St. Louis Farmers' Markets and Specialty Shops

I've been wanting to start a separate shopping and cooking thread for those of us who spend a lot of time in St. Louis. Posts are in the works for three farmers' markets, Soulard, Tower Grove, and Kirkwood, and an international market Global Foods, in Kirkwood.. While I work on those, I wanted to post about a couple of recent finds.

Water Bagels can be found 7 days a week at The Bagel Factory in Creve Coeur (West St. Louis area). One good thing about the place is that they bake fresh batches twice a day. Customers should arrive just after 7AM and 12 Noon for the freshest bagels. I particularly enjoyed their "Everything" bagels, which are not too heavy on onion, as are the ones at NY Bagel & Bialy in Chicago. No bialys at The Bagel Factory. Cream cheese is available.

I posted awhile back on Thies Farm, a farm and farmstand just past Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights. This is a large farm growing an array of fruits and vegetables. In May and early June, there are pick-your-own strawberries and raspberries. Stopping by there yesterday, I was surprised that they have a new crop of sweet corn that they just started picking that morning. Usually, corn is done by now, but I asked, and apparently, they planted it about 6 weeks ago and it will be going for another few weeks. Thies farm also has some great prices on mums, and will be hosting a kid-themed pumpkin playland in the coming weeks. No pumpkins yet, but there were lots of their 2011 spiced peaches available.

The Bagel Factory
11256 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 432-3583

Thies Farm
West Location:
3120 Maryland Heights Expressway
Maryland Heights, MO 63146
(314) 469-7559

North Location:
4215 North Hanley Road
St. Louis, Mo 63121
(314) 428-9878

Business Hours:
Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm
Sunday 10am-4pm

Josephine wrote: Stopping by there yesterday, I was surprised that they have a new crop of sweet corn that they just started picking that morning. Usually, corn is done by now, but I asked, and apparently, they planted it about 6 weeks ago and it will be going for another few weeks.

Amazing what a few climate zones will do for you. Missouri may seem close to us, but they can grow pecans and English walnuts down there too. And I gotta imagine the "fall crops" last way longer too.

Josephine wrote:Water Bagels can be found 7 days a week at The Bagel Factory in Creve Coeur (West St. Louis area). One good thing about the place is that they bake fresh batches twice a day. Customers should arrive just after 7AM and 12 Noon for the freshest bagels. I particularly enjoyed their "Everything" bagels, which are not too heavy on onion, as are the ones at NY Bagel & Bialy in Chicago. No bialys at The Bagel Factory. Cream cheese is available.

The Bagel Factory
11256 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 432-3583

The Bagel Factory is closed on Saturdays. Also, while cream cheese is available. they do not put it on the bagel, you do.

If you are in the neighborhood, the Dierbergs across the street on Olive Street Rd. in Creve Couer has a full Kosher bakery and is one of the best bakeries in St. Louis.

jlawrence01 wrote:The Bagel Factory is closed on Saturdays.

Not according to the person who waited on me today. He told me, "We are open 7 days a week," to which I replied ( I wasn't expecting that answer), "7 days?!" He responded, "Yes, 7 days a week." Either they have changed their hours, or he was mistaken.

jlawrence01 wrote:Also, while cream cheese is available. they do not put it on the bagel, you do.

Yes, that is correct.

If you are in the neighborhood, the Dierbergs across the street on Olive Street Rd. in Creve Couer has a full Kosher bakery and is one of the best bakeries in St. Louis.

I will have to try the bagels at Dierbergs. According to my neighbor, there is also a Kosher food store called Kohn's nearby on Old Olive. I will have to check that out.

Josephine wrote:The Bagel Factory
11256 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 432-3583

Thanks for the tip! My brother lives a block away & I've passed this place dozens of times but have never stopped in. (Every chain restaurant under the sun seems attracted to that stretch of Olive, so I just assumed this was another mediocre chain place.)

chgoeditor wrote:

Josephine wrote:The Bagel Factory
11256 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 432-3583

Thanks for the tip! My brother lives a block away & I've passed this place dozens of times but have never stopped in. (Every chain restaurant under the sun seems attracted to that stretch of Olive, so I just assumed this was another mediocre chain place.)

Yes, the area is littered with chains, but some careful detective work has yielded a few finds on Olive in Creve Coeur. I hope to post soon on the South Indian and Indian-Chinese restaurant Mayuri, and three spots in the down-at-heel Castillon Arcade strip mall that houses the Missouri Driver's License bureau. The "After-School Special" sandwich at the Olive Street Smokehouse, and the pelmeni at Astoria Kebab House appear promising, as does the Korean grocery a few doors down. Also, the Wine and Cheese shop has moved down New Ballas near the Creve Coeur post office, and has a nice selection of cheeses- way better than Dierbergs.

Josephine wrote:

chgoeditor wrote:

Josephine wrote:The Bagel Factory
11256 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
(314) 432-3583

Thanks for the tip! My brother lives a block away & I've passed this place dozens of times but have never stopped in. (Every chain restaurant under the sun seems attracted to that stretch of Olive, so I just assumed this was another mediocre chain place.)

Yes, the area is littered with chains, but some careful detective work has yielded a few finds on Olive in Creve Coeur. I hope to post soon on the South Indian and Indian-Chinese restaurant Mayuri, and three spots in the down-at-heel Castillon Arcade strip mall that houses the Missouri Driver's License bureau. The "After-School Special" sandwich at the Olive Street Smokehouse, and the pelmeni at Astoria Kebab House appear promising, as does the Korean grocery a few doors down. Also, the Wine and Cheese shop has moved down New Ballas near the Creve Coeur post office, and has a nice selection of cheeses- way better than Dierbergs.

Can't wait to hear, and will certainly share with my brother & family in Creve Coeur!