Wow, sorry to hear that about your bad experience at the Fountain. Guess I got lucky, because although I didn't know it at the time, I am TN allergic, and I did fine with the food I had there.

Swaygirl
TN, strawberries, waiting to hear about sesame & sunflower

FYI:  The Fountain on Locust is NOT okay for anyone with tree nut or peanut allergies.  Many of their food items have tree nuts and they do not utilize different scoops for the ice creams, which results in cross-contamination (as they always have at least 1 ice cream with tree nuts in it).  I found this out the hard way.

I know this thread is a little stale, but I live in STL and wanted to chime in with a slightly off-the-tourist-radar rec. There's a restaurant called The Fountain on Locust in the midtown area of the city (just west of downtown, very close to City Museum in one direction, and just a mile or two farther to the Science Center/Zoo in the other direction). I was diagnosed recently with food allergies (tree nuts, strawberries) after an anaphylactic reaction (eggs are the suspect, but not confirmed yet). I've been to this restaurant many times before the allergies, because my son and friends love it. But this time I was of course a little freaked out, not knowing if there would be anything I could eat, or what kind of reaction I would get to questioning them on ingrediants and so forth. I was really pleasantly surprised at how incredibly helpful and good natured they were about it. Also, to my delight, they had a big notice on the menu (which I guess I'd never paid attention to before) that said that all their ice creams were egg-free. They are known for their ice creams, including what they bill as "the world's smallest ice cream cone," which for some reason kids all find delightful, and also an extensive list of alcoholic ice cream martinis and such, which many parents I know find equally delightful.  I wasn't yet on the lookout for nuts at that point, but for egg allergy at least, it's a great choice. The food is really good, it's inexpensive, and the staff were all very willing to check on ingrediants and preparations, always with a smile no matter how many times I sheepishly asked about yet another menu item. It really put me at ease at a point where I needed the reassurance that I could still eat at a restaurant and both not be terrified to eat and not be branded as a giant annoyance for asking questions. I will definitely be going there more often now, I suspect!

(And I have to give a big thumbs up to the City Museum recommendation. Don't know about the food situation, as we never eat there, but for magical, enchanting, you've-never-seen-anything-like-it fun for grownups and kids alike, it really can't be beat. Hands down the coolest thing STL has to offer. But yes, you do have to hold your breath a bit and have faith the kids will get through unscathed. The sense of peril that smoehow never actually materializes if half the fun for the kids, I think, if not for the mommies! We've been there dozens of times, and all came out intact [knock wood].)  

Hope this helps if anyone's coming to STL this summer.

YouKnowWho-Yeah, it was the Magic House.  It was really a special place.  They had this area where you had to be a detective in this house setting and look for clues and figure out whodunit.  I couldn't get my husband out of there.  It was really fun!

Well, YKW, we'll probably do the same as you--- stick with the tried-and-true chain restaurants and food in the room.  I do like to eat at local places that are not chains but are those places at which local people with FAs have eaten successfully. 

I've used allergyeats and thanks for the reminder --- I will have to check for recommendations in the area on that site.

We may go to the zoo.  I looked at the website yesterday and I'd like to go --- but my kids are older.  13 y.o. would enjoy it; 16 y.o. would complain all the way through.  I don't know --- we may split up and do separate things that day, lol.

Science Center, botanical garden, and the arch are on our list.  Meramec Caverns one day on our down-and-back visit to Rolla (where I grew up for the most part).   

tnmom - was it the Magic House?

(I want to go back and go to the Magic House, city museum, Grant's Farm and a million other things LOL)

We ate at the Spaghetti Factory.  They were really good with allergies, but the food was only okay.  I think they have a new American Girl Doll store/cafe (if that applies to you).  They are really good with allergies.

PS:  The zoo there is amazing and I took my children to the children's museum; not the city museum, but a children's museum. I can't think of the name of it, but it had something for all of us.  Kids 7 and 11 at the time.  My husband even loved it.  It was one of the reasons we went.

Not much help because we ate at three places - Outback, Steak and Shake and White Castle.  Keep in mind that DS1 wasn't eating most of those days and DS2 opted for the food that we had in the hotel.  We did eat at Cracker Barrel on the way out for breakfast because it's one of the few safe places for DS1 and they have always been good with DS2's allergies.

My goal had actually been to use www.allergyeats.com while we were there based on where we were traveling in the city.  That obviously went out the window when DS1 had a reaction in KY and subsequent stomach bug.

any more suggestions on a local restaurant or regional restaurant in the St. Louis area?

I just remembered there is a Maggiano's in St. Louis near the Galleria Mall.  Haven't been personally but are supposed to handle allergies well.

I live in St. Louis & have TNA.  Imo's Pizza serves St. Louis-style pizza, doesn't serve anything w/tree nuts or peanuts (although I don't know if anything they use may come from places that processes nuts), & personally have never had any problems eating there.  Pappy's Smokehouse has the best St. Louis BBQ, in my opinion.  No nut items served & personally no problems eating there.  Also, while not technically a restaurant, Andrea's Gluten-Free Bakery is also a nut-free bakery with delicious cupcakes, cookies, breads, & even pizza.  First Watch (a breakfast, brunch, lunch place that is only open until 2p) is v. good w/nut allergies and avoiding cross-contamination.

Hope that helps.

Heading there in a few weeks and I will report back

I haven't recommended anywhere because well, we don't eat out with kids. 

DH and I tried a place called PW Pizza which was good and so far is the only place I would take DS to.  They do serve a pizza with nuts, but the nuts are kept in the salad bar section of the kitchen.  I can certainly give you a list of places to investigate, but we've never taken DS.

I can see liking City Museum as an adult, but cannot stand it as a parent.  Now part of my problem was my children were young when we went.  So I was in charge of purses and my sister followed my kids around...there was a tunnel she wasn't sure she'd make it through (she a size 10).  There are tunnels, staircases, hallways, slides, passageways, etc and you don't know where they will come out so you can't have eyes on your children the whole time and this is just inside the building.  Outside the building is a crazy climbing structure with tunnels and staircases made of rebar that at times you cannot pass someone going the opposite direction...and will have to retreat to find a location to pass...a little un-nerving at times (again while carry DS at the time).

I can't remember where I ate when I was in STL a few years ago. When I do work travel I just wing it and usually eat where everyone else goes and make it work.

However - we all enjoyed the City Museum    A bunch of us (aged 32-45) played hookie one afternoon from a professional conference and walked down to play on the supersize outdoor/indoor jungle gym. IT WAS SO FUN!  There were PBJ on the food bar menu and people can bring their own food - and I did bring Wet Wipes/Epipen/Benadryl lotion - but I didn't have any contact reactions. To gauge that --- I get contact reactions at least once a month from shopping cart/basket handles at various stores.

OMGSOMUCHFUN

Adrienne

I'll be interested in the answer, too.  Nephew is getting married there in June, and the whole family is going.  Luckily, DS is supposed to be done with desensitization by then, but I just cannot count that chicken before it's hatched.