If you haven’t already fallen victim to the flu, watch out. With the erratic St. Louis winter weather, it seems like everywhere you turn someone is sneezing or coughing, spreading the flu bug to anyone breathing the same air. There is nowhere to turn, and nowhere to hide. We’re surrounded, and it’s only a matter of time until that pesky bug catches up to you.
But as everyone knows, one of the best remedies for feeling under the weather is a bowl of warm soup and at least we have that to look forward to. The myriad of soups available in St. Louis go beyond the traditional chicken soup for the soul stereotype and come from a wide variety of cuisines. Here is a list of the top seven soup restaurants in St. Louis that will get you through this nasty flu season:
Saint Louis Bread Co.
Saint Louis Bread Co. offers nine soups that rotate each day in two sizes. Get it in a bread bowl or add one of their famous freshly baked breads as a side—you won’t be sorry. The broccoli cheddar soup with the french baguette is an excellent choice when you’re sick or even if you just need a pick me up on a cold and dreary winter night.
Chinese Noodle Cafe
Chinese Noodle Cafe has 10 different soups to choose from. I’ve been told that the hot and sour soup and egg drop soup are to die for, and have been voted the best in St. Louis by Sauce Magazine and RFT for 12 years. Located in the Loop, the restaurant will deliver anywhere in St. Louis, even your dorm room.
Mi Ranchito
This may sound crazy, but the Mi Ranchito chicken soup is a must have when ordering from this restaurant. The soup is packed with big chunks of chicken and avocado. It’s cheap, filing, and healthy. It also comes with rice, pico de gallo, and tortillas, making it definitely a full meal in itself. Since you are already ordering from here however, you might as well add one of the house specialities while you’re at it.
Pho Grand
With over 21 variations of soup, it is no wonder that Pho Grand was voted the best Vietnamese Restaurant by RFT Readers. If you have never had Vietnamese food before, try the classic beef rice noodle soup. It’s the best in the area, hands down, and good for the soul and curing sicknesses.
Seedz Cafe
For those of you who want a healthier option, you might want to consider Seedz Cafe. It’s more than just a juice and smoothie cafe—Seedz has a full vegan friendly menu, which includes a soup diem, soup of the day. Pair it with the raw pad thai, and you’ve got yourself a delicious vegan meal that will have you feeling better in no time.
Kohn’s Kosher Meat & Deli Restaurant
Kohn’s is the only kosher restaurant and deli in St. Louis. It has a fully stocked kosher grocery store with a large variety of kosher wines, candy, packaged food, and much more. You can order freshly baked bagels, challah and other breads, pastries, cookies and cakes from its bakery, but don’t forget the matzah ball soup. It’s just what the doctor ordered: Jewish penicillin and memories of your Bubbie.
So whether you are suffering from a sore throat, headache, and/or fever brought on by the flu, comforting a sick friend or suitemate, or trying to avoid sickness like the plague, there is one sure fire medicine that my grandma always prescribes: soup. It’s a timeless remedy that works again and again, so that flu season ends that much faster.