history from event’s coordinator Meegan Whitehead.
Award-Winning, Family-Style Cooking
At the table, a complimentary tray of their award-winning, toasted ravioli brightened our arrival. The crusty little pillows are handmade of beef, ricotta and pecorino romano cheese and topped with marinara sauce. Meegan proudly pointed out that while they were not the first to make the St. Louis classic, they are the ones who make it best.
Meegan Whitehead, Events Coordinator at Anthonino’s, makes every group event special.
In 2012, Anthonino’s toasted ravioli was featured on the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives following Guy Fieri’s kitchen visit. See video here. After gaining national prominence, customers swarmed the place making it necessary to expand the dining area; seating is now in the vicinity of 180.
Since opening the Italian-Greek restaurant in 2003, the Scarato brothers, Anthony and Rosario, have served family-style meals at reasonable prices. In their pursuit, the restaurant has captured a number of local accolades: Best Toasted Ravioli from the River Front Times for 5 years running (2011-2016) and Best Pizza (Thick) in St. Louis and Best Overall Restaurant in STL from RFT.
Food Is Best When Shared
Our first Good Food St. Louis lunch meetup/eatup. (Left to right: Anne-Sophie Blank, Jean Carnahan, Louise Pennell, Betty Ackerman, Dorris Keeven-Franke, Cyndy Crider, and Susan Ryan-Haupt.) Women with a common interest in good food can find plenty to talk about, which we did over the next two hours.
Conversation Tidbits: I learned that there are a number of fine restaurants (both old and new) that I must make a point to try in St. Charles. . .that I can find quark (a German cheese) at Whole Foods. . . that the Schnuck’s on Arsenal handles many of the speciality items you find on The Hill. . . which French bakeries and cafes are most authentic. . . the history of beer-making in St. Louis. . . and that Cracker Barrel has good chicken and dumplings.
Anthonino’s award-winning Toasted Ravioli with Marinara Sauce. The kitchen rolls out 5,000-7,000 raviolis each week. These guys are “making a lot of dough!” (Forgive the bad pun.)
We enjoyed a table visit from Chef Anthony Scarato. Either he or his brother, Rosario, are always in the kitchen at their popular tavern. The Scaratos are Greek-Italian, a heritage reflected in their many well-seasoned menu items.
During tomato season, I could eat a Caprese Salad like this everyday. The fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese combo seasoned with balsamic vinegar makes the perfect summer salad.
A plate of golden-brown Calamari rings with a fresh tomato Marinara Sauce
Opps! I just created a cheese avalanche! Cheese on this hand-tossed pizza is a mixture of Provolone and Mozzarella, which makes for both good eating and fun photos. I’m not a thick crust fan, but this could easily make me a convert.
Tortellini in a luscious, creamy sauce.
The Margherita Pizza with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.
The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich.
Pasta Carbonara
Holy Cannoli, Batman! This Italian pastry of sweet, whipped ricotta is a heavenly way to end a meal.
Anthonino’s Taverna, 2225 Macklind Avenue on The Hill. Open: Mon-Sat 11a-10p. Closed Sundays.
