Juniper

Juniper

If you happen to find yourself roaming around St. Louis with an empty stomach and a craving for some authentic Southern cuisine, you're going to want to head over to Boyle Avenue's premier bar and eatery, Juniper. Juniper is a popular St. Louis eatery serving high-end southern cuisine and even higher-end southern charm. The servers and the restaurant itself are full of undeniable hospitality, the atmosphere modern and relaxed. The setting itself is hip with exposed brick walls and a bar-like seating arrangement, making your meal very open and relaxed. Juniper is a dinner destination, so if you are heading to the Gaslamp for a late show, this will be a perfect spot to fuel up, being open 5-10 each evening (except for Sunday).

So what's so special about Juniper? Two things, in our opinion: Fried Chicken, and John Perkins. The fried chicken here is seriously delicious, combining the perfectly crispy crust with the perfectly tenderized poultry. John Perkins, the proprietor of this business, is also a big selling point here, the down-to-earth family man holding a long history in quality 'pop up' St. Louis eateries and an even longer history of quality southern cooking.

Besides the to-die-for fried chicken, you'll probably also want to try to save room for the Crusted Catfish, Delta Tamales, Fried Green Tomatoes, or Shrimp n Grits. The Breadbasket they serve is amazing as well, especially the wild yeast cornbread. The side dishes are southern by design, the eatery serving down-home Creamed Chard, Braised Collards, and a favorite of a more historical bunch, Ozark Pudding. Save plenty of room for dessert or after dinner cocktails, both the peanut and sorghum ice cream surprisingly worth the food coma. If you are a drinker, be sure to try the Across the Pacific cocktail. If you aren't, definitely opt-in for the Juniper Sweet Tea, a blend of several teas mixed with maple syrup (shaken, not stirred).

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