WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. — “Everything was outstanding.”
“Coming to this restaurant was no coincidence … Did the place live up to the expectation? YES.”
“Wow. The atmosphere here deserves 5 stars alone … The roasted oysters were decadent and sinful … I'll definitely be back, a lot. This restaurant is in my top 5 of St. Louis!”
With reviews like this, it’s easy to see why a St. Louis County restaurant landed on a list of top places to eat this year in the U.S. Those Yelp reviewers weren’t alone.
Back in December, the online review website asked Yelpers to weigh in on their favorite restaurants. The solicitation led to a list of Top 100 Places to Eat in 2021.
Olive + Oak – a favorite in the St. Louis area – made the cut, landing at No. 50 on the list. It’s the only restaurant in all of Missouri to make it onto the fan-generated list.
“This year’s list is the culmination of thousands of suggestions we received from the Yelp community, a list of favorite restaurants where we can’t wait to enjoy a meal with loved ones again,” Yelp wrote in February when sharing the news.
Even during the pandemic, Olive + Oak has made moves to not only continue operating but also to expand. The popular Webster Groves restaurant outgrew its old space and moved to a larger location down the street on Lockwood Avenue back in July. The original space then became O+O Pizza.
The recognition from Yelp is just the latest in a string of accolades for the restaurant.
Olive + Oak chef Jesse Mendica is a three-time James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: Midwest category, earning recognition in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Plus, it’s a favorite among St. Louis food fans as evidenced by Yelp reviews. Customers rave about the blue crab gratin, beef tenderloin, burger and cloud cake.
The No. 1 spot on Yelp’s 2021 list went to Kelley Farm Kitchen, which is a women-owned vegan restaurant in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Yelp’s Top 10 Places to Eat for 2021
- Kelley Farm Kitchen – Harpers Ferry, WV
- Mazra – San Bruno, CA
- Local Expedition Wood Fired Grill – Alpharetta, GA
- Heat Da Spot – Washington, DC
- Simon’s Hot Dogs – Scottsdale, AZ
- Arun’s Indian Kitchen – Coral Springs, FL
- Halls Chophouse – Charleston, SC
- 1618 Asian Fusion – Austin, TX
- Intentional Food Cafe and Market – Mesa, AZ
- Enat Ethiopian Restaurant – Charlotte, NC
Check out the full list of 100 best places to eat in 2021 on Yelp’s website here.