Charlie Gitto’s – St. Louis, MO – Concord Culinary Lyceum

Charlie Gitto’s is one of the most well loved restaurants on The Hill
Their toasted ravioli, St. Louis’ iconic dish, is amazing
A classic atmosphere with traditional but friendly service

Complete with red, white, and green fire hydrants, The Hill is St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood. There you will find plenty of restaurants, but few are as famous as Charlie Gitto’s. Their menu is expansive with steaks, seafood, and of course fresh pasta, but their most iconic dish is their toasted ravioli.

Most toasted ravioli has an edge to it, similar to traditional ravioli. Charlie Gitto’s toasted ravioli doesn’t have the crispy edge. It is more pillow shaped. This brings more attention to the filling, which in the case of Charlie Gitto’s is a very good thing. They make their filling from a combination of beef, pork, and veal. It is light and meaty and perfect with their homemade marinara sauce.

Their bread basket is very good particularly for soaking up all the left over sauce. The caesar salad, which you can get with bacon, anchovies, or both, is delicious. And the cannelloni, another St. Louis specialty, is stuffed with a filling similar to the toasted ravioli and topped with both marinara and cream sauce. The cocktail list is mostly steakhouse classics with a few Italian inspired drinks, but the adventurous will go 70’s nostalgia and order a Harvey Wallbanger.

The small, dark front room with the host stand and the bar is the best seating option for those who want the historic feel or a romanic evening. The back rooms are brighter and better for groups. The service is friendly, knowledgable, and willing to move at your pace. Overall, Charlie Gitto’s is old school Italian at its best and part of St. Louis restaurant history. There’s a good reason people come back for decades.