Stellina Pasta Cafe
3342 Watson Rd, Saint Louis, MO, 63139
Stellina Pasta Cafe Menu
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Soup
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Salads
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Pasta
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Signature Sandwiches
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Sweets
Healthy Meal suggestions for Stellina Pasta Cafe
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Soup
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Salads
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Pasta
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Signature Sandwiches
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Sweets
Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3342 Watson Rd
Saint Louis, MO, 63139 - Phone (314) 256-1600
- Website https://www.stellinapasta.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Diane W.
Outstanding salad. This is definitely a restaurant to go to. We were in the neighborhood, were looking for a place for lunch, signed on to yelp and saw the great reviews so we said let's try it. My mom had pasta and the house salad and she said it was great. I ordered the large salad and thought it was one of the best I ever had. I will make an effort to go again. They were very busy at lunch but they did not rush us.
(5)J. A.
I came here with 5 other people for my graduation dinner. I picked the restaurant because it was affordable, because I love pasta, and because they had a decent time available for a graduation dinner two weeks before. I thought it was a great venue! The neighborhood is a little sparse, but the restaurant itself has great ambiance, and considering it was graduation weekend, it was great that it was not too crowded. In addition, they had round tables, which is perfect for conversation. I LOVED our waitress. She was attentive, informative, and super nice to all of us. I wish I could remember her name--I think it started with a "J". Someone else spilled water on us, but he was really apologetic, and in the end, it was just water. I liked my dish a lot. I don't think it's still on the menu, but it was basically a really great version of mac and cheese. A lot of people ordered the Whole Wheat Fettuccine. I personally liked my dish a lot better, and the people that ordered theirs didn't love it, which is why I didn't give this place 5 stars. Overall, a great choice for a not-stuffy dinner and conversation.
(4)Andrew W.
The tomato bisque was delicious. I wasn't blown away by either of the dishes we ordered. The flavor was outstanding, just not something I enjoyed. So I get what they are doing, the ingredients are incredibly fresh, and think they are doing an excellent job, so I can't rate the experience poorly. I plan to make another visit for a couple other samplings.
(4)Douglas S.
This is not a place for people who expect to be served their pasta soon after they order it. This place is for people who appreciate food that is cooked to order, which means a little wait. But the wait is worth it: I had walnut whole-wheat tagiatelli in an olive oil sauce that had chunks of fresh mozzarella in it. The chunks were melty and the overall effect was wonderful.
(4)Erin Q.
Love Love Love this place! And it looks extra great after their renovations! Try the veggie sandwich or That's a Wrap...my 2 personal faves. And you can never go wrong with a side of Billy Goat chips! I wish I was there right now...
(5)Bill H.
Excellent salads and good wine choices. More variety in the vegetarian options would be nice.
(4)C P.
If you've not been here, I can't imagine why. The chef searches out fresh, seasonal ingredients and spins them into tasty dishes. The menu changes constantly to reflect his recent finds and he proves he knows what he's doing with them time after time. Unlike many places in St. Louis, this reminds me of fresh, regional (i.e. northern Italian) cuisine. Rather than the Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee southern Italian stuff that is everywhere around here. This is a smallish and popular place, which means it can be crowded. But the front-of-house staff are as competent as the cooks and things move along efficiently and pleasantly. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, the wine list is affordable and solid. The outstanding servers can guide you with any indecision you might have on anything. The small bar at the front is cozy, the bartenders are both great. But don't eat at the bar, folks, that's MY spot. :-)
(5)Claudine J.
Let me just start by saying that this place has always had great food. Has never let me down and I do love the new renovations. Now, w/that being said let me begin by saying that the one little problem that I've always had w/Stellinas for the last two years that I've been coming here is the wait for the food! There's nothing more annoying then having to wait 15-30 minutes for two simple sandwiches to come out even on a slow day! My boyfriend and I always order the same thing over and over again. He gets the Talking Turkey and I get the Surf's Up. I love tuna and their tuna is by far the best ever I know that sounds insane b/c it's just a tuna salad but there's nothing like it out there! The boyfriend and I went on 7/1/11 around 1:30p.m. This time we decided to try something else. I ordered the chicken wrap w/this sambal aioli sauce and I really liked it. My boyfriend ordered the Cuban and he was pleased as well. Of course the food took over 30 minutes which annoyed the crap out of me b/c there was no reason for it since there was hardly anyone there. And what's more annoying is when your server NEVER once apologized for the long wait or bothers to say anything at all. The other bad part about that one experience was even after we were done eating it took our server a long time to come back bring a box for my other half of the wrap and get our check. I was there for almost two hours that day and not b/c we were sitting talking and just enjoying the atmosphere. We were there ordered right away and left right after we paid....the two hours were b/c of how long it took our food to get to us and how long I had to keep waiting for the server to keep hiding in the back! I've always had good service at Stellina's but was extremely disappointed Friday. Two things they really need to work on. 1. Faster cooks and 2. more servers on the floor if two can't handle it during lunch! But regardless I do love coming here and I do recommend this place to anyone just know that it takes a long time for the food so don't ever go thinking you can be in and out. I've yet to see that happen.
(4)Kat V.
I am absolutely in love with this place. The menu changes all the time, which is a good thing. It's a hole in the wall, which is another good thing. The steak here is to die for. It came with some broccolini & some fingerling potatoes in a demi glace. Sooooo freaking good! The hummus & olive appetizer was another thing that made me go to food heaven. The pita were soooo heavenly delish! Hummus tasted soooo freaking good. Ambience & service were great. I wish I could have had their pasta, but my lactose intolerance prevents me from doing so. Maybe another time. Price was well worth the tastiness of the food. If a dish costs $23, it has to be damn good. It was at this place!
(5)Elmer F.
A south side gem!! Good value, efficient staff, fresh ingredients and a simple no nonsense menu. The charming rehab and decor provide a cozy ambiance. A must see!
(4)Luis P.
Excellent pasta, perfectly cooked and a great craft beer selection to complement it. Great service, nice little restaurant with personal service!
(4)Jessica Y.
I've eaten at this wonderful dining establishment a multitude of times and have failed as of yet to write a review. But this is hands down one of my favorite places to eat in St. Louis. Homemade pasta, local and sustainable ingredients, seasonal menu, weekly email updates with the specials and info about the food... I could go on, but these all highlight the reasons I love this place. I like the cozy yet elegant vibe of the restaurant, accentuated by the colorful art pieces of local artists hanging on the wall. The dinner menu will feature about 6 entrees, 2 meat or seafood based dishes with some grain alternative and veggies, and a few other pasta dishes, usually one stuffed agnolotti, a lasagna, a white tagliatelle pasta dish and one dish with their scrumptious and amazing whole wheat walnut fettucine. The latter often comes in a garlic butter oil sauce with grated fresh parm that is out of this world, rich and garlicky. It seems also that the whole wheat is usually the vegetarian option but I've never had a problem substituting the white tagliatelle to the whole wheat. You can start off with a list of appetizer specials, or a soup or salad. The poached pear salad is exceptional, a winter delight: toasted pepitas and a spice encrusted wedge of goat cheese to round out the greens and sweet, moist pear. The veggies are fresh, I know because I've ran into their cooks shopping at the Schlafly Farmers Market, I was actually irked because they bought out all the sunchokes before I could snag one...so I ended up eating roasted sunchokes at their restaurant on the weekend. The meat is also local and sustainable and quite tasty. The only thing I was sincerely disappointed in was the tiramisu, I'm not sure why, its one of my favorite desserts but this one was maybe too cakey. Ok, you should be in your car now headed to Stellina (unless its 2am) unless you need more convincing.....
(5)C M.
The new renovation looks great. Pretty small space w/a very tight bar area, would recommend a reservation to prevent waiting. If its cold, I dont recommend sitting in the front. Very drafty by the windows and everytime someone opens the door, you freeze. Not a large menu, but everything Ive tried has been delicious. Def recommend the flatbread as an app, although we were almost full before the meal arrived. Waitstaff was friendly, knew the wine list well and had good recommends. Decent liquor and wine choices. Wish they had a few more choices by the glass.
(4)Tricia R.
Still a fan...it's always a safe bet to go with the dishes that are on special. This time around: 1) Pear Salad - cute salad with a whole poached pear that's been cored and stuffed with the greens (looked like a small volcano). The breaded goat cheese "disc" on the side was delish. There were toasted pumpkin seeds, and the dressing had pumpkin flavoring. 2) Ham & Bean Soup - tasty. I'm not a fan of beans, but the broth was good and a little thick. 3) Eggplant Agnolotti - for those unfamiliar, this is similar to ravioli with a different shape. It was stuffed with eggplant, asiago, and pine nuts and comes with a tomato sauce. I am not a fan of eggplant, so only get this if you like the flavor of eggplant - the flavor comes thru pretty heavily. 4) Semolina Fettuccini - this had beef tips and cremini mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce. WINNER - HANDS DOWN, MY FAVORITE. A version of this was available the last time we came in, so it sounds like it's a solid dish that makes it way onto the specials fairly often. 5) Lemon Cupcake - not the Cupcakery, but the bf still loved it. 6) White Chocolate Cheesecake - bf thought it was pretty good.
(4)Stacey T.
Yesssssssss. This place is awesome. I pride myself on my sense of direction, but when someone else is trying to instruct me on how to get somewhere for the first time, there's no guarentees. That being said, I drove around with the ex for an hour trying to find this place (which he had been to 4-5x). It's smaller, barely noticeable when driving by. The front room had lovely windows, lots of natural light, a few tables and teeny tiny bar. There were some cool pieces of photography and some modern wine-chandelier thingys on the ceiling (sorry for the use of technical terms, I have a minor in studio art.... so, ya know)... The back room is where the bulk of the customers were seated. It was about 11 am and fairly empty for a Sunday, if you ask me. We were greated and seated immediately. My head was hurting from the night before and my body needed a heavy dose of carbs. When the server approached us with glasses of water, I blurted out something to the extent of "starving, hummus, water, hangover." The hummus plate came out almost exactly at the same time my bloody mary straight from heaven. These gifts of the food gods descended upon my table just moments before the hangover meltdown. We were saved. I ordered brie, portabella stuffed noodles. They were unlike anything I've ever seen. They almost looked like little pierogies pillows of hot sex. *Note, please don't take this dish home for leftovers. Once cold, the butter coagulates into a huge drippy mess. No bueno for the interior of your motor vehicle.* My ex got purple fettucini, eggplant, mozzerella and onion pasta smothered in an equally delicious butter garlic sauce. Each dish came with a slice of some hearty bread, slightly toasted. Perfect to sop up leftover creamy butter sauce with. Everything was super fresh, hot and delish! Service was top notch. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because desert sucked. That could be a personal thing, I'm not much into sweets. The lemon tart was dry and boring. And the other thing.... well, I can't even remember what it was. Do try this spot. I will be back for sure. Definitely a good destination for dinner.
(4)Mac B.
Stellinas has just completed a renovation and it is a big help. I have been there in the past with a big group and seating has been difficult. That should no longer be a problem as their new layout looks as if it has doubled their capacity. The best news is that the food has not changed. The sandwiches are still great. I decided to branch out this time from the pulled pork sandwich to the Hog Wild. Admittedly not much of a jump. The hog wild was very flavorful with ham, cheese and apples, but I think in my heart of hearts the pulled pork is still my favorite. My wife got a new sandwich (or at least new to us) called the wrap artist which was chicken, black beans and what looked like a bunch of vegetables. Despite my apathy to vegetables, it was very good from the one taste I had. I only wish we had saved room for dessert. Service was fast and friendly. All in all a great meal and a definite recommend when you are looking for a place that serves great tasting sandwiches that wont make you feel over stuffed.
(4)Andrew T.
I've only eaten at Stellina once, but they may have (purists on The Hill, avert your eyes) the best pasta in St. Louis. The parmesan and sun-dried tomato agnolotti I had was excellent. I can't wait to see what's on the menu next time I come in, which I hope will be soon. Great hummus, too. Really great, especially for a non-Middle Eastern restaurant. Highly recommended.
(5)Nancy R.
Very cute place once I found it. The sign is very difficult to see and/or read from the street. I had been out running errands and felt a little underdressed even though the hostess assured me I was fine. I was there around 11:45 on a Saturday and there were only 2 other tables filled but when I left about an hour later the place was almost full. Hostess and waitress were both quite pleasant, the waitress helped quite a bit with her explanation of the pastas. I opted for one of the pasta specials that was pricey for lunch at $18.00 but I couldn't make myself order a sandwhich when they make their own pasta. It was well worth it. I orderd the Semolina capellini with shrimp, shallots, bacon, & asparagus in white wine cream sauce and enjoyed it very much. Lots of shrimp that were very well seasoned and cooked, the asparagus crisp and plentiful, and the bacon very good and not too salty. The cream sauce was very light. The portion size was enough for me to take home for one of my daughter's to try. As I write this the leftovers were very much enjoyed by my oldest who likes shrimp and pasta. I will go back and take my kids with me. I might even let my husband tag along even though he usually is a more meat and potatoes guy, he might enjoy the pulled pork sandwich that everyone talks about!
(4)Stefanie E.
Don't you just love finding little neighborhood gems that actually serve great food? I know I do. Stellina is a cozy little pasta house where the owners, husband and wife Jamey and Lisa Tochtrop, really put their heart and souls into the food. Jamey makes the pasta from scratch and Lisa does the pastries. I love that the pasta menu is so small. There is always an agnlotti (stuffed pasta), and in season, the butternut squash with crushed amaretti and cream is amaaaaazing, and there is a lasagna and usually some sort of whole wheat option. They have a wide selection of sandwiches and salads, too. The Hog Wild - shaved ham, bacon, granny smith apples, white cheddar and sweet hot mustard on grilled peasant bread - is outstanding, even for a newbie pork eater like me. For salads, try the House Salad -mixed greens, beets, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, red onion, kalamata olives and sunflower seeds in balsamic vinaigrette. There are a few tables outside for nice weather and the inside is really small, so you might have to wait on busy nights. It's really worth it, though!
(5)Kirk M.
Delicious bread! If you go you must get a sandwich. Clean, small, and cute, this is a must visit location with professional and courteous wait staff. The prices are very reasonable and two can eat here for under $20 with no problem. Again, try a sandwich as the bread is delicious!
(5)Angela K.
The food here is amazing! It's fresh, delicious, and interesting. I live on the hill and people frequently ask me where to get good pasta. I usually refer to this near-hill restaurant because it is way better than any boring hill restaurant.
(5)Ericka H.
This restaurant is probably the most exciting new (to me) restaurant I have found in over a year. Went on a busy Friday night around 7-7:30. It was full but the staff were friendly, encouraged us to review the menus and order a glass of wine or a beer. Of note, there isn't really a bar (this place is fairly cozy/tiny) but we took our drinks and drooled over the pastry and pasta in glass cases. They quoted us 30-40 minutes for a table; we were seated inside of 15 minutes. I really can find very little fault with this meal. The only thing I can think of is that they didn't tell us their was a special wine by the glass until my second glass, which was a wonderful Montepulciano which I would have loved to have a second glass of but that is extraordinarily minor. Service was attentive; for new wines, our server offered a taste to make sure I liked it. As it was our first time, they went over the philosophy and finer points of the menu and specials and let us take our time in deciding what to order. The food was AWESOME! I am often underwhelmed when I go out for Italian but that was not the case at Stellina's. We got the mezze appetizer with tapenade, hummus, along with pita bread which was quite delicious. We both ordered specials. My husband got the capelli with clams and bay scallops in a light wine/garlic sauce. Seafood was extremely fresh with that lovely sweetness that only fresh seafood has. The dish was very light but satisfying, with enough to take home for lunch the next day. I got the homemade whole wheat walnut pasta (yes you read that right) with pancetta, roasted cauliflower and a garlic olive oil sauce. This was toecurlingly good (not sure toecurlingly is a word, but it should be). A generous (but not ridiculous) portion, I responsibly ate half but would have happily finished it (even if I would have been stuffed to uncomfortableness), it tasted so delicious. Of note, the pasta was lovely, with good full but subtle flavor and a nice toothsomeness; it had none of the negative features often associated with commercial whole wheat pastas in my experience (grittiness, poor texture, cardboard tasting, etc). Dessert was tiramisu and it did not disappoint. Interestingly, they change up the coffee blends used fairly frequently, so it tastes (subtly) different from week to week, which I thought was kinda cool. I cannot wait to go back; I will be eagerly working out in anticipation of savoring these wonderful carbs again.
(5)Frederick K.
12/14/2011 - Dinner for one. Ordered the red wine pear salad (may be seasonal). Absolutely out of this world!! Main course I ordered lasagna. This was an Italian sausage and spinach lasagna. Also out of this world. Coupled with a glass of Valpolicella wine - excellent meal. Service - excellent Decor - I like it, kind of bistro, it's a small restaurant with limited tables and small bar. Price - Lasagna was around $11.00 Food - unique and excellent. Served hot as it should be. I will return on my next trip to St. Louis.
(5)Joe R.
Wait staff is very helpful. Let them offer wine and food suggestions. Best to go on the weekend... additional menu items. The Hummus is good, we order it without the olives with cute slices instead...
(5)kiersten t.
I recently revisited Stellina Pasta Cafe after a year long hiatus. I was pleased to find that the quality of their food has maintained itself. While I have not sampled their signature pastas, I would highly recommend the Veg Out sandwich.The vegetables are grilled to perfection, never mushy. The goat cheese deliciously holds it all together inside multigrain bread which is also grilled, offering a crisp bite. Most definitely the best veggie sandwich in town. It ranks high on my list of STL favs with lots of vegetarian options, even soups! Pros: HUGE portions make up for the moderate pricing. Cons: Off my beaten path (hence the hiatus). It gets really packed due to small size and number of tables. Closed on Sunday & Monday. Street parking can be a struggle between other restaurants on this block of Watson.
(5)Carla L.
Delicious pastas (if a little salty), great drinks, and the bbq sandwich surprisingly looked amazing. A little bit on the claustrophobic side when crowded, and the Saturday night dinner crowd was more pretentious than I expected, but overall a good experience. Many people were dressed up, but a group of us were fine in our jeans and t-shirts. Service was very slow, even for a Saturday night.
(3)Fred S.
Zagat rated for a reason. Even my daughter said that was the best PBJ sandwich she had- I agree. Great selection, attentive staff, and the ambiance was intimate. I will frequent when in St. Louis.
(5)Chip K.
Stellina Pasta has just about the best pasta I've had in town... or anywhere. They have the same sandwiches and salads all the time, but every day they have a new selection of three or four pastas prepared from fresh and local ingredients. I swear I've never seen a repeat entree in the several times I've gone. I suppose that makes the selection a bit limited and unpredictable, so this might not be the type of place for the picky person who thinks Olive Garden is the be all end all place to get pasta. Walnut tagliatelle with chanterelle mushrooms is great in my opinion, but I can think of a few relatives who would be very hesitant about trying many of their dishes. (Although, they could always try one of the sandwiches, most of which aren't as adventurous.) For everyone else, though, I cannot give a stronger recommendation. Check this place out, but be advised that you might be here for awhile. Seating is limited, and service is somewhat slow.
(5)Christine B.
My all around favorite! If I had to pick one restaurant to eat at for the rest of my life -this would be it! The food is always outstanding! Last night we had humus with warm pita, olives, red pepper and artichokes and it lived up to prior delicious performance. I had 2 glasses of red and hubby had cherry bark cocktail-luscious! Meatball appetizer was delicious! I couldn't decide on an entree so had our waitress surprise me. She picked the short ribs with polenta and carrots in a reduction. All I can say is Momma! You got to have this before you die! What takes this place over the top is the way Jamie and his staff make you feel. They always welcome us into this cozy cafe as if we were family What more can I say!
(5)Lindsay W.
Fabulous dining experience! This little eatery is well hidden but worth the search. The ambiance is warm and inviting not pretentious. The service was impeccable. As mentioned in other reviews the organic pasta is made fresh daily. The small pasta menu changes each day depending on what is in season at the farmer's market. We also learned that lunch and dinner offer different selections, each day as well. We started with their fabulous Hummus and olive salad served with warm grilled pita. The hummus was outstanding. The serving was quite large, there was three of us dining and we still had left overs to take home. One of my friends had a salad to start and had me try the home made sweet onion dressing. Um, I think I could just eat it with a spoon! Entrees were next, I chose a whole wheat fettuccine pasta served with spinach, fresh mozzarella, grilled red peppers tossed in fresh garlic and olive oil. The flavors melded perfectly together. And the portion was a nice size for me to bring home a little for lunch the following day. One of my friends had the four cheese agnoltti with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts. I didn't order it myself because I thought it would be too rich. I was wrong, it was fantastic. I had a hard time not stealing a few more bites from my friends plate. And of course we finished with dessert. They offer a few choices that are also made daily. One friend had the connolli and raved about it. My other friend had the carrot cake which was very good, but had pistachios and coconut in it- so if you don't like the texture of coconut skip this one. I tried the freshly baked carmel- banana cupcake it made my mouth sing! And like every other course I was able to take about 1/2 of my cupcake home. Today I am going to have a nice little feast! We had gotten there before 7 pm on a Friday and were seated easily but as we ate the restaurant became more and more full of people waiting for a table. My advice, get there early!
(5)Jordan P.
Laid back, friendly, Italian style restaurant serves up delicious home-made meals. The menu is smallish, and the service could use a little more zip, but the food is excellent. Try the Hummus, Za, or freshly made Tagliatelle!
(4)Steven S.
I could eat here everyday! Always great- top quality, I feel spoiled when I eat here.
(5)Xanthia R.
Wow, this place is amazing. There is so much care put into the menu and it really shows. Local and seasonal ingredients are amazing. I had the grilled veggie sandwich and it is HUGE. The pastas change around weekly (I believe) and they are super fresh. In fact, you can even buy some to make at home. Excellent quality. The owner came to our table to make sure everything was okay and it looks like this is a very common occurrence. Even made my husband a cappuccino when he asked for one after dinner. Excellent service and has a great patio when it is nice outside. My only issue is that I wish there was a vegan option for the rotating pastas. The vegetarian pasta generally has a butter sauce or cheese and I don't really eat that much dairy lately. However, the grilled veggie sandwich keeps me really satisfied usually plus the hummus and salads.
(4)lovesmyanimals l.
Fresh! Fresh! Fresh! The reason I was drawn to Stellina's b/c I have heard locals rave about the homemade/organic pasta that is made daily. Before arriving we actually passed Stellina's a couple of times, so be aware first time diners. (tip: is is near Biggies restaurant). Stellina's is a charming little cafe that has a warm feeling once you walk in. They have a standard limited menu that has appetizers, sandwiches and children's menu, but there is also their daily changing pasta menu. I had the three-cheese stuffed pasta, with pine-nuts and my dinner guest has the pulled pork sandwich (which I sampled). Both entrees were so good. The pulled pork sandwich had just enough hickory smoke, but not too much to where it is overbearing. The 3 cheese pasta dish was cooked to perfection. Desserts... Sadly I did not get to sample any b/c I was stuffed from dinner. However, I did get to stare at them all night from the dinner table and they did have very good eye appeal. If you are looking for something different then the usual St. Louis fare try Stellina's.
(4)Karen F.
I loved my meal here. I don't think I left a drop of food on a plate. Presentation was outstanding and the ambiance of the room was appealing. I'd return.
(5)Amanda Z.
I had desert here for the first time a few weeks ago. AMAZING!!!!! I have never had such a delicious cupcake...sorry Jilly's, this place did you one better, though, not as large or fancily decorated. Ask about the ingredients, as someone with a serious coconut allergy I am always leery when it comes to deserts, and always glad I ask and find out what I was planning on ordering did indeed have coconut in it. However, the staff is very knowledgeable and will happily guide you toward the items that are friendly for you without saying, wow, that's a weird allergy (seriously, I get that a lot).
(5)Colin F.
I dined at Stellina last night and it was exceptional. The space is very cute and quaint. I love the art on the walls. The staff was very nice with excellent service. The food was extremely good, espeically the fresh pastas. I love the neighborhood feel. Can't wait to go back.
(4)RC J.
Great sandwiches. The pasta sounded great, wish I had been able to try that too. Definitely have the curry soup, it was, hands down, the best thing we had.
(5)Megan M.
Was finally here for the first time. Amazing pulled pork sandwich and drinks. Italian based wine menu which I love but tried the Zen Master cocktail. To die for! Cucumber vodka, green tea, and club soda. So refreshing on a summer evening!
(4)Laura M.
Stellina is truly a cafe- a small place with big character. Their food is pretty straightforward, but very good: classic Italian flavors with great homemade pasta. The menu isn't huge, but ample. Their gnocchi with oxtail ragu was one of the best dishes I've ever eaten in any restaurant. Even their salad, with olives and toasted sunflower seeds, was terrific, a bit of pizazz without being overly creative. Incredibly expert service and good prices on wine made Stellina an Italian restaurant I would definitely visit again, which is a lot to say considering the number of good Italian restaurants in this city.
(4)Amanda D.
Went here last night with two of my sisters and had an excellent evening of catching up, having some drinks, and getting our bellies full :) The restaurant was very quaint and from reading past reviews I would say the renovation was a success. I had never been to Stellina before, so I didn't have expectations, but I loved how the daily specials (basically the whole menu besides salads and sandwiches) were printed out for us and all sounded tasty! We all decided to try a different pasta dish as they make the pasta fresh each day. I tried the Semolina Fettuchini with Pan Seared Beef Tips, Shallots, & Spinach in Garlic Cream Sauce that was delicious! The pasta and beef tips were cooked to perfection and the garlic cream sauce wasn't too heavy; adding the perfect flavor. My sister was sad to be told that the whole wheat pasta dish was missing 2 of the main ingredients; but the subs were still yummy. The lasagna had good flavor, but it seemed the pasta was a bit over cooked. We split the Tiramisu for dessert and it was the best I've had! We were a little surprised when our waiter come up to our table while we were finishing dessert and our wine and informed us that they needed our table for a reservation. Initially we thought it was a bit rude, as we had just finished the dessert, but they offered us complimentary drinks at the bar and all was well. I can't wait to come back and try other specials and some sandwiches as well!
(4)M P.
Wonderful food! Atmosphere was great. Food just had a little too much oil
(4)Jamie C.
Had dinner with my wife at SPC about one week ago. I had read a ton of reviews and heard from a foew other couples, this was a place we had to try. We went on a Friday night and had to wait approx 20 mins (not so bad). We had the hummus as an appetizer and greatly enjoyed it. We decided not to have a salad and each ordered an entree. My wife had a creamy pasta with chicken, onions and it was good. I had a wheat pasta made with walnuts. The pasta was served in a red wine tomato sauce with eggplant. While I enjoyed my dish, I enjoyed it more the next day. For dessert, we tried the lemon torte and were not let down. A great overall dinner and we will be back.
(4)D. L.
Beware: At the wrong time, it's like Romper Room on steroids. We don't really like kids - so it was the most uncomfortable thing ever to be the only table in a restaurant FULL of children under 6 years old. Weird, uncomfortable, and confusing. Also confusing was their decor... you can't tell if you're supposed to sit down and be waited on, or if you're supposed to order at the counter - and the not-so-astute wait staff weren't much help either. Food was just okay. While it's very nice that they make their own pasta - the lasagna I ordered tasted like it had been sitting for over a week. And my husband who ordered their lasagna a week prior to our visit, testified that it tasted exactly the same. Gross. By the time I ordered it, it was basically mush in a pan. Tasted like something my mother-in-law would make, and that's never a good thing. Plus, the servers (when they're slammed) have no idea how to hussle. As someone who used to work in the restaurant industry, I have no sympathy for a waiter who cannot pick up the pace. They coulnd't get me a cup of coffee because they were too busy. Um....?? I may buy fresh pasta from here in the future, but I doubt I'll ever dine-in again.
(2)Garcia P.
Once I find something I really like, I will keep ordering it until I can't eat it anymore before trying something new. Hey, that's just how I roll. For me, at Stellina Pasta, this means I've been enjoying the "Little Salad" & the "Southside Smoke" for approximately 5 years now. Great service, sweet little ambiance, great food--even if you always order the same thing like I do.
(5)Bala T.
We went there with a friend for dinner last night. I was very impressed with the deco of the place, though it is kind of small. The staff were friendly and the food was great! We had the hummus, pita and olives while waiting for our friend. I like the roasted garlic on the hummus. This was nice as the hummus itself was not very garlicky. My husband and I shared the soup and the entree, and they split them in the kitchen. We were not charged a split fee. The soup was a cauliflower puree with truffle oil and I would go back just for this soup. I was actually a little disappointed that I didn't get a full bowl for myself. We ordered the beet fettuccine with leeks, peppers and rabini. You can't actually taste the beet flavor in the pasta - only the beautiful pink color. I wouldn't say the pasta was extraordinary, but given it was made from scratch the same day at the restaurant made it special. We also got the Tiramisu for dessert. Though it was a little dry for me, the flavors were pretty good. May be they should late it with a little coffee coulis :) Would definitely go back again sometime.
(5)Derek F.
Had lunch there on a random afternoon, everything was good, can't say great but overall I was happy. Service is very slow, I don't know if the servers are actually slow or if the food takes awhile. The one thing that sticks out to me is the food seems fresh, almost like everything is cooked to order, which I hope explains the lengthy deliver time. Can't say I will be definitely back, but overall I like the place!!
(4)Jennifer B.
My husband loves the lasagna here, and my pick is the turkey sandwich. This is just a cute little place with a nice feel. It kind of feels like a mini loft that serves food. The food is cheap, the people friendly and the service is pretty quick.
(5)Derek C.
My parents have been badgering me for weeks to join them for dinner at Stellina's. I finally gave in and had dinner the Friday after Thanksgiving. All I can say is "Wow"! I'm a vegetarian and most places I eat have a vegetarian entree that is passable at best. At Stellina's, I have to say the pasta was about the best I've ever had. In addition, their salads are as fresh as they can be...just amazing this time of year. We also had wonderful service and I would recommend this restaurant very highly.
(5)Brett G.
Awesome!
(5)Michelle S.
My husband and I arrived for dinner at 7:15. We were greeted promptly even with the full house. We didn't have to wait long before we were seated and received our drinks. Our service was great. I was a bit disappointed with the menu - it must have been goat cheese night. Being pregnant, this is one thing I'm supposed to avoid. I'm sure I could have ordered some of the things without it or possibly substitute it but I didn't want to make things difficult. My husband ordered the pasta special and I ordered a tuna salad sandwich. I just couldn't understand why it took over an hour to get our food! Once we did receive our food, we both loved what we had ordered - Very delicious! We skipped dessert considering it was past 9:30. I'd like to go back and try this place again. It seems very family friendly, quaint and as I said before the service was excellent. Plus everyone else who left reviews had nothing but good things to say.
(2)G.L. T.
Have been here numerous times and haven't had a bad meal. Not an Italian food fan, and certainly wouldn't recommend an Italian restaurant in St. Louis....not to my worse enemy (except those among you that are connoisseurs of Chef Boyardee). I would, however, recommend Stellina Pasta Cafe.
(5)L L.
This place is great! We ate at Stellina's on a cold winter night and LOVED it. I really enjoyed the fresh pasta dish I ordered. Cozy, warm environment. Friendly service with honest opinions of things on the menu. The toasted ravioli was hands down better than other places in STL. Glad to have found this place. We'll be back next time we are in the area.
(4)Brad H.
Amazing pasta dishes, huge sandwiches and the best lasagna in St. Louis. Check it out. Now.
(5)Mark B.
Stellina Pasta makes their own organic noodles. They serve four pasta specials, which change daily. Everything I've gotten has been great. If you don't feel like pasta, try their pulled pork sandwich. It is one of the best I've ever had.
(5)d r.
yum. great handmade pasta, great sammies. great. friendly (mostly family i think) and didn't make us feel like lepers for bringing our 1 year old to dine. in fact, they were great about it. but i have to say, i never see other children in there when we are (like a previous yelper) and i always think its lovely. i wish it were bigger!
(4)Kelly B.
Holy BEAST (one of my all time favorite sandwiches in STL). Beer braised beef brisket, arugula, pickled onions, & horseradish cream on a toasted baguette. Need I say more? Okay, then I should add the homemade pastas, the daily specials, sweet potato and ginger soup. lamb tagliatelle and the list goes on. This place is small, but mighty. Very true, rustic flavors, nothing is overstated. I need to go more often. It's on Watson, close, but off of my radar. I need to tattoo a reminder on my wrist. Go there. Really.
(5)Jennifer G.
i guess a tip of the sandwich hat needs to be given to sauce magazine cause i'd probably have never thought to get a sandwich from a place where it was recommended to try their pasta by a former employee of theirs. trusty dinner companion and i arrived and got seated fairly easy even though it was packed (which was CRAZY to us since it was like 530 on a sat. night - who knew that all of stl was on the same dinner schedule as my parents - we were going early w/ intent to avoid the dinner rush) and made no fuss w/ things like appetizers and instead i settled in for their South Side Smoke which was by far, the sweetest pork sandwich i've had (and i've had a lot of pork you guys). it delivered on sweetness, smokiness and porkiness for sure. i made the plunge and kept the sandwich as is and kept the caramelized onions on it as well and that seemed to only make the ding dang thing SWEETER but not in a bad way. the ciabatta that it's served on though is not so great since it made the roof of my mouth feel like i had dragged it over some bricks towards the end of the meal. i am being dramatic. will i go back? sure. will i order the same thing? probably will move towards their pasta but again, sauce magazine got a hold of me and how. the only annoying thing is that there was a kid there who wouldn't shut up and it's parents apparently didn't care at all. but that fact doesn't affect my rating, just something to think about i guess...
(3)James L.
Everything was fresh, and the butternut squash lasagna was awesome. Only knock on this place is that the portions are a bit small for the price, but we'll definitely be going back.
(4)Luke A.
This is easily the best restaurant in south city. My girlfriend and I eat here every chance we get, especially when any form of Agnolotti is on the menu. The service is always spectacular, and the prices follow closely behind. Plus, the dining area is small and allows for the perfect intimate dinner setting with a loved one or a small family gathering. This also allows the food to be served promptly and fresh out of the chef's hands. If you like food and are in STL, this should be one of your first stops! Molto bene!!!
(5)Lydia L.
4.5 stars. I don't know if it was the butter, the cheese, or the prosciutto that roped me into the pasta, but it was divine. Shared the *whole wheat tagliatelle* (with mozzarella, spinach, and prosciutto) - trust me, I was skeptical of whole wheat pasta. But, it was perfectly cooked, and very satisfying. The "Big" Salad was a meal by itself. It was extremely filling with turkey, ham, bacon, and cheese. I can't say it was a healthy salad, but it was more than enough to split between two people. Quality ingredients and exceptional preparation. I'll be back...likely many times.
(4)Becky O.
I was surprised by this nice little place. We (two) went on a Saturday night at 7 and were able to get a table right away. The place was bustling with happy people. The overall dress was nice but casual. Both my dish and my boyfriend's was tasty. Negatives: I wish they had brought us bread before our meal. The music was a little dated and goofy. The menu design was bad (graphic designer here! Small thing but noticeable to me.)
(4)Samantha A.
I've been dying to try this place for some time, so my sister and I decided to come here for my birthday yesterday. We arrived to a really cute and quiet space. After we took our seats in a nice comfy booth, we were greeted by a really friendly server, who was VERY attentive all night long. After browsing the menu, we decided to get sandwiches, as well as toasted ravioli. We were both really impressed by the toasted ravioli. It was filled with spinach and ricotta cheese. Apparently they have toasted ravioli all the time, but the filling changes each week. Such a neat idea! The toasted ravioli was some of the softest toasted ravioli I think I have ever tried. Definitely the best toasted ravioli I have ever tasted. I wonder if they're considering making it a regular item. In addition to the ravioli, I ordered the Hog Wild sandwich, which came with shaved ham, bacon, apple, white cheddar, and sweet hot mustard (served on grilled bread). My sister ordered the South Side Smoke sandwich, which came with pulled pork, caramelized onion, and smoked gouda cheese (served on a sea salt ciabatta bun). The Hog Wild was pretty good, but man was that South Side Smoke AMAZING. It might be the best pulled pork sandwich I have ever had. Both sandwiches were served with chips, which I didn't enjoy (but that's okay). I think where this place went downhill (which kept it from receiving 5 stars) was during dessert. They have tons to choose from, which is nice. My sister ordered the chocolate tort with sea salt caramel ice cream. I ordered the espresso dessert, which came with ice cream (although I can't remember what kind). The chocolate tort was AMAZING, but the sea salt caramel ice cream was way too salty. As for the other dessert, I can't express the shock and bewilderment I felt when it arrived. It looked almost as if it was a dirt sample from an archaeology find. It honestly was just a giant pile of crumbs topped with a few mint leaves. The crumbs (or whatever they were) didn't even taste like espresso. The crumbs tasted more like butterscotch and Oreos. It was also only served with a tiny bit of ice cream (and it was $8). I would highly recommend you steer clear of this dessert. Other than dessert, I really enjoyed my time here.
(4)Nancy Y.
Without a doubt the best bouillabaisse in St Louis. The food is always fresh and made with the best care which comes out in the great flavor. It is one of those restaurants that does not get enough praise for the great food turned out here. Definitely a favorite!
(5)Kelly B.
I'm from San Francisco, but I visit my bf who lives in STL. SF has a reputation for being a foodie's heaven, so I'm used to really great restaurants everywhere. Having said that, if Stellina was in SF, it would be crazy packed daily and they would be able to charge double what they charge in STL - easily. Their fresh pasta is outstanding and even their bread and salads are exceptional. My bf lives literally across the street from this gem, so we make it a point to have date night here each time I visit. I will miss it once he leaves STL for good. You guys are lucky to have such a great neighborhood restaurant!
(5)Jeff Z.
One of our favorite date night out restaurants in St. Louis. Small, intimate atmosphere. Amazing antipasto plate with tasty grilled bread, roasted garlic and peppers and Brie. The menu is small with 4 pasta options although they rotate it every week. The homemade pasta adds to the experience. The taste is always rich and flavorful.
(5)Sarah L.
Yum, I came here a few weeks ago on a Saturday night for dinner. I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time as it was pretty crowded and there was a wait for anyone without reservations (if they could even seat them at all that night). Stellina's has a small bar near the entrance of the restaurant and their cocktail list is excellent! For starters they had salads - ceasar and a special pear salad. I didn't have either as I wasn't quite that hungry, but I did see the pear salad on another table and it looked pretty delicious! For the main course I had the squid ink pasta with shrimp (yes it was black, but didn't really taste like squid). It was very very good! I highly recommend this! For dessert they have homemade carmel sea salt ice cream that I would recommend. Our waiter was nice enough to give me a scoop just to try even though I didn't order it! Overall I had a great time here. The restaurant is pretty small and has about 10-15 tables. The service was great, even though it was a busy Saturday night. It sounds like they have a lot of seasonal items on their menu and change it frequently, so you'll never know what you can get when you go back!
(4)Megan L.
+ Fresh, fresh, fresh!! Fresh pasta = best pasta + Friendly, on-point service + Weekly-changing pasta specials Why go out for pasta when you can make pasta at home? Because Stellina makes their pasta FRESH. If you have the chance to have a leisurely lunch
(5)Christy M.
I've heard about this place for months from my sister who swears by it. I came. I ate. I converted. I just had a sandwich and chips, no pasta yet, and already am sold! I had the Talkin' Turkey sandwich (roasted turkey breast, avocado, sunflower sprouts, fontina cheese, roasted garlic mayo on French baguette) along with Billy Goat chips for lunch. The sandwich was generously sized (I could only eat half!), fresh, and delicious. I can't wait to come back for the pasta! It's pricey, but you get what you pay for and I have a feeling the pasta will be worth the hefty price tag.
(5)Joyce H.
Fantastic! Why haven't we been there before?Started noticing because of buying their fresh pasta at Tower Grove Farmers Market. Excellent food and service. We had cheese filled ravioli, caprese salad,agnolotti stuffed with chicken and chocolate mousse with sea salt caramel ice cream. The dessert was over the top yummy. Presentation of the food was enticing for everything. Service was excellent. Casual place giving impression of relaxed effortless preparation. Will return.
(5)Ellen M.
This is a wonderful restaurant. The food and service was exceptional. We brought our child with us and the kitchen went out of its way to fix her a special meal. The kitchen is hidden only by a 3 quarter wall so it can be a bit loud when there is a discussion in the kitchen, but it was not too off putting.
(5)Vincent Y.
So good that I came back 2 meals in a row during my week in STL. Even better than the much-revered turkey sandwich was, in my opinion, their surf and turf (albacore tuna salad sandwich). It was the tastiest tuna sandwich I've experienced in the past 10 years. Much of my enjoyment comes from the peasant bread on which the sandwiches are served - it's airy yet slightly crunchy - matching the avocado, tuna, mayo, and quite possibly pesto spread (I couldn't tell). Either way, I don't think anyone can make a better tuna sandwich. They also serve my favorite asparagus soup. It wasn't a thick thick broth, and I didn't feel any chunks (highly pureed I presume). Sandwiches 5* Soup 5* Salad 4* Pasta (I'll have to try that the next time I visit St Louis) Atmosphere and Service 5*
(5)Jenny F.
Delicious homemade fresh pasta, flavorful, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients/slow food. I had pesto agnalotti (?) And fried stuffed squash blossoms. Former (meal) as a little light on the portion size but plenty tasty. Blossoms were SUPER! So light so tasty so savory I'm glad I ordered them. Delightful restaurant environment, petite establishment cozy but classy good for a business dinner, date, friends, or a (well behaved) family A little pricier but that is to be expected considering the volume, ingredients, and food quality. Menu changes weekly. Also chef Jamie and staff are great. Personable, thoughtful, nice, knowledgeable.
(5)Chris A.
The food was really good. The staff knew their stuff and were helpful. It's tucked away in a more residential area. If you don't get dessert there, Ted Drewes is close by.
(4)Jason B.
Had the pork sandwich for lunch the last time I was here, and it was very good. I ordered it with a side salad and that was a better salad than at most restaurants. My only complaint was that service was understaffed and did not match the food. We also came here for dinner and were disappointed. I remember lasagna which was good but not memorable. But I cannot recall the other dishes, which obviously isn't a good sign. The first time I came here, I had a pasta dish for lunch and it was outstanding. Cream, fettuccine, can't recall what else, but it was different than the usual pasta dish. So it had been a little mixed in my three visits, but they care about their food here and it is reliable. I look forward to going back to try more.
(4)Jeff H.
A really superb meal served by a kind and attentive staff. Very affordable fine food.
(5)Bill C.
Awesome. What a great place. Everything was amazing. Cocktails were well balanced. Carpiccio, pasta, and toasted ravioli were great. Pasta and t tabs change all the time. However they said the hummus plate is always on the menus and it is fantastic too.
(5)Brian M.
Stellina is my new favorite sandwich stop for lunch, however from what I see they also make some amazing pasta. Overall the atmosphere here is very casual yet intimate and would be a perfect place for a date night to drinks and dinner with friends. I arrived on a Saturday about 11:30 and was promptly seated, and proceeded to order the Hog Wild Sandwich, it is a grilled sandwich which has shaved ham, bacon, granny smith apple, white cheddar, sweet hot mustard on peasant bread. This is amazing, after Fountain On Locusts adult grilled cheese served with apples, I am starting to think more sandwiches need apples and their subtle flavor. I highly recommend trying the Hog Wild grilled sandwich. Prices are fair, with the sandwiches being under $10, however a few lunch items like pasta slightly cross the $10 mark. Not a bad idea considering the quality. I plan on returning some evening to try the pasta which is highly recommended, along with some of the deserts which look amazing. Do yourself a favor and stop in, you will be glad you did. I also noticed that they only appeared to have local beers( Schlafly, Urban Chestnut, and Four Hands) on tap, which is good by me. So if you are looking for a Budweiser you need to go elsewhere. :-)
(4)Alex R.
It's been a favorite of the misses and I for a long time. We don't go often, we like to keep it special. Went there last night and had the same great meal, drinks and service we are used to. I had the tagliatelle and she had some other pasta. Very tasty. Finished mine and am about to rummage the fridge for her take-home box. The only thing I can say negative, and it's more a reflection on me, I can't tell the difference between fresh and dry pasta. Their sandwiches are great. The braised pork is legend. They have a nice small bar and a good wine list. Small space, one restroom, and last night seemed smokey, keeping it at 4.5.
(4)Nick E.
This place is wonderful. Everytime i have been here it's been a phenomenal experience. Their drink menu is a hit. In addition to offering local beers on draft, their cocktail menu has some well thought out libations. I recommend the siesta. The food has been stellar each time that i've been here, too. The hummus plate is a good appetizer to start with. In addition to the mounds of pita triangles and hummus, there is also a heap of roasted red peppers, black and green olives, artichokes, and roasted garlic on the side. The entrees are top notch. Their ingredients are both fresh and locally sourced. I've been here for lunch and dinner a couple of times now. Their semolina tagliatelle was delicious. Served with slow roasted pork belly and greens in a beautiful reduction. It was money. My girlfriend had the scallops with chicken of the woods mushrooms. It was a great dish. I've also tried a fish entree, and a sandwich for lunch previously. All very tasty things. I would return to this place in a heartbeat. And i highly recommend coming here if you haven't already.
(5)Sarah W.
Really good food, excellent service, cosy atmosphere! You really can't ask for more! The pasta is soooo good!
(5)Andrea S.
Really cute and cozy place. I went on a Thursday night w/ a friend and was seated immediately--even with a large holiday party going on. I will say I wasn't impressed w/ the staff from the minute I walked in. The bartender playing host was sort of rude in the sense that he expected me to know he was hiding behind the bar and I needed to find him. So we were sat in a tight little spot where I was instantly friends w/ the neighboring table as I was practically sitting on his lap. Our waitress came and she was just blah. She rushed us the entire meal. But the food was so, so very good! I ordered a beef short rib pasta w/ beef broth and it was so tender and tasty. Was just like eating a pot roast w/ fresh noodles. My friend enjoyed her meal of small plates, not sure she was as impressed w/ her meal, but she didn't complain. I would go back but in no rush...it was a little over priced in my book--nothing outrageous or ridiculous, but I felt it was a tad steep.
(3)Michael P.
Fresh ingredients, delicious homemade sauces, perfect portion sizes (you won't leave hungry) and the service is five star. Get a seasonal salad and a pasta dish and you can't go wrong. Or just stop in and get a handcrafted cocktail and some appetizers!
(5)Steven B.
Saint Louis, I am here to tell you some the best pasta entrees in the city are not on, "The Hill". More and more pasta cafes and Italian restaurants are popping up in different parts of our great city and are rising above and beyond "The Hill". Stellina Pasta Cafe, is winning my heart with incredible salads and an ever changing offering of pasta dishes. I am a BIG fan of their "BIG" salad, which is so huge it can easily be shared by two diners. It's a great mixture of Romaine lettuce and Spinach, that is mixed with; cucumber, red onion, carrots, turkey, ham, bacon, white cheddar and sunflower sprouts. It then is tossed with a house made sweet onion dressing and served with grilled bread. This in my opinion is the best salad in the city. When visiting for lunch recently, in addition to a "Big" salad the SO and I shared an order of Semolina Fettuccine. An incredible dish with pancetta, shallots and spinach in a garlic cream sauce. Again, we split the order and the portion was adequate for lunch. Be sure to take note of the pictures I've posted here and you'll see why I am a fan. We went for a late lunch and the place was still jumping. I think everyone else had the same idea. Our server Elizabeth was a pro. She was charming, knowledgeable and the perfect hostess to all the tables and she was serving about 8 (tables) of us at one time. I am lucky and proud to have SPC in my hood. As Mr. Rogers use to say, "It's a good day in the neighborhood."
(4)Candace C.
First, when I walked into the place, it honestly took my breath away. The decor in such a cute cafe type restaurant, was definitely unique. I like the cozy feel of the restaurant,reminded me of home! Service was top notched, very vibrant server, which her name was Abby, great attention to detail and knew exactly what I wanted on a hot summer day. Food, did not disappoint me either. Kinda wanted to experience outside the box of the normal food I usually eat. Left it in the hands of the chef, to created something just for me. And it was outstanding!!! Would definitely visit again in the future, to see what else they come up with!!!
(5)Wendy T.
Wow. I just ate there 3 hours ago, and I just *had* to write a review! Stellina's pasta is indeed fresh. I used to believe dried could be as good as freshly made pasta, but now I am a non-believer! Their dinner menu changes daily, with each day to include 4 pastas: 2 long pastas (with one being a semolina variety), 1 filled (like ravioli or agnolotti), and 1 lasagna. For those crazy enough to skip their homemade pasta, there are other entrees too, with one always being fish-based. Dinner started on a sweet note with Honey Roasted Parsnip soup. Mmm! The soup is creamy and comforting, sweet with warm notes that really hit the spot. It was so good that I could be satisfied finishing dinner with the soup. It came with grilled bread too~ My fellow diner ordered the "Za," which is like long personal pizza. This version had a variety of cheeses (my unperceptive tastes could only make out mozzarella), crumbles of sausage, and wilted spinach. On first bite, there was the taste of alcohol, possibly wine on the spinach, but I'm pretty sensitive to alcohol. He didn't notice it until I mentioned it :P Now to the FRESH PASTA YAY (each dish comes with grilled bread)- He ordered and enjoyed the semolina capellini with smoked salmon. I thought smoked salmon meant lox, but the salmon was still in its uh, meaty form. Definitely smokey flavor. Also, there were quite a few whole olives in the dish, and the olive flavor was so strong, that he had trouble finishing the pasta. And for me, whole wheat walnut tagliatelle! Oh my! This dish looks so much better than it sounds, and if you thought it sounded great, it looks like bliss on a plate. And it frolics on the taste buds too. The roasted daikon, cauliflower, and kale were really flavorful and made richer with the butter. And the pasta? I'm purring just thinking about it! After a whole wheat fettuccine disaster at the Macaroni Grill, I was convinced that whole wheat pasta could never be. But today, whole wheat pasta be. Uh, well, be-ed. The shavings of cheese clung to the strands, and the pasta melted in my mouth! Being whole wheat, the pasta was ever so slightly sweet. OH SO GOOD. I couldn't taste the walnut and near the bottom of the plate, the pasta was just a tiny bit on the oily side. But other than that, this was perfect! My empty plate, full stomach, and giddy mood agree. The long pastas were $17 and $14, but most diners ate half and took the rest home. I was already satisfied with the soup and full with half the noodles and would have done the same, but with such delicious pasta, I gobbled it all up without thought. I also used to think pasta could never taste as good as Asian noodles. Don't tell my parents, but I think Stellina's tagliatelle can easily beat out most bowls of Asian noodles. Stellina Pasta Cafe is one of my favorite STL restaurants. Will definitely be back!! :D
(5)Greg V.
Consistently outstanding food and service. We chose smoked salmon pasta and the mushroom, onion, brie agnolotti stuffed pasta. We shared an arugula watercress salad with tangerine and pecans in a tarragon vinaigrette. Just wonderful. Wish the chef would bring back their Cuban sandwich - maybe even as a special off the menu item. Servers Lauren and Abby are great and the newer Jessica did a fine job last evening. Maggie V.
(5)Ryan M.
Look, the food is pretty good. My "Hog Wild" sandwich was very tasty, and the small salad we had was excellent. But the service just isn't good enough. The waiters are friendly-ish, at best. They lack enthusiasm and passion for their products. The wait time after we ordered food was ridiculous. Over 30min for three sandwiches and one pasta dish. It is entirely possible they were having an off night. It happens. But there was no acknowledgement that anything was amiss! We were just served our food incredibly late as though that was normal! I'd be willing to try again, as members of my family are very enthusiastic about this place, but it's going to take a lot to make up for this sub-par experience.
(3)Sarah S.
We came here again in a group of 7 for Megan A's graduation dinner, and I was again impressed! The downsides this time were the heat (sweltering) and the service (our waitress was a little dry, and did not try to sell us more drinks or dessert). However, neither of these things were a problem the first time I went, so I'm still calling it 5 stars, especially with my food this time, which was even better! I started with a Riesling. Very refreshing and just the sweetness I like. I would've had another, but wasn't asked if I wanted one. This was the same for several of us with alcoholic beverages. We weren't asked if we wanted more. Water, however, was a different story. The guy who was helping the waitress (bus boy seems too chain restaurant for this place!) was on his game and probably refilled my hubby's cup about 15 times. We were joking with him about it because my husband drinks a lot of water, and he really kept up! I had the house salad, which was AMAZING. I am going to go back for lunch just for this and soup. Beets, feta, olives (not for me), onions (nope), sunflower seeds and more. And delicious bread. Yum! It was so delicious, and the perfect side for a starter salad. I had the semolina tagliatelle this time, with tatsoi (a green), red peppers and fresh mozzarella in a veggie stock reduction. It was delicious! So much fresh mozz and very flavorful. I couldn't eat it all as it was very filling. I love the bread they serve on the side of each entree. It's soft and flavorful. Yum! Even though the waitress didn't try to sell us desserts, we wanted them. We ordered a bread pudding, lemon tart, and chocolate mousse cake with salted caramel ice cream to share. The bread pudding was delicious. The lemon tart, while not my favorite flavor, had this caramelized brulee on top that was fab. And the chocolate mousse cake... OMG. I ordered it because the last time I was here, my dining partners got it and it looked SO good. I'm not a huge chocolate person, but I devoured it. It's like a little fudge ball, not cakey at all, just mousse. Paired with the caramel ice cream, it was the perfect decadent ending to my meal. The prices here are reasonable for this caliber of food, no doubt. I can't wait to go back! No really.. I think I'm going to go back this weekend for lunch! I hope they serve dessert then!
(5)Elliot D.
Stellina is a real gem. I wish they took reservations for parties less than 6, but understand why they don't with their relatively small space. The pasta is always the way to go, I have always preferred the pasta dishes over the meat and fish entrées, which are on the expensive side, available elsewhere and not as good as the pasta. As others have said, the hummus appetizer is quite good. I know it sounds pedestrian, but it is noteable. There are always a variety of seasonal dishes from soups and salads to pastas and meat and fish entrées. The servers are very helpful and friendly and will happily make good recommendations. The desserts I've tried there are also very good. Most recently we had tagliatelle with chicken meatballs. Wow. Perfect. Not dried out at all. The owner was nice enough to offer it to us tonight as we'd seen it on the menu online earlier today, however it was actually the lunch pasta specials we'd seen. We split it, and felt like it was enough with a salad and a little antipasti. The agnolotti and the lasagna are also usually quite tempting. Can't wait until next time!
(5)Brittany S.
Great soups and sandwiches!!!! Chicken salad sandwich and the Hog Wild are my favorite. Would recommend this to anyone.
(5)Terri B.
New favorite restaurant! Cozy atmosphere, attentive staff...amazing food! Loved the neighborhood feel. Perfect dinner!!
(5)Brian V.
Consistently a great place. Never had a bad anything here. Last weekend the stuffed zucchini flowers were outrageously good. The big salad is great. Il Capo sandwich is fantastic. You really cannot go wrong here. Fresh good clean flavors. Really something special.
(5)Leslie S.
Clean and well-decorated location on Watson w/ off-street parking. Seating was comfortable and relaxing. Service was all right. Oh, but this is all about the fresh handmade pasta!!! I had Tagliatelle (one of my new favorite pasta noodles) with Chantarelle mushrooms tossed in a light butter sauce ($18) (See Picture 10). Holy Spaghettios, Batman! I cannot wait to go back and try some more of their fresh pasta specials!!! Food: 5/5 easily, hands down Selection: 4/5 Location/Decor: 3.5-4 / 5 Service: 3/5
(4)Owen H.
We walked in this place and spent over a hundred on a bar tab of martinis and beer. They told us it would be 20 minutes, it was an hour. Then it went on to an hour and a half. Finally they told us it was too late and the kitchen was closed....so your lies allowed us to just drink. While I appreciate the encouragement, honesty is the best policy.
(1)Chris X M.
A very tasty, tiny little South City Italian spot with great food at surprisingly low prices. It is true that due to the small size & lack of reservations, you may wind up waiting a bit for a table at the small bar area, but the food and prices make this a hot little spot on Watson. Nearby Trattoria Marcella and LoRusso's offer more pasta choices--but this more causal "Cafe" is just the right speed for some nights. Server was superb. Menu is limited, but good. This is not "fine dining" but instead great Italian food in a casual cafe setting. Full bar, great service, interesting menu. The current Zagat rating for Stellina is a 27/30... which has it tied with Paul Manno's... no chance. I suppose for Hill area restaurants this is a very good meal at a great price--so that's part of the draw. Worthy of praise--but not comparable to our top Italian spots. My Lasagna was very good and $10. Impressive! Gets CROWDED on weekends, so plan accordingly.
(4)Matt H.
Excellent, personal service by Libby - and the food was delicate, and tasty.
(4)Trudy R.
Had dinner there last night and took advantage of the three course chef's tasting, you get a choice of each of the 3 course offerings... the whole wheat and walnut pasta was fabulous and the scallops were wonderful....
(5)Jean B.
Yes
(4)Tim T.
One of the best kept secrets in south city. Although I've only been here for lunch 2 times the food was excellent and the service was awesome. The vibe on the inside is cozy and I will definitely be back for dinner soon.
(5)Sadia Lynne B.
This is the place to go on a first date, business dinner, with your friends...or in some cases, just to try some amazing, culinary gems by yourself. There is a reason the RATINGS for this restaurant are sky-high...because of the SERVICE & FOOD. You are getting ***5 star quality food made with high-quality ingredients. Fresh, homemade pasta is HERE, no reason to waste time at "The HIll" when you can go to Stellina's Pasta Cafe. I am really impressed. Having a background and keen knowledge in fine dining cuisine and service, this place is a winner for me. The menu is lovely...find out for yourself. (I did bring my 3 yr old, and they have high-chairs). The server was great, the bus boy was attentive as he repeatedly & appropriately filled our water glasses. A++++ What separates this facility from the Four Seasons, or The Ritz is its ambiance, not the food. It is not pretentious, over-elaborate with stuffy decor....instead, it is simple, inviting, and chic. EAT HERE. SIMPLE. If you want food that looks like a million bucks and also tastes like it, GO HERE. STOP. LOOKING. You have found your new favorite restaurant. Believe me. Perfect! and KUDOS to management, owners and staff. You are above and beyond the expectations....anywhere in St. Louis. Rare find. God Bless this place. AMEN.
(5)Paul K.
What a wonderful little place.How they turn out great dish after great dish is almost a mystery to me. The pasta dish I had was one of the best I have ever eaten. The only downer was the lamb meatballs had cumin and coriander seasoning which really was not the contrast I was looking for. Oh well. This place is spot on and priced so you can return over and over again and not break the bank.
(4)Liz W.
Carb freaking heaven is how I would sum up this place. Mmmm it may kill me but I will die a happy woman. It is claustrophobic here if at all crowded so if you cannot take that vibe I'd skip it. I am willing to ignore the too close people if you feed me this well. Homemade pastas here, yes that means a wait, sip some wine (you lucky bastards who can do wine AND pasta) or a nice glass of iced tea while you relax. Indulge in some of their killer antipasto platter or fabu beef carpaccio as you pass the time. The antipasto platter has salami, prosciutto, two kinds of cheese (yum brie), peppers to stuff yourself, capers, two kinds of olives, toast points...yes it is around 13 bucks but it is well worth every penny. The carpaccio has mache salad, hard boiled quail egg, piave vecchio cheese, hot mustard, & extra virgin olive oil. Yes you can just graze on these apps with a group and be happy enough but you cannot skip pasta in my book. I recommend any pasta in here. Its just a matter of personal preference. The meats are great too. For instance, my brother in law ate some double pork chop special that was droolicious. I still would not trade my tagliatelle with mushrooms, bacon and spinach in garlic cream sauce. Yes, again I realize this is not a heart health selection but damn who cares? Give it a whirl. This is my kind of joint. Oh and get a bisque if they have one on special. Yum.
(4)Kim Y.
Pricey but delicious! Best Sangria I've ever had, and their take on S'mores was out of this world! Will definitely go back, but most likely only for a special occasion. The waiter seemed out of it, but was attentive enough to pass muster.
(4)Franco G.
My wife and I had dinner here yesterday with another couple. We got there early, around 6-ish, so we had the place pretty much to ourselves. Our friends had the ravioli and the Grouper with risotto. The Grouper was ok, we had better. The ravioli was ok too. Certainly not worth the amount paid. I may have had something similar from Restaurant Depot. No kidding. I had the Pork sandwich with watermelon/ yellow pepper salad and my wife had the lasagna. The pork sandwich was salted way too much. It took away the flavor of the sandwich, however, the most disappointing meal of the evening was the lasagna. It was a good thick portion but it was completely dry like it was placed in the microwave before being served. "Fresh" was NOT represented very well at this establishment. Lastly, what added insult to injury to this fair meal was that the waiter did not use the "Eat Local" discount card I gave him. There goes the $10 we could have saved to help make this mediocre meal a little more palatable. It was our first time at Stellina, but not our first time eating similar cuisine elsewhere. You could save yourself some time and money eating at similar eatery's such as Trattoria Marcela, Lorenzo's, etc AND get a meal worth the visit. Too bad. I was looking forward to something unique.
(2)Jessica C.
My meal at Stellina started on a very high note and slowly went down from there. The appetizers were fantastic (toasted ravioli and beef carpaccio), the pasta entrees were good (but not the best I've ever had) and the desserts were a bland disappointment. It's cozy in here, but if you're seated near the bar you might have the crowds waiting for a table encroaching on yours. As in, someone's backside about eight inches from your face. That's not so cozy. This place was very interesting. I'll definitely be back to see what's new on the menu. In the meantime, I hope they get better desserts.
(4)Kelly R.
Honestly, if our service had been better, this place would've easily gotten 5 stars. The food was absolutely 5 stars! I will admit, I came with a group of 5 other people on a Friday night, so we did expect to wait a little while for our food. Luckily they take reservations, so we didn't have to wait for a table! It took awhile to get our drinks, as well as our order of hummus. Then, when the pita ran out (which was quickly), it took quite awhile to get any additional pita. Luckily we had wonderful company, and it was a nice night to catch up, so the waiting wasn't terrible, it just would've been nice to have prompter servers. Enough with the mediocre, so lets talk about the food!! The hummus was probably the best I've ever had as an app at a restaurant. They mixed in roasted garlic cloves which I gladly spread on my pita. Then came the pasta. Oh, the heavenly pasta! I ordered a 3-cheese filled pasta and it was obvious they make all their pasta in house. It was fluffy, light, buttery, and perfectly seasoned. The dish also had sundried tomatoes and pine nuts which was a fantastic addition. The rest of the table had equally tasty dishes, but all I remember are those delectable cheese filled pasta pillows! The food is a little on the pricey side, but I'll gladly pay it for the quality. The restaurant has a fun atmosphere, albeit a little on the small side, and it's a perfect location for a date or celebratory dinner. This and Trattoria Marcella are my favorite italian restaurants in STL and if you're looking for good italian, don't bother with the Hill. Apparently Watson is where it's at.
(4)Lori A.
I have been here a couple times and cant complain. I think their food is good. This last time I had a half sandwich of chicken salad, I had heard good things about their chicken salad and I was not disappointed. It came on a nice toasted bread, creamy with pecans, raisins and apples with that I ordered a cup of soup, which was a creamy squash puree, very good. I cant say this restaurant blows me away, but it is good, and I would go back again.
(4)Austin C.
Great food and service. Will repeat soon. I had the pulled pork. No wait on a Saturday night.
(5)A E.
Just ordered takeout here last night and it was pretty disappointing. I got the agnolotti. It cost $15 for 5 little piece of pasta covered in oil. That is not enough food for an adult lol! I can't imagine a man actually being satisfied by such a paltry serving. Then it was undercooked and chewy. Totally underwhelming. Makes me not want to try new things here. Guess I will stick to what I know because clearly things here are hit or miss.
(3)Bill S.
Well, what can I say positive about this place?? nothing!!!,,We went there last weekend,, we ordered a bottle of wine and it was the same name and brand that goes for 12.00 at the local wine shop but was 58.00 here,, wasn't chilled properly,, and they didn't have a cold collar to keep it cold,,When we began to order my dining companion asked about the soup and the waiter was totally clueless,, she had to actually read the menu to him for him to realize what was on the menu,,we asked about "off the menu items" and was told there were none,,that makes their menu VERY limited ( maybe 8 items overall) I ordered a shortrib and pasta,,and we genuinely waiting for something memorable,, when it arrives it was shredded beef ( Libby's? ) over egg noodles,,20.00 for that? My daughter asked about the ham or roast beef sandwich and was told they were out of everything but turkey,,( this was at 6:46 in the evening, on a friday) She settled on turkey ( Surprise) LOL and after 2 bites,, just ate the potato chips and said,, "this is dry" I tried it and have had beef jerky that was more moist and tender!!!...Additionally the waiter simply forgot about us as he never retruend to fill our wine glasses again,, and my daughter never got more than one glass of water to wash down a plate of leathery bread and dried turkey,, "This was a 90.00 meal" I will NEVER again make this mistake,, disappointingly I only live 4 blocks from there,, but I wouldn't go there if they were giving away freebies!!!
(1)Julia G.
Amazing food every time I have gone. This is a very small place so be sure to get there early for dinner, or you may not get in. The hummus is awesome, I could eat it as a meal in its self. The staff has always been very very friendly and when I have questions about stuff on the menu, they are very helpful and knowledgeable. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Megan A.
Gearing up for graduation weekend, I realized that I still hadn't made any reservations or plans for a special dinner. It was only about two weeks prior to the event, and also shared a weekend with Mother's Day. For undergrad graduation, I chose Niche, and made a reservation months in advance. But not for my Master's. Nothing "nice" sounded that fantastic, but then my mom and sis both suggested Stellina. I was REALLY skeptical to choose a restaurant for such a special occasion that I had never been to, but after examining the menu, and studying yelp for a while, I decided to call and attempt to get a reservation for 7 people. This place is small, and it was kind of last minute and for a busy weekend, but surprisingly, they were able to accommodate us at 630 pm. Upon arrival, the place was a sauna. I mean, we're talking like 80 degrees inside. I'm always freezing cold, and I was uncomfortable. They said that they didn't know what was wrong, but did prop the door near us open in order to let air in. It definitely helped, but that is still a problem that needs to be fixed. They have standard menu options, like salads and sandwiches, that they have all of the time, and then they have a "special offerings" menu that is ever- changing. I ordered the cheese and three-onion-filled toasted ravioli, which was a special, as well as the house salad, with garbanzo beans, beets, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and the sweet onion vinaigrette, which they always have, and a whole wheat fettuccine with peas, shiitakes, and parm in a oil butter garlic sauce, with no prosciutto, which was a special as well. The t-ravs were delish, as was the salad. It looked pretty basic and kind of small, but it was just the right combination of ingredients, paired with a sweet yet oniony vinaigrette. The fettuccine was good, but it was SO salty with WAAAAAY too much parm. I'm not a huge parm fan in the first place, but I'm especially not a fan of any parm that has the consistency of Kraft parm in the green shaker. Next time, I would ask for some fresh mozz like my sister's pasta instead. I tried my mom's eggplant agnolotti, which I really liked, though the portion size was smaller than the others, and I tried my sister's tagliatelle with tatsoi (greens), red peppers, and fresh mozz in a vegetable broth, which was probably my fav of the three pastas. Luckily, as she often does, my sis sent me home with a huge box of leftovers, and I ate it this morning for breakfast. Yum. Other dishes that people had and loved were the Il Capo sandwich (a regular), the Talking Turkey sandwich (also a regular), and the pork chop with collard greens and polenta (a special). Sandwich prices are so reasonable, and my boyfriend LOVED his Il Capo. I was so happy...and surprised. We ordered desserts as a table, and I had the bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream from Serendipity. The flavor was very good, though a bit soft. It's not the best that I've ever had (my boyfriend's fam is good friends with the former owner of Harvest, and he makes their bread pudding for every party), but it 's up there. I'm looking forward to trying the cheesecake! Besides sweating to the oldies a bit at the beginning, the only other downfall was the service. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't have the type of polish that I would expect from this type of place. Drinks besides water sat empty for almost the entire meal (the water guy kept our glasses filled), we had to direct the waitress on who got what salads and pastas (not just one, but like, all of them), and though my sis asked for no olives, she got olives, and I, who LIKES olives, did not. Maybe she switched the salads? Nope, because we got two different dressings. A few tiny mistakes won't prevent me from coming back soon, but they will prevent me from awarding Stellina 5 stars. The food was fabulous, I had a great grad meal, and btw, the bathroom is pretty beautiful. It's a 5 star place for sure, but I'm going to give them something to work towards for next time.
(4)Kel Vin W.
I first heard of Stellina's just in passing when a self-claimed St. Louis foodie talked about it. It sounded phenomenal. And it is. Possibly the best pasta I've ever had. All the pastas are made in house on that day. We had the 3 cheese ggnoletti pasta and the fettucine with local sausage to share. First, the agnoletti, a 3 cheese filling inside a homemade shell. The filling was very flavorful, satisfying and yet still light on the palate, enveloped in a pasta shell that provides a textural contrast. Next the fettucine with local sausage in a tomato sauce. The pasta was fresh and precisely al dente, the sauce added the 5th element of "umame" to the senses. The local sausage is perfeclly seasoned, standing on it's own, leading the dish but not stealing from the pasta or sauce. Stellina's also offers a "last bottles" wine list, offering the final few bottles their usually expensive wines at only $22. Most importantly, in the setting of excellent, comforting food and delicious wine, it provides the perfect ambience for dinner with someone special or a happy gathering with friends. Stellina's is definitely a restaurant I will be returning to frequently!
(4)Sal E.
Housemade pasta - One of those things you just can't replicate in your own kitchen. So tender and fresh. Lives in the handful of places that I am stuck in a delicious rut: I always end up with the agnolotti. It's creepin close to fall, which means it will be in it's most perfect form! Pumpkin filled.... oh so scrumpy! If I'm ravenous, I'll fatten up on the lasagna, big enough to split. I'd just like to see them vary up the types of pastas offered - they vary the sauce, ingredients, etc., but the noodle shape is consistent, so a fresh surprise would be nice.
(4)Dave A.
Went with a group of Five. and had a bite from everyone's plate. and so did everyone else. The food is absolutely so good that after you calm down from your foodgasm that you feel an immense need to share your good fortune. Wait staff is friendly and inviting, and our service was good. and the restaurant itself is nestled into a little strip on Watson that doesn't quite belong, but once you enter, you find a cozy, warm little space that makes you forget where you are anyway. I'm not only going back, I'm only going in big groups so I can try as many different things as possible when I do.
(5)Bill K.
On my way to lunch with a lovely lady, I was dismayed to find the place I'd chosen, Farmhaus, didn't serve lunch on Fridays, in spite of Yelp's site indicating it was open. Then the second place I looked up marked as open by Yelp (LoRusso's) had stopped serving lunch six months ago, the only notice being a small paper sign taped to the door. DANG. The third place was one I'd never heard of... Stellina Pasta Cafe. Worth a try, I thought. My lunch companion had heard of it, and was excited to go there. Things were looking up. Then, dang again! I had blundered into an excellent little cafe. Delicious food, lovely little seating area, fine service, romantic atmosphere, what else could you ask for? I had a Beast sandwich... a suspiciously good pile of beef with horseradish sauce on a hunk of baguette. It was accompanied by an interesting cole slaw which seemed to have a little touch of coarse mustard in it to make it interesting. They also have homemade pastas... always a weakness of mine. But the big question is why I've never heard of this place before? Do they not advertise? Truly a hidden gem.
(5)Sara B.
I loved the bread that came with the soup and the pasta. Other than that nothing took me by surprise. The decor is super cool. A little laid back place with a super fresh and ever-changing menu. The tomato bisque was very good with a little blue cheese thrown in there. I would for sure like to go back and check out some other dishes to decided whether or not I thought it was a gem or just another place.
(4)Kimberly E.
I'm generally lazy and don't write reviews so this is a big deal... Ate lunch here with 2 other people. I had the special wrap with black beans/cheese/cilantro, etc. Guest #2 had the IL Capo and #3 had the BBQ sandwich(south side smoke?). I also had the beet salad and we order drinks, beer and bloody mary's(they use zing zang mix-score). These items were simple recipes made with exceptional ingredients. All favors worked very well together, this is above and beyond what you expect for a simple lunch sandwich. Service was great, both ladies waiting on us were super nice and outgoing. I will definitely be back when in STL.
(5)Brendan G.
Wow. You should go here. Why are you still reading? This is way better than those other places you're considering. Like that one Mexican place where the food isn't that great but it's pretty cheap and you get all those free chips. You don't really want that, do you? Just go to Stellina. My normally finicky better half decided to try the whole wheat pasta, and she really liked it. That's notable because she doesn't ever like whole wheat pasta. She doesn't even like biscuits... who doesn't like biscuits!? I digress. I had the goat cheese and sun dried tomato agnolotti. Did you know that agnolotti is basically a ravioli? I didn't know that. Did you know it's delicious? I didn't know that before either, but now I do. For dessert we shared a lemon curd tart. It had a creme brulee topping so it was sour and sugary and great. This was not our normal Wednesday dinner, but it should be from now on. Good stuff. The best part, though, was the service. It was awesome. The best I've ever had in St. Louis (well, probably anywhere, but if I say "in St. Louis" that makes me seem worldly since it implies I dine out in a lot of other cities too). Our waitress seemed genuinely excited to serve us, and proud of the food she was offering. She checked in on us the perfect amount of times, as if she knew when we wanted to interact with her. The other staff we interacted with were really cool too (the bartender and the other waitress/hostess who filled our water a few times). Even if the food had been bad, and it wasn't but I'm just saying, it could have been totally unremarkable food and based on the service & staff alone we would still go back again. tl:dr A+++ Great seller, fast shipping, will buy from again!
(5)Andy S.
This place is always worth a visit. Cozy and perfect for a small lunch group or romantic dinner. Take people who care about the quality of food.
(4)Stephanie S.
Stellina was perfect. Great service, delicious and fresh pasta and even a great dessert, which is usually the let-down of the meal for me. We got there early, around 5pm, on a Saturday night because we had evening plans and they don't take reservations for parties less than 6. I'm glad we did! We quickly watched the place fill up and the entire waitstaff was buzzing. I would highly recommend Stellina to anyone looking for a great meal!
(5)Sara L.
One of my favorites! I have been here several times and have never been disappointed. As others have mentioned their pastas are amazing but I also love their soups, especially the cauliflower truffle. They don't always have it, but if they do you've got to try it! If you haven't been here yet it is definitely worth visiting!
(5)Joanie C.
Lets start with cocktails! I had the Afternoon, made with Makers and ginger beer - I had four! Yum! The hummus was fantastic, served with pita bread and artichokes and olives, even my picky boyfriend liked it! We had the whole wheat walnut tagliatelle pasta with cauliflower and coppa - amazing! My friends had the stone bass with pink grapefruit gastrique, so meaty and such a delighful sauce! Dessert was bread pudding. It tasted like a funnel cake but better! You must give the place a whirl! It will be worth your time! Cheers!
(5)Anita K.
Between Trattoria Marcella, Brazie's, and Stellina, there is an Italian trifecta in this part of South City along Watson! We ran inside Stellina just before a huge thunderstorm, and got seated right away. With the inclement weather, it was pretty quiet. Our server was out quickly and walked us through the menu- both the left side of apps, salads, and sandwiches that are semi-permanent, and the right side, the pastas and other daily specials. I love that the pastas are limited since they are made in-house daily. The care they take with the ingredients in each- a mix of traditional favorites with bold flavors and fresh ingredients- was indicated right away, and definitely proven upon eating! We started with a bottle of Pinot Noir, the only one on the list and frankly a little underwhelming. It was okay, but we really wanted something to hold up to great Italian food. We each got a salad, the house and the little salad, and shared. Both were fresh and tasty. Grilled and lightly buttered fresh bread was a nice touch on the side. For our entrees, we got the agnolotti, similar to ravioli, with pesto, veggies, and house made sausage. Really delicious. Even better was my walnut tagliatelle with garlic, parm, bok choy, and mushrooms. The pasta was perfectly al dente, they flavors bold but complementary, and lots of goodies in every bite. I could only eat about half, but I love having pasta left over for lunch at work the next day. Bread accompanied the pasta as well, so that was nice for lunch the next day, too. Sambuca is my favorite liquid Italian dessert, so we had to cap off our meal with that. Yum! One minor issue- during the storm, the sound of the rain and thunder drowned out everything else and was even romantic. After it subsided, it was a little too quiet. All we could hear were the servers talking on the other side of the half wall that leads to the service area and kitchen. Some music or better acoustics would be nice. Overall, the service was attentive and friendly. This is a very down to earth neighborhood spot with good people, great food, and lots of regulars. We live close, love the area, and will be back.
(4)Rachel A.
Excellent! The food is spectacular. We each had a pasta special; I had the semolina tagliatele with pork belly, chanterelle mushrooms, and tatsoi, which was to die for. My partner had turkey lasagna and he was very happy with his choice. The food is organic and well prepared. The service is great too- our waitress was very friendly. Cocktail and beer selection were good. The prices are high compared to other pasta... houses... but well worth the cost per dish/drink. Our only disappointment was the broken air conditioner-- after all the hot pasta, my boyfriend's shirt was soaked with sweat.
(5)Jackie C.
What a delicious place with amazing, attentive service! My friends and I were at Stellina last night for my birthday dinner, and we all loved our food and experience. The hummus starter had great texture and was served with wonderful roasted garlic, artichokes, and olives. My pancetta, leek, and marscapone agnolotti entree was homemade pasta perfect, unique, delicious, and rich. The food was remarkable and our server very knowledgeable regarding both food and beverage. I, and I think we, will be back!
(5)Meggie W.
A little pricey on the pasta, but the veggie sandwich tasted good and was reasonably priced.
(4)Fred M.
Took my mother-in-law, wife, and daughter here for lunch. Outstanding food. HUGE sandwiches! (We'll share next time.) Great coleslaw. We'll be back.
(4)NJ M.
Totally delicious lunch today! Had zucchini soup with some Vecchi cheese first. It was seasoned perfectly and was quite good. Then I had a pasta entree with such a delicious flavor, and again seasoned perfectly! I'm ready to go back. Great menu and flavors.
(5)Dena G.
I don't even know what to say. My angliotti were fantastic.
(5)Alissa N.
The food: SO GOOD. The chef at Stellina clearly has a great appreciation for vegetables and how amazing they can be. I got a whole wheat walnut tagliatelle with roasted carrots and brussels sprouts and I just about died any time I got a mouthful of veggies. My gentleman companion's pasta (roasted cauliflower and pancetta) was solid but maybe a little oversalted from the pork, but still great. A chicken liver pate appetizer platter was similarly beautiful. Great condiment accompaniments, and generally fantastic. And dessert! While I am eternally skeptical of bread pudding, this one was a real winner. A few critical points: I watched the bartender assemble a drink and sorry girl, but you do not know your way around a Boston shaker. Most halfhearted shake I've ever seen at a place with $8 cocktails. Get it together. Also, the ventilation was atrocious and we smelled like the restaurant the next day. The decor is fine. Not really my aesthetic, but I did love the wall behind the bar. The scene was very middle-aged southwest city, which naturally means that we got lots of weird looks for no apparent reason, perhaps because we dared head out for dinner at 8:30. The service was perfectly attentive without being overbearing. Definitely my style.
(4)Kiki J.
Came here today with my bf. I was so excited to try it after reading all the good reviews. We were extremely disappointed. The beet salad we ordered was tiny (and tasted bitter), although I can understand that may be due that fact that it's an appetizer. However, the sandwiches we ordered were plain just awful. Salty, oily, with no special flavor whatsoever. I felt like I could make better sandwiches in my kitchen using Schunck's ingredients. Also, the fact that service was slow and unfriendly did not help. I will definitely not be going back.
(1)Ingrid C.
This may sound so silly, but since a small group of my dining companions are no longer around, the ones that are left are willing to "travel far" to go eat. Yes, I'm being terribly sarcastic. I don't think anything in St. Louis area is that far away (except maybe Chesterfield, and that's not even that far away). Look at a map. Just because you've never been there doesn't mean it's far away. Anyways, this is why it's taken me a while to eat at this delightful little place. Clifton Heights might as well be China to some of my classmates. I admit, at twilight, the artistically-rusted sign lauding, "Stellina" was barely visible from the road. The exterior reminded me of those subtle-but-delicious standbys I patronized so much when I lived in Brooklyn (oh, how I've missed you Good Fork!), except without the trees in front. I didn't quite understand how out-of-the-ordinary this may seem to some people until my companion (who was driving) remarked "there's no parking lot?" No, there isn't. There's plenty of street parking, though. Of course, it can be a little hard to maneuver. Thinking we were being clever, we hit a side street hoping to pop back out back towards Stellina. Alas, they're long, long blocks and (almost) all one-way. Another amen to my GPS/Smartphone gadgetry. And then I finally walked in. Clean, modern, charming. The modest bar area is ADORABLE. And all their pastas are handmade. Again, I don't like giving rundowns, but I will of my meal. Of course, since they source and run dishes seasonally, you might not be allowed to indulge in the same delights. Curried Carrot Soup - much much more interesting than plain ol' carrot ginger soup. It had a nice texture, was well-seasoned, and came with a dollop of mascarpone, which effectively balanced it out. Black walnut tagliatelle with two types of local mushrooms (oyster and something else, oops) and fiddlehead ferns in a garlic, butter, olive oil sauce. Freakin' delicious. Portion size was large enough for a second dinner the following night. The pasta was definitely the star. Semifreddo (Italian frozen custard) with berries and almond brittle. I loved looking at the glassiness of the almond brittle - flat, clear sugar pieces with almond. So pretty. I didn't like the texture of the semifreddo, though. You could feel the ice crystals. Semifreddo is usually more like a really thick custard (a la ted drewes, even), so this technically was not a win. Creamy sweetness and berries is always a good thing, though. I'm coming back!!! I just don't know when or with whom yet. Any takers?
(4)Jezebelly H.
I can't tell you how long its been since I've even had a pasta dish (carb thang), but, my dinner date insisted because they make their pasta fresh. Sooooo, WOW!. I had the whole wheat pasta w/english peas, asparagus, and parm. DELISH. The serving was large, so I took 1/2 of the entree home---2 days later, reheat in microwave, shared w/another friend----still just as yummy. While I was dining, I had a great signature drink called Zen something, with cucumber vodka & green tea. Try it, you'll like it. Ambiance is great, staff very friendly. I'll be back with newbies!!!!
(4)Jim M.
This restaurant has great curb appeal and I liked the decor. It was a Wednesday night so there were not many guests in the restaurant. We were greeted quickly and professionally at the door and led to a very nice table. The waitress provided good descriptions of the food, it was delivered in a timely manner and was well presented. Unfortunately, the best part of our visit ends there. The dish I ordered--which was the pasta with shrimp--just wasn't that good. The pasta was bland and the shrimp had no indication of any spices whatsoever. There was a slice of bread that reportedly had butter or something on it but it tasted dry. Would I go back? Maybe. There were a couple of other items on the menu that peaked my interest but I was pulled in by what turned out to be a mediocre Shrimp and pasta dish. Everyone deserves a second chance. Right?
(3)Marjie T.
I never went into Stellina before the renovation, but judging from the pictures it is now completely different. Much less cafe, much more restaurant. It's slightly confusing because you walk in and there's a small bar to the right and a smattering of tables to the left and then through the entryway there's more tables. No hostess stand or sign saying seat yourself so I wasn't really sure what to do. I made eye contact with someone behind the bar and she told us to pick a table. I'm not really sure how they work that on a busy weekend night. Anyway once we were seated someone brought over menus and water. The menu had about 4-5 pasta and entree selections each and a bigger selection of sandwiches. I went for the pulled pork with gouda and caramelized onions on a ciabatta roll. It came with a choice of slaw, potato salad, chips, or watermelon salad. It was pretty good and not a huge portion so I didn't feel overly stuffed which was nice. My friend had the ham with white cheddar, apples, and dijon and said that was great, too. Service was OK. Prompt, but not really all that friendly. I'll probably be back to try out the pastas, but I sincerely hope they fix the seating thing. It's really annoying to walk into a restaurant and not know what's going on. If you're going to remodel into a restaurant, then get a hostess please.
(4)Thad L.
A St Louis must in a wonderful part of town. Friendly and prompt service in a sophisticated/casual atmosphere. The South Side Smoke sandwich is a bucket list item, if you have not tried it yet. Same with the That's A Wrap sandwich. And all of the pastas, while we're at it. Menu is of the upscale sandwich variety, with fresh pastas and a few entree choices in the evening. Very creative. I'd say it is my favorite place but that would anger too many friends, so it's "one of my favorites in Saint Louis" and makes life richer here.
(5)