Major, well-known retailers and restaurants coexist with independent establishments in St. Charles County, providing many different opportunities as you shop and dine in the area.
Here is a look at the major shopping, dining and entertainment locations in the county:
Mid Rivers Mall
You can fill up an entire shopping day with a trip to Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters, which includes more than 140 specialty stores including Bath & Body Works, Charlotte Russe, The Children’s Place, Express, Francesca’s, LOFT, New York & Company Outlet, a 14-screen Marcus Theatre, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Best Buy.
The mall, which is located along Interstate 70, recently made significant upgrades both inside and outside of the property. They added fashion retailer H&M, Snow Factory featuring Thai pan-fry ice cream rolls, and a “Pop-Up Shop” which provides opportunities for local boutiques to try their business in a mall setting one week at a time.
Shoppes at Mid Rivers
The new shopping center is the largest of its kind built in the county since 2008 and includes many popular shops, including Ulta Beauty, Home Goods, Burlington and Academy Sports + Outdoor.
Also in St. Peters, take a look at Beer Sauce Shop for the hard-to-buy for guy on your list. It includes a large selection of craft beer, BBQ sauces, rubs and grilling accessories.
The Meadows
The Meadows, a mixed-use development in Lake Saint Louis, is one St. Charles County’s newer shopping destinations and home to more than 30 shops and restaurants. The Meadows aims to blend national retailers with culturally distinctive merchandise in a welcoming, family and community-focused environment. This open-air plaza includes a farmers’ market, summer music and movie series, street performances and concerts.
Historic Main Street St. Charles
For a unique shopping trip, head to St. Charles’ 14-block Main Street in one of Missouri’s largest historic districts. The brick street leads to more than 75 unique shops and 25 restaurants and pubs.
Streets of St. Charles
The Streets of St. Charles is slated to be a distinctive 1 million-square-foot mixed-use community with retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, residential and offices components in a town square environment.
The development is anchored by two hotels – the Drury Plaza Hotel, which opened in fall 2017, and Tru by Hilton, which will be ready by June 2018 – and AMC Theatres.
One of the main spots to grab a bite here is Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill. It offers wood-fired steaks, seafood, specialty cocktails and select wines. Firebirds touts top-notch service paired with upscale dining at a modest price. For Mexican fare, plan a stop at recently opened Mission Taco Joint. Also, look for First Watch – A Daytime Café.
Other key tenants include Bar Louie, PF Chang’s, Pieology, Wasabi Sushi Bar, U-Swirl/Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Orangetheory Fitness.
In addition, there are several distinctive shops in the development, including Olivinos, a purveyor of specialty olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and wine; Cherry Blow Dry Bar, a salon providing glam styling services at affordable prices; and MOD and Brulee Boutique, which carry women’s clothing.
Construction for the next phase of Streets of St. Charles will open in 2019 and add 20,000 square feet of prime retail space and 40,000 square feet of office space. Narwhal’s Crafted Urban Ice, featuring frozen cocktails, will be the first business to open in the new addition.
Historic Frenchtown District
The Historic Frenchtown District is a haven for antique lovers, with a half-dozen unique stores dotting the beautiful landscape of this neighborhood. Shoppers can find authentic furniture, glassware, linens and antiques in a variety of styles. There’s also an eclectic mix of other shops, including bridal boutiques, salons, florists and photographers. Recently, a group led by the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce began spearheading an effort to bring new life to this district.
Dining Highlights
New restaurants open continually in St. Charles County, while traditional establishments continue to draw in loyal customers.
The Shack in O’Fallon is an example of a new, fun concept for a restaurant. It features a lively décor, witty sayings and illustrations throughout the building and humorous names for some of the dishes.
Local favorite Syberg’s, serving some of the region’s best wings, pizza, shark bites and drinks, opened their seventh location in the region in St. Peters.
Llywelyns Pub’s staff is dedicated to providing a warm and inviting gathering place for the community while serving up a Celtic-inspired menu that includes Irish and Scottish selections. The St. Charles location is in the old National Bank building, and the pub pays homage by offering seating in the old vault. In addition, there’s a large patio overlooking the Missouri River. Llywelyns recently opened a location in St Peters as well.
Also in St. Peters is Shamrocks Pub & Grill, which provides “American Food with an Irish Attitude.”
The New Town community in St. Charles is home to Pangea, a new restaurant run by chef-owner Jessie Gilroy, who is gaining notice in the St. Louis dining community.
If environmental sustainability is important to you, you’ll feel good about supporting Prasino, an eco-friendly restaurant that was named one of the area’s top 10 most-booked restaurants by St. Louis Business Journal. This dining establishment serves hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, sustainable seafood and organic produce and eggs with a farm-to-table philosophy.
Finally, there’s nothing like homemade donuts, especially at a family-owned shop like Old Town Donuts in Cottleville or Donut King in St. Charles.