Monte Bello Pizzeria

Monte Bello has been on my “must-try” list for awhile, but when a friend said it was the best pizza he’s had outside of Italy, I had to try it right away. It’s not far from Grant’s Trail, so I was able to bike there from Kirkwood. As you step inside, you descend down a few stairs into a small basement. That’s the restaurant: a small, open seating area and one 70-year-old oven. I heard that it’s often crowded so I went at lunch on a Friday and was able to sit and order right away. I ordered the pizza lunch special – a 9” pizza (no toppings) and side salad for $12. I got bacon which was an additional $1.25. The side salad consisted of iceberg lettuce, croutons, red onions, green peppers, a cherry tomato, and choice of dressing – I got ranch. It wasn’t bad but I would have liked some cheese on it. The lunch pizza, like the dinner pizzas, is served on a rectangular tray, cut in half and shifted over to make it fit. It’s certainly their signature look. I didn’t know what to expect. I had assumed it would be St. Louis style, but it was not. Crunchy thin crust with cornmeal, mozzarella cheese, not overly sweetened sauce… it’s a tavern-style pizza, also known as Chicago-style thin crust. I heard the owner make a comment that the recipe is from Sicily and only four places in the US make a pizza like this, which is nonsense. This is perhaps the most popular style of pizza in the Midwest, particularly in Milwaukee and Chicago. Monical’s Pizza in O’Fallon (a Chicago-based chain) is very similar to Monte Bello. All that to say it’s certainly not a bad thing, but it’s just not as unique as they might imply. Overall, it’s a solid tavern-style pizza. Not the best I’ve had, but if you like thin crust and want something other than St. Louis style, it’s a good option.

Great experience. The food (Pizza, Mushrooms, Travs and Garlic Cheese bread). The toppings and sauce was very fresh. Will be back!

A true hidden gem. Went on a Friday for dinner and they weren't very busy. We got lucky as I found out later that the wait time for pizza can be a while so customers would typical call ahead. The pizza was amazing! The house salad was simple and refreshing. Arancini was good. I'm not a fan their toasted ravioli though. Highly recommend.

This is a takeout review! For those who are wondering, I live within a 5 minute drive of the rsturant so when I get the pizza home it is pretty close to what it would actually taste like at the resturant. So onto the pizza! Monte Bello's pizza is an incredible STL style pizza that features a sweeter pizza sauce, delicious crispy/crunchy edge crust and incredible gourmet toppings. During this pickup we tried the meat lovers pizza which was exceptional. If you're a big fan of sausage and hamburger then you will definitely enjoy this choice. The pizza crust is perfectly paired with cornmeal which ads an additional layer of texture to the pie and traveled extremely well, with the pizza not being soggy or limp at all by the time I got it home. The cheese was perfectly melted and blended and added a layer of complexity to the pizza that other resturants struggle to compete with. I would definitely recommend Monte Bello is you enjoy STL style pizza!

Wonderful pizza, great service all in a down home atmosphere. Best meal I had in St Louis!