Arch Eats

You know the best smashburgers in town, but do you know the best under-the-radar smashburgers? On a quest to determine the top burgers in town, George and Cheryl searched the St. Louis metro area high and low to find some less familiar names serving up truly delicious smashed patties. In this episode, they pay homage to the well-known spots like Jack Nolen’s, Farm Spirit and Mac’s Local Eats, but...

In this thrilling Halloween episode of Arch Eats, join me, Julie Lally, as we explore the spooktacular world of pop-up bars in St. Louis. Joined by my guests Cheryl and George, we dive into the city's vibrant Halloween scene, featuring 13 uniquely themed bars that promise a hauntingly good time. From the heavy metal vibes of Nightmare on 12th Street at EatCrow to the immersive experience at Spirit...

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but you can still get a cheap one. In this episode, George and Cheryl are joined by freelance food writer Felina Meier who has scoured the metro in search of the best lunchtime bargains. Felina did something that George and Cheryl thought was unthinkable: she found 15 places where you can get an exceptional meal for under ten dollars, all locally sourced...

Last weekend, restaurateur Danny Meyer visited St. Louis to launch his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right?, ahead of its national release on September 29. SLM’s George Mahe sat down with Meyer to discuss the new book and his first, Setting the Table, along with hot-button topics including AI in restaurants, GLP-1 drugs and their impact on menus, content creators, shifting tipping practices, an...

The oppressive heat has finally broken, and George and Cheryl are celebrating the start of fall’s outdoor dining season with an episode dedicated to their favorite new restaurant patios. Over the past year, they’ve seen some excellent al fresco options added to the St. Louis dining landscape and are excited to share their picks for where to enjoy the cooler temps and autumn foliage while noshing o...

This week on  Arch Eats , co-hosts George and Cheryl are taking another trip down memory lane with the second edition of their most missed restaurants series. This time around, they’re touching on places that hold some personal meaning to them—from the first restaurant Cheryl ever dined at to an eatery that George helped adorn in a contemporary paint design. They’ve even included a few recomm...

The kids may be headed back to school, but on  Arch Eats , we are squeezing out every last drop of summer with the season’s most nostalgic sweet treat: ice cream sandwiches. In what may be their messiest episode yet, George and Cheryl will walk you through where you can get these novelties, from established local favorites to off-the-radar, secret menu spots. They’ll even give you some pro-ti...

It’s peak summer produce season, and the St. Louis dining scene is outdoing itself when it comes to celebrating this most delicious time of year.  Arch Eats co-hosts George and Cheryl have tasted their way around town to find the most essential summertime dishes, and in this episode, they’ve curated their top picks so that you can experience the season in its most vibrant splendor. From peach...

For over two decades, Derek Gamlin has been a force in the St. Louis restaurant scene with such beloved spots as Sub Zero Vodka Bar, Gamlin Whiskey House, and 1764 Public House. Now, together with former West End Grill and Pub owner Henry Arciniega, he’s back on the scene with a new concept,  Gamlin’s , slated to open next month. In this episode, Gamlin and chef Chris Arnold sit down with hos...

We are obsessed with where everyone went to high school. We love to mispronounce street names and we refuse to call that concert venue in Maryland Heights anything other than “Riverport.” St. Louisans sure have their quirks, and the way we dine is no exception. In this episode, George and Cheryl explore the particular eccentricities of St. Louis restaurant-goers; from our insistence on easy parkin...

It’s summer in St. Louis, which means one of the region’s most beloved traditions is underway:  Muny  season. The Tony Award-winning outdoor theater is an essential part of St. Louis culture and one of our city’s crown jewels. It’s also the perfect jumping off point for enjoying some delicious food. That’s how local food writer  Madi Lee  sees it....

Cooking a steak is simple. Cooking a great steak is an art. In this episode, George and Cheryl break down everything you need to know in order to prepare a truly great piece of meat. From sourcing, grades, and aging to cooking methods, temperatures, and resting, they get into every aspect of the process, beginning at the butcher counter and ending with you tucking into a positively delicious meal....

Who makes the best chicken salad in St. Louis? For decades, there was only one answer, but in this episode, hosts George Mahe and Cheryl Baehr dare to ask the question—and find some excellent options along the way. They’ll taste through 15 different locally-made versions of the dish, revealing tasting notes, stylistic differences and their personal preferences to help you navigate this...

Memorial Day is upon us, and we’re celebrating the unofficial start to grilling season in the most St. Louis way possible: An entire episode dedicated to pork steaks. George and Cheryl get into everything you ever wanted to know about this definitively St. Louis barbecue dish—and then some—with the metro area’s undisputed king of the cut,  BEAST Craft BBQ ’s Davi...

It’s a Cinco de Mayo-inspired fiesta at Arch Eats, and George and Cheryl are celebrating in the best way possible: With tacos and margaritas. In this episode, the co-hosts explore the city’s vibrant taco scene with must-visit destinations that range from the gold standards of Cherokee Street and the ultra-traditional, off-the-beaten path taquerias of North County, to parking lot birria...

Before they were  SLM  dining writers and co-hosts of  Arch Eats,  George and Cheryl spent years in the restaurant industry where they learned the ins and outs of the business and saw just about every kind of customer you could imagine. In this episode, they draw on their combined decades of experience to share their essential dining “Do’s and Don’ts,” a...

Mexican cuisine is having a moment in St. Louis right now, and chef Alex Henry is a major part of that movement. Since opening his City Foundry food stall, Sureste, in 2021 and following up with his outstanding sit-down restaurant, El Molino del Sureste, two years later, Henry has been setting the bar for regional Mexican cuisine. A native of the Yucatán city Mérida, Henry celebrates...

Fritters and crullers and long johns, oh my! On this super-sweet episode of Arch Eats , George and Cheryl taste their way through St. Louis’ legendary doughnut scene, celebrating the independent shops that make our city so delicious, one delightful bite at a time. The co-hosts will share some insights on their favorite doughnut haunts, blind taste to determine their top picks, and give liste...

Soup’s on at  Arch Eats  central, and George and Cheryl have a crock full of recommendations for where to get a delicious bowl. From the quintessential French onion to their favorite chili, the co-hosts dish on the best soups St. Louis has to offer, as well as which establishments are guaranteed to always have something delicious simmering in a stockpot. Whether the volatile weathe...

If your idea of sake has anything to do with shots of warm, rocket-fuel tasting beverage at a hibachi restaurant or sake bombs at the frat house,  Darryl Vennard  has news for you. For 25 years, the longtime wine and spirits professional has been setting the scene for a sake boom in St. Louis that has really taken off since 2020. In this episode of  Arch Eats , George and Cheryl get...

Exposed brick, dim lighting, wooden beams, wood stoves and fireplaces. For George and Cheryl, these are the features that make a restaurant the sort of place that you want to tuck into during the dreary doldrums of late winter. St. Louis has an embarrassment of hygge-inducing spots and in this episode, the co-hosts will not only share their picks for the area’s essential cozy restaurants; th...

What will the St. Louis dining scene look like in 2026? In this episode of  Arch Eats , co-hosts George Mahe and Cheryl Baehr dust off their crystal balls to predict what, how, and where people will be dining this year. From multi-concept spaces and affordable tasting experiences to soup flights and Ozempic menus, they’re dishing on the dining scene’s next big things and also shar...

This year’s look ahead at the St. Louis restaurant scene is filled with anticipation, optimism—and some really big breaking news. In this episode, George and Cheryl look ahead to 2026’s most anticipated restaurants, including two concepts from the Central West End’s most prominent proprietor that are sure to light up the neighborhood, a high-end hookah lounge and restaurant...

It’s mid-December, which means that it’s time for George and Cheryl to take a look at the year in restaurants. In this episode, the co-hosts chat about their favorite new dining spots for 2025. They’ll cover all the fun additions to the St. Louis food and beverage scene, including a new Italian-inflected amaro bar, an Instagram pizza business-turned brick and mortar, a hotly anti...

Move over, Mariah! St. Louis has its own Queen of Christmas. George and Cheryl are thrilled to be joined by Julie “Fa La La” Lally, the city’s resident expert on holiday pop-ups, who shares everything you need to know to enjoy these festive fetes. From the first-ever holiday pop-up, Miracle, in 2016 to the brand-new Cocktails and Claws, Julie has been to them all and shares the i...