Zia’s Restaurant

It’s time for a new phone! Went to Zia’s last night with the family for an early dinner before the baseball game. I left my cell phone on the table, totally my fault. Realized I made the mistake and turned around to get it, 20 – 30 elapsed. They said they didn’t have it. It was either taken by another customer as they walked by the empty table, bused into the trash, or taken by a Zia’s employee. There’s not another reasonable explanation.
Manager Corey, or however she spells her name, was stand offish with me when I came back to ask about it. She thought I was accusing the bus boys but all I did was ask if they’d seen it. She didn’t want me to disturb the new customers just because I wanted to double check looking under the table. I believe she just wanted me to go through her, but since she couldn’t help solve my issue I wanted to do a little extra due diligence.
I called Zia’s later to ask if the phone had been found and spoke to this Corey lady again. I told her I thought this was a matter of customer service. The situation compelled me to review what happened and how quickly thing can become uncomfortable when dealing with an issue of theft. The place was not busy, how does another customer swipe a phone off of an empty table right by the bus station without someone noticing? I was using it at the table, it had to be there. Corey’s parting words to me «you’re a dick» because I didn’t feel right about Zia’s small obligation to be helpful and competent towards cleaning tables.
This time I’m getting an Apple with a tracker! But I just can’t go back to Zia’s again.

From the kind hostess who seated us quickly when she saw I was on oxygen to
me hoping the food tasted as good as it smelled, everything was exquisite. For the first time in a long time I felt normal, no one stared or made mention of me having to use oxygen, this meant the world to me and proved what I’ve always heard about
«The Hill» one big family and I felt like part of it, thank you for that.
After the warm welcome, the crisp cold salads with Zia’s Dressing were brought and were appreciated, especially on a 95′ day, brought by a young polite man. Next, toasted ravioli, they didn’t stay on the plate long enough, it’s a bummer to grow old, I’m just not as quick as I use to be. Next time I will take 4 – 5 as soon as those babies hit the table and the Arancini were light and airy and just plain yum. How could it possibly get any better, well, it did. Read on my Unilocal friends.
My better half, a man of many words was suddenly silent when his Chicken Marsala landed in front of him. Gave my daughter and myself some time to catch up and eat the most sinful Pasta Carbonara I know I’ve ever tasted. I can tell you it was so rich and creamy with just the right amount of garlic that it some how satisfied my sweet tooth, weird but true, may have had a pinch of nutmeg but more likely because I ate so much of it I had no room for dessert. By then, husband had cleaned his plate, he leaned back and we’ll, he was a satisfied man. Did I mention the bread basket was also cleaned out, no reason to waste it he said.
I will never forget the kindness, the food that truly fed my soul and the people from
«The Hill» at Zia’s that made my day, one I will tell many people about. We will be back to Zia’s that’s for sure. Now since we are here I just need to find some
Cannolis, for later of course.
Grazie mille!

Stanwyck and I went for lunch November 3. We met at 11:30 a.m. and got a table right away. This is a busy lunch place.
There were two specials. We each got one of them. They came with bread and salad.
The bread was great. The salad was incredibly lovely and fresh.
She got fettuccine with asparagus. I got chicken a la Rosa.
Then things went downhill.
Stanwyck had the better part of the entrees. Her dish was straightforward, simple and tasty.
Mine was a miasma of flavors that didn’t all blend well, and seemed thrown together like last night dinner leftovers. I don’t know. Perhaps I’m too simple. There were so many ingredients that the entire entrée became muddied and it was so hot upon delivery to the table, that I couldn’t even eat it.
I took it home, but couldn’t eat it. That’s a big shame.

Classic St. Louis Italian done well. Fun atmosphere on a Friday night, though the wait was 45 mins. Seafood mushrooms were good. House salad is great. T-​Ravs are some of the best I’ve had.

Zia’s has good food in massive quantities. The pasta dishes are great! If you’re in the mood for meat (steak, veal, etc), other places like Charlie Gitto’s, Tony’s, or Giovanni’s are better. But for pasta, Zia’s is the place to go. Service is average — the waiters are often not too friendly.

I’m not from St. Louis, but when I moved here by husband brought me here for «real» Italian food. I fell in love. The bread, their house salad is my favorite, and I haven’t had anything there I didn’t like. I’m not too fond of the garlic cream sauce, but I say that because I’m all about Alfredo lol one day we decided to try the toasted ravioli and my husband who was born and raised here couldn’t get over them being the best he’s ever had anywhere! They are delicious and now we sometimes go just for them! The tortelinni is amazing. Since I’ve been here and tried a few «real» Italian places, this is hands down our favorite!

OH MY GOODNESS this place is the BEST Italian restaurant I’ve ever been to hands down! The toasted ravioli is amazing, the stuffed mushrooms is great, even the dinner salad is terrific! Whenever I am in St. Louis I’ll be sure to eat here. It’s worth the wait!

Toasted ravioli and pollo saltimbocca fabulous. Rich great waiter there yet not obtrusive.

This was my first time in St. Louis, ever! So, with that being said, I haven’t visited any other Italian restaurants on the Hill or elsewhere in STL with which to compare Zia’s.
Zia’s doesn’t look like much from the road and there is only street parking– and I’m not quite sure how we even decided on here (I was with a work group), as there are a slew of Italian restaurants in the immediate vicinity. I’m happy we did though– just nice enough for a bunch of coworkers to share a meal, but not too classy or romantic feeling that we felt out of place as a group. We were all in jeans, and that dress code felt appropriate.
I and another coworker had the Tortellini Piselli with prosciutto and peas in an egg cream sauce. It was delicious and for right around $ 10, I was pleased to have leftovers to reheat back at the hotel the next night.
I drank the house Pinot Grigio, which paired great with my food and was about $ 6−7/glass. They have a very limited beer menu, but I do know that they carry 4 Hands beer (a St. Louis brewery).
A coworker had asked our server about dessert and he actually pointed us on our way down the road to a gelato place. I appreciated his honesty and the recommendation!
All in all, Zia’s was nice for dinner with coworkers, but I probably wouldn’t come back here for a romantic date, because that’s just not the type of atmosphere it seemed to provide.

Terrible service. Party of seven seated at a table intended for five. We were seated near the back restrooms and get getting bumped into by other customers and wait staff. Unpleasant and uncomfortable. Management (Michael May) is rude and could care less as I have communicated previously by email. Definitely will not return again! Many better choices on the Hill.
Anthonino’s Taverna has excellent food (awesome toasted ravioli) and exceptional wait staff. Oh, and the accept reservations anytime. Zia’s does not accept reservations after a certain time on Saturday’s.

I love Zia’s because they have great food and their prices are pretty reasonable, especially at lunch. I think it is the best valued food on the Hill (probably the best in general, too). My favorite dish, which I order every time I go to Zia’s, is the Tortellini Piselli. Unlike Jim Gaffigan, I can’t seem to finish it all so I end up with enough food for 2 days. For dessert, I usually share the chocolate torte cake with my wife (make sure to ask for extra salt and caramel).
The staff are very warm, especially since I come here so often. I really like sitting at the bar because the bartender, Steve, is always so friendly and attentive. Overall, a great place to come on the Hill.

A friend recommended we go to Zia’s whlie visiting STL.
Zia’s is located in a nice neighborhood-​like area of Saint Louis. Upon entering the restaurant we were walked to our table and realized the restaurant is way bigger on the inside than it looks from the street.
We loved the food here! Zia’s has great food atmosphere as well (a lot of people were here with Cardinals gear on after Opening Day).
Try the toasted ravioli here it is amazing! I also got the seafood ravioli and it is incredible! The garlic cream sauce was rich and perfect, what a great mix of ingredients!
I highly recommend checking out Zia’s if you are nearby!

Toasted ravioli was incredible. Portions are shareable sizes and the dinner salad has a great sweet Italian dressing. Such a great atmosphere and great service. Was amazed at how busy they were on a Thursday night. Can’t imagine what the weekend crowd would bring. Would definitely visit again when I’m on St. Louis again.

Incredible! That is how I would describe this place. It’s a wonderful spot on The Hill that is welcoming, bordering on the classy side of things. They have a great wine list, including some house blends. Excellent salad with house made dressing that I have found sold in local grocery stores (it’s a sweet Italian style).
Service has always been superb. They have the usual Italian fare, but also have a few specials that I’ve seen. I haven’t had anything here I didn’t enjoy.
My favorite dish, the one I don’t think anywhere else does as well, is the Pomodori Fritti. There are many combinations of tomatoes, cheese, and sauce in this world, but this one just gets me.
Great place, will be returning! Hope to see you all there!

This is our first «The Hill» restaurant experience, and it’s completely different experience from parking to waiting for your table and most importantly the food.
This is a street parking place which is not a big deal or a deal breaker for me, I was able to find a spot easily but I had to walk one block to the restaurant. The wait was one hour and they are pretty accurate, I timed it and we didn’t wait longer than an hour. I don’t know if they take reservations but that’s something to consider in the future.
Now for the food, I was all praise for their food. The best part is where they have a recommended wine that complements every entrée that they have and I suggest you order the wine with the food. It was an awesome experience that I would highly recommend to someone who wants to experience good italian food!

Made a reservation for 6:30 for 12 people. Some members of the party arrived early and they were able to seat us about 6:15. If you have a long wait, the bar is spacious and there is plenty of seating. Ask for the drink menu since there is not one readily displayed for browsing. All beer is bottled– nothing on tap. Pepsi products, not Coke.
5 star service, 3 star food. We had great service at the bar before dinner and even better service during dinner. Our server expertly took our drink orders, appetizer orders, and dinner orders without ever rushing the table. He didn’t get anything wrong, or have to come back to the table to verify anything. The ladies were asked first, and then he went back around and asked the men for their orders. It is so rare that servers like this exist, so it is worth noting when you get someone that exceeds your expectations, especially with a large table.
Cheese garlic bread appetizer was tasty (but I could have made it at home). The table is served warm bread and butter before the meal, so no need to order the cheesy bread unless that is what you are craving. My entre was the polla alla zia (there is a pasta dish without chicken by a similar name). The chicken was charbroiled a little bit too long, so I was left with a charcoal tasting piece of chicken. Did not eat more than half of the chicken. The sauce for this dish is weirdly spicy– not an «in your face» spice, but a «back of your throat» peppery spice. It didn’t seem to go with the lemon/​wine/​cheesy sauce. I was not impressed.
The other members of the party were happy with their entrees, I was just expecting something different and tastier. Everyone will have their own opinions on how chicken should be prepared. Most of the entrees are served with a salad and a side of red or white pasta (maybe ask for dressing on the side since the salads seemed to be overdressed). You will not go hungry here.

The restaurant employees are thieves. I remember not giving any tips because of their worst service and they charged me $ 6.50 for a $ 4.50 lemonade. The lady server at the waiting area who served us a drink didn’t even rang in the register correctly. When we asked she said her cash register doesn’t ring it correctly. I’m not going to this restaurant ever. Beware of the fake charges in your credit card!

Great bread. The serviced was fast and friendly. Kids enjoyed the pasta and generous portions.
Sausage was not bad. It was not served hot and was a little tough. Good flavor.
The house salad and dressing were top notch.
All in all good food.

So, let’s begin at the beginning… when I read the appetizer words Crostini Gamberetti followed by topped with shrimp, cream cheese, diced red peppers, green onions and fresh parmigiana… how could I not order that! I was not disappointed! It was sooo good. My only issue was that I wanted more than 4 crostini on the plate. Next time, I will not share. My main course was the Canneloni, while my friend ordered the Tutte Mare. Both of our dishes were outstanding! Flavors, creaminess of the sauce, consistency of the pasta… everything. Now, this being my first time, I wasn’t prepared for the 45 – 60 min wait, but now I understand why they are so packed. Service was great, our waitress was friendly and attentive. Will definitely visit again.

I love Zia’s dressing and buy it frequently at the grocery store, but the buck stops there. I’ve been here a few times and each time I get good service but very «meh» food. Trying different apps and types of pastas, but nothing wows. My husband got calamari at our last trip and said it was about the worst he’d ever had. The mozzarella wedges were also not good. The salad was the only redeeming factor. I’ll stick to buying their bottled dressing, but don’t have any inclination to go back for the food.

I have been coming here for years and the flavors that I am looking for are always still there.
My favorite is the Zia’s house salad. That dressing is so addicting! It is sweet which I love. I have actually bought that dressing at Dierberg’s! They also cover the salad in a layer of provel cheese which is perfection.
I usually choose either the mostaccioli al forno or the pasta con pesce. The mostaccioli is creamy and super rich. So many calories that I can feel my veins clogging as I eat but it is so so yummy. There is bacon in it… soooo…what more can I say?
The pasta con pesce is a spicy red sauce. Comes with a ton of seafood and it is perfection. It is slightly sweet and has just the tiniest hint of spice. It is delish.
I haven’t had dessert there for a while but I’m sure they wouldn’t disappoint! I love the food here and it’s a go to for me if I’m craving a rich pasta!

We were in the neighborhood on a weeknight so we decided to stop in and see if anything is new at Zia’s. I hadn’t been here in maybe 10 years. I’m pretty sure there was a big fire in that time, but the place still has the same vibe as always, which I would describe as loud/​family/​crowded. I first sat with my back to the aisle, but I kept feeling like somebody was going to run into me, so I moved to the other side of the table, where I felt safe.
Our waitress seemed like a long-​time employee. She did a fine job, although she went missing a couple of times when we were looking for her.
We had a Zia’s salad and two pasta dishes; Pasta Con Pesce and Fettuccine Alfredo. The salad was pretty good. Don’t get it if you don’t like sweet dressing. As far as I could tell, It’s the house salad with green olives and ham. It all works pretty well together and I would get it again, although it doesn’t seem right to pay over $ 7 for a starter salad at a restaurant like this. The Pasta Con Pesce was a definite highlight. It had lots of seafood and a spicy cram sauce. It was enough for us to share with a salad and the price was fair. I’m sure we’re not talking about fresh seafood here, but with the heavy sauce that wasn’t an issue. The Fettuccine Alfredo was poor. Denny’s caliber if they had it on their menu. That’s kind of shameful for an Italian restaurant IMO.
It’s a popular spot and I do get it, especially the way they remain unchanged. There’s surely some nostalgia in it for a lot of people. If you’re like me and you didn’t come here as a kid, you will probably wonder what the fuss is about.

I struggle with this review. I want to give Zia’s three stars but I feel it’s because of personal taste, not because of food or service. We ate at the bar and Steve took excellent care of us.
We ordered drinks, and bread was brought along with an herbed olive oil and Parmesan cheese to dip it in. That was good. Mike chose the tortellini and I went with veal piccata. I thought my veal was a little pricy at $ 18+ but it did come with a salad. Salad is an extra charge if you order pasta. Zia’s dressing is delicious and you can also purchase it at local stores. I do wish that they gave you a choice of soup or salad.
Mike’s meat tortellini was in a cream sauce with peas and prosciutto ham. Tasty. My veal was pounded thin and served with a sauce of mushrooms and capers. That was very good. It also came with a side of pasta in red sauce, cream sauce or olive oil and garlic. I chose the latter but it was cavetelli pasta which is my least favorite pasta. I didn’t eat the pasta.
For dessert we had in house made cannoli. They also had in house made tiramisu. The cannoli was good and satisfied our sweet tooth.
I’m sure if I had to I would come again.

Fantastic service & spectacular food. We had the Toasted Raviolis, Veal Parmesan, Chicken Fettucine, Pollo Al Forno, Zia salad & Cheesy Garlic Bread. I was seriosly impressed with their salad dressing. It was the best I’ve had outside of Italy. The red sauce with the toasted raviolis and on the pasta was the perfect brend of tomatoes and garlic. This the place to visit on the Hill in St. Louis. I plan on visiting everytime I’m in St. Louis.