Grassi's Ristorante and Deli. Grab Grassi's when you want to gorge on great chicken parma. A 7.9 / 10 sandwich, this local institution delivers classic St. Louis hospitality in a family-friendly setting. Sandwiches come with a side salad drenched in dressing. Try the toasted ravioli. Get ready for parmesan cheese on top of parmesan cheese.
You'll find Grassi's in a hole-in-the-wall building off of Lindbergh in Frontenac. Took them ten minutes from ordering to the table. I didn't expect the lunch line format with signature trays. You order from the sandwich man before moving down the line to pay. They said you can expect a longer wait during the lunch rush, but I had no one in front of me. Parking right outside in a dedicated lot.
Grassi's Ristorante and Deli Experience Summary
I went to Grassy's with a buddy for lunch the other day. It was originally recommended on Reddit, but I kind of forgot about it. The location we visited--I'm not sure if there are multiple--was in the southern part of Creve Coeur, a little out of the way. However, I was working at the library nearby, so it worked out.
Grassi's specializes in Italian-style sandwiches like roast beef and chicken parmesan. They go *heavy* on the Parmesan. If you're not a parmesan fan, just stay home.
They've been around forever, so expect old school at every corner. You go through an old-school lunch counter to order food. The old-school soda fountain sits in the main dining room. And everyone around you will be white-haired, old schoolers themselves.
After placing your order, you pay at the end of the line and then find a seat. Somehow, they knew who I was and brought my food to me. It took about 10 to 15 minutes from ordering to having the food on the table.
I got the Becky Debby for $10.69 - their name for the chicken parma sandwich. They did the sandwich right with quality ingredients, leading to an enjoyable experience without any life-changing aspects. I'd give it a 7.9 / 10 sandwich score, which makes it one of the better sandwiches in St. Louis. Fried chicken parm can't be bad, but it won't blow you away with a new flavor experience.
My sandwich came paired with a side salad, and I added an order of toasted raviolis for the experience, both smothered in parmesan.
Overall, I enjoyed my lunch. It's not the place I'd go to regularly, but if someone invited me, I'd happily return. If I was in the area craving chicken parmesan, it's a perfectly viable option.
The Food At Grassi's Ristorante and Deli
Let's break down the Becky Debby.
Scoring a very solid 7.9 / 10, you need to like parmesan to like this chicken parm sandwich. The excess parmesan gave it a noticeably salty taste.
The garlic bread acted more like a vehicle for the sandwich than an offering on its own. The beard felt like eating air. It shrank when you put pressure on it and crumbles with a satisfying crsip when you bit into it.
The juicy fried chicken paired well with the correct ratio of sauce to cheese. The extra red sauce came with, you guessed it, extra Parmesan for dipping.I took full advantage of the sauce for the added flavor and moisture.
Overall, it was a really good sandwich. For $10.69 with a side salad, it's a very good deal. The sandwich was a good size--on the lighter, smaller side, though, but still filling for lunch. Unfortunately, I didn't have my scale, so I can't say exactly how much it weighed.
Along with the sandwich, you get a side salad.
The salad, going with the theme, was heavy on Parmesan, with a healthy dose of dressing. Made of either iceberg or romaine lettuce, with Parmesan dressing and croutons, it's the kind of salad my eight year old would make if he had the choice, particularly because of the croutons.
The croutons stole the show. Dried, fried, and full of butter, they were the tastiest thing I had on my visit. They had a great crisp, and a little butter burst when you bit into them.
The salad itself was a generous portion and quite tasty. You can get olives if you like them, but I didn't.
I threw in the toasted ravioli for the review. A bit of an institution at Grassi's, I ordered five to try them.
I'm not a huge toasted ravioli fan, but it's deep-fried ravioli with meat inside. Like the chicken parm, it's never going to be bad. In this case, they were covered in Parmesan with a red dipping sauce. The ravioli had a nice, clean crisp on the outside, and the meat was hot and not overcooked.
They were worth trying once, especially at only $4 for five, but I probably wouldn't order them again.
My buddy mentioned that they have huge portions of pasta, though we didn't see any.
You can get a drink for $1.50 from the soda fountain.
Grassi's Ristorante and Deli Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
Grassi's Ristorante has an olde time flavor as soon as you walk in. Tile from floor to ceiling, narrow hallways, a galley style lunch line, and open seating make the whole place a throw back.
The setup was a bit weird, going through the galley-style lunch line. I didn't quite get how to order my salad, then my sandwich, and then pay. They had almost a station setup.
You seat yourself in the open seating area that spans the length of the restaurant. There's also some outdoor seating, but it was raining, so that wasn't an option.
Parking At Grassi's Ristorante and Deli
Parking was easy, with plenty of dedicated spaces off Lindbergh Road. It feels like you're going into an office park, but the signage for the parking lot and restaurant is clear once you're close.
Grassi's Ristorante and Deli Receipt
Sandwich Size Comparisons
