A Health Guide to St.Louis

After I’d been living in St. Louis for about three years, I suffered a stomach infection in 2016 and then again in 2017. I’ve been rebuilding my gut health ever since, and an unexpected result of this journey is that it has changed the way I live my life here. 

Right around 2016, so many great healthy options started popping up all over St. Louis. If there was any time when I needed to rebuild my gut health, then I’m glad it happened when the health and fitness lifestyle was becoming so trendy. In this post, I’m excited to share some of the places that are not only helpful if you struggle with food allergies or other related health issues, but will also allow you to still get out and explore this awesome city.

Here's a complete guide to all my favorite healthy things to eat, see, and do in St. Louis!

Favorite Healthy Restaurants + Cafes

Revel Kitchen

Revel Kitchen has two locations, one in Brentwood and one in Clayton, and they have kombucha on tap. Whattttt?! Oh, and they have great fresh pressed juice, salads, bowls, and smoothies too. 

Wicked Greenz

Visit Wicked Greenz for all your L.A. lunch needs. I love their fresh ingredients and the beautiful lighting in there. 

Clover & the Bee

This beautiful new brunch spot opened in early 2018 in Webster Groves and it’s 100% worth the drive outside the city. Any spot that combines gorgeous design with tasty food is a win in my books. Oh, and their fresh juices are a must when you visit.

Hello Juice

Hello Juice is almost too cool for St. Louis. Jk. We can hang. It is so cool, delicious, and healthy for all your smoothie bowl and avocado toast needs. Get there stat!

Kaldi’s Coffee

To start your weekend off caffeinated, I highly recommend any of Kaldi’s Coffee shops, which are each beautiful and cozy in their own way. If I had to pick a few favorites, the Demun, Laclede Ave, and City Garden locations would be my top three. City Garden feels like you’re in NYC, Demun is like a second home in a darling neighborhood, and Laclede Ave’s location is just stunning. But no matter which location you go to, their vanilla latte can’t be beat.

Blk + Mkt

Did you know sushi burritos are a thing? Well, now you do. Bulk + Mkt is killing the game. And the poke bowl game. 

Nudo House

It’s not often you can find Pho and Ramen in the same place. Look no further. Nudo House is definitely worth the drive out to Creve Coeur (until they open their second location on the Loop in 2019). 

Pure Vegan Cafe + Yoga

I’m not 100% vegan, but I try to eat that way a few times a week. Vegan Cafe does it so well you forget you’re eating vegan. They do such a good job and their carrot smoothie tastes like carrot cake — what more could you ask for? Their yoga classes are also great, and most are drop-in and donation-based. 

Knead Bakehouse

Knead makes the most amazing sourdough bread and pastries from their sourdough. Eating here truly made me feel like I had been transported to San Francisco. I also love their homemade juices and that they serve delicious Blue Print coffee. They’ve got it going on!

Favorite Health Destinations

Tints | A non-toxic nail salon

Tints was everything I didn’t know I needed. Not only is it beautiful and clean, but they have a selection of polish that is five-free (free of five of the most hazardous ingredients typically found in nail polish, that is).

I love getting my nails done as a guilty pleasure, but I also try to use “clean beauty” products. Before Tints, I had even stopped getting mani/pedis. I love their online reservation system, no tipping policy, and self-serve coffee and wine selection. Oh, and while you’re there, pop over to The Juice Bar next door!

Palm Health

I joined Palm Health in January for medical assistance with the stomach issues I mentioned earlier. In March, I took the plunge and joined their wellness side as well, to take advantage of their work-out classes, gym, steam/sauna/salt room, and cafe. It has added so much value to my life. If you are in need of functional medicine, I couldn’t recommend Palm Health enough - it has totally changed my life for the better.

Flowers and Weeds 

Flowers & Weeds is probably my favorite plant store in St. Louis, with Bowood Farms coming in a very close second. It’s perfect for city dwellers. Not only do they have brilliantly healthy plants and beautiful pots for sale at affordable prices, but they also have a potting station in the back, in case you don’t have a patio or yard for potting at home. There are giant bins of soil that you can scoop into your pots right there in the store. Oh, and they have a terrarium-making station—what more could you want from a plant store?

Holistic Fitness - Massage with Emmy

Who doesn’t love treating themselves to a massage every so often? I found Emmy at Holistic Fitness and am never turning back. She specializes in scoliosis and has been such a gift!

Float STL 

I’ve been hearing about “Floating” from friends for a few years and my husband even tried it before me last year, but I finally took the plunge (pun very much intended) in February and danggggg, it was incredible.

Here’s how Sean Lavery from Float-Toronto has described the experience:

“You are floating in 850 pounds of epsom salt so you won’t be fighting gravity and the water is kept at 93.5 degrees which is skin-receptor neutral, which means you lose track of where your body ends and the water begins. Your ears stay just below the water, and the tanks are insulated against sound. After you shut the door and turn off the light, you float in total darkness. During your float the outside world is gone, and amazing things happen. It turns out that when you’re not fighting gravity or constantly taking in information, your body has a lot of extra resources at its disposal. Your mind is free to mull things over without distraction, your brain pumps out dopamine and endorphins, and your body gets to rest, de-stress, and heal.”

Needless to say, Floating is 100% worth the hype. I have literally never experienced something where you can truly escape from being overstimulated. No sound, no gravity, no light. For living in such a tech-heavy world, the gift of disconnecting from all the stimulation is really surreal.

And, if you’re in St. Louis, I loved my experience at Float STL and they will give you $10 off with this code: pb-640692.

Favorite Fitness Studios

Pure Barre 

I love the low impact yet high intensity workout that Pure Barre offers. No ballet experience needed, we all just meet at the barre ;) The instructors are so talented and make you feel so known. They make working out fun, which is no easy feat. 

Vegan Cafe + Yoga (see above)

Palm Health (see above)

Favorite Activities

Go Ape! 

If you don’t mind heights, take the day to drive out to Creve Coeur and do the ropes course at Go Ape! This brand knows how to do it. It’s so much fun and will make you forget to check your phone. 

Creve Cour Kayaking 

While you are climbing the tree tops at Go Ape! go rent a kayak or paddle board at Creve Coeur Lake. It’s $10 an hour and is such a great escape from city living. 

Forest Park Paddle Boarding

If you don’t want to drive out of the city to get your paddle boarding on, check it out at Forest Park at the Boat House. You will never feel more like a St. Louisan than paddle boarding in front of Art Hill. 

Curling 

After becoming obsessed with curling this past Olympics, I did some research and found out that there is a curling club in Creve Coeur where you can take beginner lessons and play a game. They even have beginner leagues that my husband and I hope to join in the future. In the freezing temps of winter, it’s so fun to find escapes to have fun indoors. This is definitely our newest favorite. 

Rent a Limebike + Scooter 

You’ve most likely seen the bikes and scooters taking over the city. I love seeing how they are helping us city folk be more active and spend more time outside, away from our phones. I hope these are here to stay. 

City Garden + Kaldi’s Coffee

If you need a getaway but can’t actually leave town, may I recommend City Garden? The Kaldi’s  location in the garden makes you feel like you’ve been transported to Madison Square Garden in NYC and all the sculptures scattered around are so much fun to admire while sipping your favorite coffee or tea. It’s a must-see.  

I would love to hear of any of your “healthy” St. Louis stops below! What am I missing?! :)