Plaza Cafe & Grill, a new restaurant, offers American cuisine with a plethora of specials for working folks, food lovers, and hungry families. Plaza Cafe & Grill aims to feed their customers and leave them with full bellies and wide smiles. The friendly staff treats each new patron as a family member. Reasonable prices and specials include all you can eat pancakes on Fridays. The homey atmosphere is laid back and comfortable, and the cleverly placed lighting makes the ambiance warm and welcoming. The exposed brick and wooden chairs add to the overall cozy effect. Visit the Plaza Cafe & Grill for breakfast or lunch. -Cathryn D. Blue

Everest Café was founded by a man and his wife, two academics who liked food. Fulfilling the dream to open a restaurant enabled the couple to travel to Nepal yearly, open a clinic, and help hundreds of Nepalese people realize good health. The mission of good health is extended to St. Louisans. Everest Café's Indian, Napalese, and Korean all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is full of flavor and prepared in a healthy way. Many of the options are vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free. Dinner features a variety of entrées, including desserts unique to the Nepalese region. - Cathryn D. Blue

Sameem's is a beautiful Afghan restaurant in the heart of the South Grand business district in the Tower Grove South neighborhood. The food is authentic and fresh, and the staff is incredibly friendly. The inviting atmosphere is accented by Afghan art on the walls. The wonderfully flavorful menu items include several vegetarian and vegan friendly options with Mediterranean and Indian inspirations. Check out the highly acclaimed Afghan plates including the beriani and the sambosa. Enjoy ordering from the menu or taking part in the lunch buffet. - Cathryn D. Blue

Hands down, Uncle Bill's is the finest greasy spoon in St. Louis. Not only are they open 24 hours, but the menu spans the spectrum: pancakes-steaks, spring chicken-crepes. The restaurant, located on the busy Kingshighway thoroughfare, is a great place to go after a long night of partying or studying late. The people-watching is exquisite, and the staff fast-moving, friendly, and down home. Not recommended for pregnant women or those with allergies, as smoking is allowed. Stop by for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a good hot cup of coffee. - Cathryn D. Blue

Mekong's atmosphere is somewhat nondescript and could be likened to that of a casual diner. The staff is equally pleasant and calm. Upon entry, one would not be particularly inspired by this quaint Vietnamese restaurant by the park. However, once the food comes out-wow. From the spring rolls to the tofu, the soups to the astonishing Vietnamese iced coffee-everything is wonderfully tasty. The restaurant caters to the new age and bohemian crowd, so the menu items are reasonably priced, adequately portioned, and impeccably fresh. If you're in the area, check out Mekong, but be careful with the hot sauce. - Cathryn D. Blue

Cafe Natasha has a Middle Eastern flair and an American style. It serves some of the best pita bread in the Loop and competes with the larger restaurants in terms of quality and service. Cafe Natasha serves a variety of Middle Eastern and Persian dishes, including such choices as lamb chops over rice and the Koubideh Kabob, a beef and chicken kabob cooked in a special spicy sauce. Prices are average for the area and portions are plentiful. Ordering an appetizer sampler tray with warm pita bread and a Persian tea will fill the belly and leave some cash in the pocketbook. Follow your meal up with a soothing cup of Turkish coffee.

With grass-fed and free-range meats, organic veggies, and free WiFi, it's hard to go wrong. The freshness and quality of the food is evident in each healthful bite. Local Harvest Café and Catering is a hop and skip from the beautiful Tower Grove Park and is just across the street from its parent grocery store, Local Harvest Grocery. If throwing a party, showcase natural, local appetizer platters, and sandwiches are offered through the catering service. The menu isn't too vast, but the salads are the main attraction. If you are looking for a quick snack, the hummus and carrots will hit the spot.

The Goody Goody Diner, which has been serving up tasty diner food since it was established in 1948, still survives in a location that most of its contemporaries have long since abandoned. Casual is the theme here, and in a city that is home to relatively few real diners, the Goody Goody is a find. The kitchen serves everything from French toast to a fish cake breakfast and a pork chop platter. There are big salads, including an excellent Greek salad, plus hamburgers, roast beef and country fried steak sandwiches, and, of course, meatloaf. What would a diner be without meatloaf? Or without chili mac, for that matter?

Open six days a week, La Gra has Italian cuisine and great drinks to offer you. On the dinner menu, you will find cold plates like bruschetta and olives and cheese, whereas the hot plates include stuffed artichoke, toasted ravioli and garlic cheese bread. Some of the specialty items you should try are the chicken speidini, shrimp La Gra and parmesan and herb-seared salmon. You can create your own pasta bowl or choose from among the likes of penne with peas and prosciutto and seafood pasta. Apart from the wines, there are a number of martinis to sip on.

Felix's, located in Dogtown is a perfect place to relax and munch some really good bites of Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean and American food. From Ravioli to BBQ, the wide range of food served here includes everything from deserts, pizzas to martinis. Apart from the great food that it offers, Felix's also entertains its patrons with live music and art works that include paintings by local artists. From great food, happy hours, paintings to live music, Felix's has it all.