toasted ravioli Archives - Good Food St. Louis

I love it when the cheese stretches from the pan and has to be urged to your plate with a little help from your fingers.

If you and your COVID-crazed friends can’t decide which kind of food they want to eat, you might consider Anthonino’s Taverna on The Hill. There’s seating on the street and well-spaced booths and tables indoors.

Decisions, Decisions

Anthonino’s is a place that has so much goodness packed into its Italian-Greek menu, it’s hard to make a choice. I’m always drawn to their award-winning dishes: the Toasted Ravioli with Marinara Sauce and the House Salad. The salad is something of a Italian-Greek mélange. That’s not surprising since the Scarato brothers, who own the place, are of Italian-Greek heritage.

After much indecision, Cyndy and I each ordered a House Salad and split a Veggie Pizza, that comes topped with broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and Mozzarella. (Eating a veggie pizza makes you feel incredibly virtuous.)

Anthonino’s House Salad of romaine lettuce, red onion, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, feta and cucumber topped with a creamy Greek dressing

Baked in Goodness

Cyndy creates a cheese avalanche!

Cheesy, Crusty Goodness

I thought I was a thin-crust gal until I discovered Anthonino’s medium-crust. It’s divine and as good as any I’ve ever had—anywhere!

Pizza is served on an elevated rack, which makes for a whimsical presentation, as well as extra space on the table. It’s fun to hoist a slice from the tray and watch the cheese cling and swirl as you wag it onto your plate—or palate—leaving a trail of toppings behind.

Anthonino’s award-winning Toasted Ravioli with house-made sauce and Romano cheese. Cited as Best Toasted Ravioli for 7-straight years by the Riverfront Times.

Must Return—and Soon

There’s so many reasons to return to Anthonino’s. I’ve yet to explore the Greek side of the menu, for heaven’s sake!—the saganaki, spanakopita, gyro, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). But then, I’d have to pass up the pizza. So many goodies, so little space on my plate.

The Brothers Scarato have modernized without diminishing the rustic charm of the old tavern. In addition to the original bar, the hardwood floors, exposed brick, and pressed-tin ceiling are original.

A Visit by Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”

Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visits Anthonino’s kitchen in 2012.

Back in 2012 Guy Fieri of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives told the world about Anthonino’s toasted ravioli, marinara sauces, stuffed grape leaves and tzatziki sauce.

Customers swarmed the place making it necessary to expand the dining area.

Since then more accolades have poured in: Best Pizza on The Hill; Best Toasted Ravioli from RFT for 5 years running; and Best Italian Restaurant in St. Louis from RFT.

Indeed, Anthonino’s deserves a place in pizza paradise.

The oversized menu and comfortable booths are an invitation to fine dining.

On to DiGregorio’s Italian Grocery

After lunch at Anthonino’s, I had a most enjoyable swirl through DiGregorio’s Italian Grocery. It’s a museum of cheeses, meats, and pastas. I loaded up on their pizza dough balls, sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage, and Mozzarella for our long overdue cookout at the farm this weekend. As usual, I also got a few things I hadn’t intended to buy.

Austin and I split one of Anthonino’s award-winning pizzas and took home the leftovers. (Their smallest pizza is a 14-incher.)

I was cruising around The Hill recently and decided to stop for dinner at Anthonino’s Taverna. Good choice; bad timing. It was Saturday evening and people were standing around outside waiting for tables. We drove on.

But this week I was with my grandson, Austin, and we were near The Hill and looking for a lunch spot. We drove along Macklind and ta-da! There was a parking place right beside Anthonino’s! In we went.

An Italian-Greek Menu

After much indecision, we decided to split a Ricotta Pizza, that comes topped with meatballs, mozzarella and pancetta.

Normally, I’m a Thin-Crust Gal

Now I’m a thin-crust gal and Anthonino’s is a medium-crust kind of place. Even though the crust is a little thicker than I normally order, it’s divine and as good as any I’ve ever had—anywhere!

Pizza is served on an elevated rack, which makes for a whimsical presentation, as well as extra space on the table. It’s fun to hoist a slice of pizza from the tray and watch the cheese cling and swirl as you wag it onto your plate, leaving a trail of toppings behind.

Anthonino’s award-winning Toasted Ravioli with house-made sauce and Romano cheese. Cited as Best Toasted Ravioli for 7-straight years by the Riverfront Times. This uniquely St. Louis dish was also featured on the Food Network Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

The kitchen literally rolls out 5,000-7,000 raviolis each week.

The House Salad includes romaine lettuce, red onions, red bell pepper, tomatoes, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, feta, and English cucumber topped with a creamy Greek dressing.

The fun begins as Austin get the hang of removing a slice of Ricotta Pizza loaded with cheesy goodness.

The bar is original to the building, as are the hardwood floors, exposed brick, and pressed-tin ceiling.

There’s so many good reasons to return to Anthonino’s. I’ve yet to explore the Greek side of the menu, for heaven’s sake!—the saganaki, spanakopita, gyro, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves).

(Photo) Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visits Anthonino’s kitchen.