ST. LOUIS – Almost anyone can find something that fits their appetite at The Hill, a St. Louis neighborhood with a rich history of Italian food. But a new report says there’s one place that truly stands out for its “old-school” appeal.
24/7 Tempo, a food and lifestyle publication, recently released a list naming “The 25 Best Old-School Italian Restaurants in America.”
A research team says these eateries are “unapologetically Italian-American,” or places that build upon traditional Italian flavors through American culinary practices.
According to 24/7 Tempo, Charlie Gitto’s On The Hill was touted among the country’s best old-school Italian restaurants.
Charlie Gitto’s is praised for serving toasted ravioli, a dish many claim to have come from accident before it rose to a St. Louis staple. 24/7 Tempo also recognizes Charlie Gitto’s eggplant parmigiano, rigatoni with sausage or chicken and ricotta-stuffed manicotti selections.
Charlie Gitto’s was the only restaurant from The Hill, St. Louis or Missouri part of the aforementioned list.
To assemble the list, the 24/7 Tempo research team reviewed lists and rankings from numerous food sites, including Eater, The Daily Meal, Food Network, and Gayot. “Some of our top choices are more than a century old, and some are still owned by a third or fourth generation of the founding family,” the report states
24/7 Tempo says tomato-based red sauce, mozzarella or provolone cheese, and meatballs with noodles are among some Italian-American elements embraced by the honored restaurants.
