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Airports are a necessary evil. Even people who love to travel hate being at the airport. Suffering the indignity of removing your shoes and belt and putting your suitcase through a machine that x-rays your undies is beyond annoying. Travelers tire from enduring TSA patdowns and the nagging audio reel that keeps reminding you not to let anyone put bombs or drugs in your luggage. No wonder when we get to the gate we’re ready for a tasty adult beverage.
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Chili’s Too
Gates C15 and E20
If you’re a fan of Chili’s, the restaurant’s airport spinoffs will feel like a familiar oasis. Chili’s is known for its margarita selection, so enjoy a Cadillac or Presidente margarita while you nibble chips and salsa or drink a beer and watch the game while you wait for your flight. The menu offerings are streamlined, so don’t expect to find all your favorites. Chili’s is best enjoyed when you have time to kill between flights, as the service can be a bit slow.
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Mosaic
Gate A14
www.mosaicrestaurants.com
This trendy tapas restaurant serves modern fusion cuisine and swanky cocktails. Mosaic’s downtown location is an important cornerstone in the city’s revival and is in the running for a battery of best restaurant awards every year. The airport location is plush and inviting. Drink selections including popular and specialty beers, shot specials and modern cocktails. The food here is not traditional tapas but modern fusion, often traditional food with a twist, like biscuits and gravy seasoned with wild mushrooms, fennel and smoked paprika. The truffle fries are very popular.
Related: Best Happy Hour Spots in St. Louis
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The Schlafly Tap Room
Concourses B and D
www.schlafly.com
The Lou’s favorite microbrewery is available for your replenishment at Lambert. The smaller D Concourse Tap Room doesn’t feature actual taps, but offers bottles of Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Summer Lager, Dry Hopped APA, Kölsch and Oatmeal Stout. The menu includes cold sandwiches, salads, pizza and wings. The much larger Schlafly Tap Room in the B concourse has Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Summer Lager, Dry Hopped APA, Kölsch and Oatmeal Stout on draft. Sandwiches and salads are also available, but the beer is the real reason to come to Schlafly.
Related: Top Upscale Hotel Bars in St. Louis
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Budweiser Stadium Club Bar & Grill
Gate E10
It doesn’t get any more local than this. St. Louis was built on beer and baseball, and the Busch family was responsible for both through much of the 20th century. Anheuser Busch has been at the city’s core for decades and the South Side still reeks of yeast most days. It’s not surprising then that the Budweiser Stadium Club is one of Lambert’s hot spots. If you can get a seat, you’ll enjoy Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Amber Bock, Stella Artois, Bass Ale and Shock Top Belgian White on tap. Sandwiches and other light fare are also available.
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Beers of the World
Gate A6
This is the single most popular place to kill time at the St Louis Airport. During peak travel times, getting a seat here requires vigorous elbow throwing. Beers of the World offers warm and cold beers with names like Hoegarden, Leffe and Boddington. Since the InBev corporation bought St. Louis’s native Anheuser Busch brewery a few years ago, these international InBev brews are now cousins to the local Budweiser. Soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers round out the menu.
