Arber

I came here about 6pm last week for dinner. The temperature outside (being summer in St. Louis) was mid-​80s and humid. The air condition in the restaurant was not on. We seemed to be the only guests in the restaurant. A lady seated us immediately in section just beyond the front door. We were given menus. About 5 minutes later, we still did not have water and the waitress had not comeback to take our order. The front door was now open and a man was now smoking outside the front door. Due to the temperature in the restaurant, the lack of speedy service, and the smell of smoke we decided to leave without ordering.

I’ve been here a few times and always find something enjoyably different each time. I recommend the spinach pie, much like many of the earlier commenters. From the main course selection you should try any of the clearly marked authentically Albanian dishes. They are house specialties you probably won’t find anywhere else in St. Louis. They are quite tasty too.
Be aware: The front of the restaurant is the bar area where friends and family hang out and it can be a little intimidating to walk in and ask for a seat if you don’t feel like you’re ‘in’ with the owners. I encourage you to go anyway. Once you are seated you’ll feel at home pretty quickly.

Best spinach pie I have ever had…
I have been to the Balkans three times and Arbor is a little recreation of Europe. The bar is in the front — this is where the family and the neighbors and the regulars gather. There is a separate area for non-​regulars.
The authentic Albanian dishes are clearly marked on the menu. The dishes were made to order. I had Spaghetti with Feta and it was very flavorful.
The desserts are made in house. I tried English Zuppe (aka Zuppe Inglese) and it was nice.
Oh, yes, fresh flowers on each table — a nice touch.

I lived in Albania for two years a while back and have been looking for authentic Albanian cuisine ever since. Well look no further. Arber restaurant takes you to Albania the minute you walk in. From the old men drinking their raki (vodka) to the music playing. Even the smell is authentic Albania. The byrek (spinach pie) is exactly what you would find in the street side eateries in Tirana. The baklava is to die for. Try the gyro and you won’t be disappointed. The staff are very accommodating and nice. I will definitely be back!

Hubby and I were eager to try this establishment due to a rave review from some close friends. We decided for our date night we would give it a try on Saturday. We pulled up about 8pm and the open sign was turned off. We thought maybe the light was burnt out or someone just forgot to plug it in. So we proceeded to the door. There were people inside and the sign said open till 11pm, so we walked inside. It was like walking into the Twlight Zone, everyone stopped and stared at us. The woman behind the bar came over and told us they were closed. HUH! Ok… so we left. It was very akward and unpleasant. If they were closed then the door should of been locked or a sign on the door stating private party or something.
Not sure if we will attempt to try to dine there again.

I do enjoy being surprised. Tonight Wife and I decided to try some place new to us. A bit of Unilocal research led us to this south city Albanian-​Italian restaurant. The unassuming spot on the corner was not crowded and sat us quickly. Our server, Elia, was friendly and helpful.
Our drink orders were taken and we were served piping hot crusty bread with butter and olive oil. A fine recommendation of spinach pie was made and accepted. Blended spinach in phyllo dough with herbs and a Parmesan dusting. Wonderful.
Saturdays special is roasted lamb shank and rice. The meat was cooked to perfection and the rice properly served.
I had the roasted chicken breast with cooked walnuts and a blended sauce which nearly caused me to lick the plate. Elia’s mother cooked our meal from scratch and the service could not have been better. Unilocalers need to visit this place.
2 ice teas
Spinach pie
Lamb special
Chicken /​w walnuts
Tip
Total: $ 42.09. A wonderful and unexpected south city gem. Ask for our lovely server.

My son & I had an enjoyable meal at the Arbor Café. They serve Albanian and Italian cuisine. My son had the roast lamb and enjoyed it. I had the Chicken breast with walnuts and it too was good. Both dishes were authentic Albanian dishes and nothing like we ever had before. The waitress was very nice and checked on us often. We selected this restaurant because it is featured in the entertainment book and plan to return soon.

Perfect. Well, just about. I know I paused at least 6 times during this meal just to appreciate how great the food was. I literally picked up my glass of wine twice and set it down instead of drinking so I could spend more time enjoying how good that last bite was. My wife will confirm that anything that can keep me from another drink of my alcoholic beverage has to be pretty amazing.
We had the Arber appetizer to start. This was much better than it appears on the menu — meatballs, tomato, cucumber, feta and kalamata olives. The presentation was our first clue that a great cook was on the premises. It was as beautiful as it was delicious.
Arber features Albanian and Italian dishes. For entrees, we had he roast lamb (available only on Saturday) and chicken marsala. We shared these dishes, so I got a good taste of both of them. Neither of us are big lamb lovers, but this lamb was the best I’ve had. It came with a mushroom sauce that, combined with the very tender meat, was amazing. We both thought the chicken was better, though. It was a standard Italian preparation, but the taste was just incredible.
The ambience was simple, but nice. The server was super friendly. Prices were very reasonable. Wine by the glass was just $ 4.50.
We’ll be back. Soon. I’m ready to go now.

Albania a country that has been occupied by so many other countries over the centuries and their food shows it! Go through the menu at Arber and you will see Italian, Greek, Turkish and American items, all for a very reasonable price. The front room is full of older Albanian gents chatting about world affairs and drinking lots and lots and lots of Turkish coffee. Fortunately, the waitress sat us in the next room, where the atmosphere is softer and more intimate.
We started off with crusty bread accompanied by oregano and pepper herbed feta in EV olive oil. A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G. I could have noshed on this all night. We hadn’t decided what we wanted to eat. So, we chose one entrée to split first (Ali Pasha Tepelena rice dish — rice, toasted almonds, raisins, and chicken). The waitress kindly took the initiative to split it for us and I was shocked at how much food it was. After splitting, there was still a full large plate of food for each of us and we were stuffed! This dish was YUM and for $ 10.95 for an order to fill two people, I will have to put this on my cheap eats list. Seriously people.
Once I got past all of the jabbering men up front, I really felt I was in a mothers kitchen. Kind and thoughtful service paired with reasonably priced, awesome food. Stop by!