For a fun day out or a date night, Benton Park is the place to be!
When we moved back to St Louis from Arizona in 2018, we knew we wanted to live in the city and be as close to as many fun adventures as possible. Since our kids are all grown, the school district didn’t matter- we just wanted to enjoy walking to dinner or a nightcap or even be able to take a short Uber to downtown for baseball or a show.
Benton Park checked off all the boxes, and we immediately fell in love with our historic townhome, complete with a rooftop deck and wonderful neighbors nestled in the heart of this understated, warm community.
Benton Park is nestled right next to Soulard, Lafayette Square, Cherokee Street, Fox Park, and South Grand- so you’re also just a moment away from other fun areas you can explore and make a whole day of your adventure together if you’d like. When you’re here, you’re also just a 7-minute drive to downtown, midtown, and several other fun and exciting city areas, too.
While I know that it’s not easy for a young family to enjoy city living, Benton Park is absolutely the best little hidden gem to visit for an epic date with your honey to escape the same-old-same-old of the ‘burbs.
Come along with me and explore how you can make the most of our fun little part of the city and connect with your spouse while you’re at it!
Places To See + Play
If you’re looking for a nice, leisurely stroll or a calm sit by a lake, Benton Park is where you’ll want to be. You can get some steps in or pack a picnic and enjoy some time by the water. If shopping is more your speed, you can head over a few blocks to Cherokee Street and visit some of the most unique small businesses in the city. Anheuser-Busch is just a hop over the highway, where you can take a tour and, depending on the time of the year, you might be able to take in some other festive sights as well.
For the more active couple, you might enjoy some peace or pampering at Indigo Massage and Wellness or dare to take your adventure to new heights at Bumbershoot Aerial Arts. That is sure to be a date you wouldn’t soon forget!
Breakfast + Brunch
In the city, we take brunch to a whole new level! Not only do we have wonderful breakfast and brunch spots here in Benton Park, but you can also go into our neighboring ‘hoods of Lafayette Square and Tower Grove to experience some amazing food to kickstart your day. In Benton Park specifically, you’ll enjoy experiencing any one one of our favorites: Egg, Benton Park Café & Coffee Bar, Gather Café, The Mud House, or Morning Glory Diner (you neeeed their johnny cakes in your life.)
Lunch
It sure is fun having two local St Louis city legends within a few block radius of our home! Blues City Deli has little indoor seating, but that doesn’t matter to anyone. Any day they’re open, you can find a line formed down the block of eager customers waiting to get their hands on one of their life-changing sandwiches. It’s an experience you can’t miss. Mac’s Local Eats is located within Bluewood Brewing and is worth the wait in line for one of their mind-blowing smash burgers and fries.
Dinner
If you’re in the mood to get a little dressed up and have more of a fine dining experience, you’ll want to make a reservation and enjoy the amazing cuisine and atmosphere at Sidney Street Cafe or Frazier’s in Benton Park. We’re huge fans of both, and if we feel more casual, we’ll sometimes just walk over and enjoy our meal in the bar. If you’re looking for something different, Yemanja Brasil Restaurant is definitely worth checking out, and for anyone following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will love Utah Station. You also can’t go wrong with Melo’s Pizza, but keep in mind that you’ll need to eat outside as they have no indoor seating and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab (pictured) is one of our favorites in the city for an incredible lobster roll or some clam chowder.
Snacks / Dessert / Drinks
My favorite date option of all time might be to just get snacks all day. If you think that sounds amazing too, no judgment on my end … and Benton Park has a little bit of everything to satisfy every palate.
Savory: Gus’ Pretzel Shop
Sweets: Whisk, Cones and Cups
Drinks: Small Change, Venice Café, Bluewood Brewing, Truman’s Sports Bar, and Yaquis.
… and I saved the most epic date idea for last …
My dear friend Tammy Kirkewicz owns Settings, a unique event space in Benton Park, where she thrives on making every single event or photoshoot a memorable experience, complete with the use of her incredible selection of vintage glass, china, flatware, serving pieces, and furniture for your shoot or event!
Stay with me here … HOW FUN WOULD IT BE to have your favorite food catered in for an intimate dinner for two in her breathtaking space?!?!?! This is my vote, and I might just have to make this a reality for myself and my honey oh-so-soon!
