Cheap Food: Caleco’s
As I did with Charlie Gitto’s (”cheap is relative”), I’m going to start with a disclaimer regarding Caleco’s: Their food isn’t especially cheap unless you’re out for a family meal with children. If that’s the case, then Caleco’s makes sense.
I got the scoop on the place the old-fashioned way: I stopped a local cop on bike patrol, verified that downtown was his usual beat, and asked him where he went when he was looking for a good, but reasonably priced, sit-down meal. Caleco’s was his response, and he specifically alluded to “family dining” as a plus there (I had my sons and a friend of theirs with me).
First, the adult fare: You can get out of there for less than $10 per diner for a sandwich and soda, salad and soda, 10″ cheese pizza and soda, or one of the lunch specials. If you’re looking for one of their signature pasta dishes or a steak, figure $15-$25.
But, if you’re dining with children 10 and under, the “Kids’ Menu” is a flat $3.99 for meal and drink, with seven options: Grilled cheese and fries, chicken fingers and fries, cavatelli with white sauce, mac a& cheese, spaghetti with meat sauce, or toasted ravioli with fries.
When you look at it that way, it can be a reasonably inexpensive family meal. Example:
Dad: Lasagna and salad lunch special, $7.69
Mom: 1/2 pound burger w/cheese (comes with fries, rice, pasta or homemade chips), $7.29
Kid #1: Chicken fingers kid’s meal, $3.99
Kid #2: Spaghetti kid’s meal, $3.99
Total: $22.96 plus whatever Mom and Dad are drinking (soft drink prices aren’t listed, but I’m guessing $2 or so; wine is $4.75 a glass and up), tax and tip. Call it $30-40 for two adults and two kids; on the high side of “cheap,” but still within a reasonable definition of it for a sit-down, served, non-fast-food meal.
Directions:
From the Renaissance Grand & Suites, walk two blocks east to Sixth Street. Turn right (south) and proceed four blocks to Chestnut. Turn left (east) on Chestnut; Caleco’s is at the end of the block on your left, on the corner of Chestnut and Broadway). 8-10 minute walk.
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* Tamara and I have attended three Libertarian National Conventions with our children, when their ages ranged from just under two to just under six, so it’s certainly not an unknown thing!
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Cheap Food: Hardee’s / Red Burrito
If you’re from out west, you may not recognize the Hardee’s name, but you’ll recognize the Carl’s Jr. logo over the door. The two chains merged a few years back. Red Burrito is the same company’s Mexican fast food outfit, and the downtown St. Louis location includes both restaurants under one roof.
I’ve eaten at this particular Hardee’s/Red Burrito several times — it’s usually busy, especially when there’s a ball game at nearby Busch Stadium, but the service is uniformly fast and friendly and the food gets to you hot. There’s usually a “2 sandwiches for $3″ special on some of their less-ginormous sandwiches (speaking of baseball and Busch stadium, this location has hot dogs, something I haven’t noticed at other Hardee’s stores; they’re good hot dogs, too, and they’re sometimes on that 2 for $3 special board).
I won’t belabor the food: Menus/descriptions are available at the Hardee’s and Red Burrito web sites.
Bottom line: It’s fast food, it’s cheap food (if your appetite is in the “normal” range, you can eat for less than $5 or gorge yourself for less than $10), and at this particular location you can count on cleanliness, friendliness and fresh, hot food as fast as it’s humanly possible to get it to you.
Directions:
If 8th Street is open by the time of the Libertarian National Convention, the Google Maps route below will work nicely. If not, I suggest walking two blocks east from the Renaissance Grand and Suites to 6th Street, turning right (south), and following 6th Street four blocks to Chestnut. The restaurant is on the corner of 6th and Chestnut on the right. If the weather’s nice, you can take your food across Chestnut Street to Kiener Plaza and picnic for lunch.
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Cheap Food: Charlie Gitto’s Pasta House
I debated with myself over whether to put the words “cheap food” in front of the Charlie Gitto’s name. Ultimately, I decided that cheap is sometimes relative: The prices are quite good for non-fast-food Italian cuisine, and it is possible to eat there for $10-15 per person. It’s a little more expensive than most of the restaurants featured on this blog, but far from outrageous.
For Libertarian National Convention attendees, Charlie Gitto’s is the solution to a real problem:
If you’re looking for Italian food in St. Louis, what you’re looking for is The Hill — the historically Italian neighborhood where Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola started off as waiters before becoming baseball greats and still the city’s Italian cuisine showcase area. The original Charlie Gitto’s, previously known as Angelo’s, is a Hill institution and possibly the birthplace of one of St. Louis signature dishes, toasted ravioli (if you haven’t tried it, you must — if you can’t make it to Charlie Gitto’s to do so, the local pizzerias usually have it as well).
The bad news: The Hill isn’t very convenient to the downtown area and the convention venue by mass transit, so unless you drive to St. Louis or rent a car, you probably aren’t going to make it over there to eat.
The good news: There’s a second Charlie Gitto’s downtown, only 3/10ths of a mile from the Renaissance Grand & Suites — a five to ten minute walk.
Some sample prices:
Meatball Sandwich w/fries: $7.99
Toasted Ravioli: $8.99
Spaghetti Bolognese: $8.99 small, $9.99 large
Fettuccine Alfredo: $10.99 small, $12.99 large
Linguini w/Fresh Clams: $13.99
New York Strip: $23.99
Spumoni: $3.99
Cannoli: $4.99
Tiramisu: $6.99
So sandwich or spaghetti with a soft drink, about $10 … and it goes up from there.
If money’s tight, you might consider skipping lunch, or going really lowball (the two for $3 sandwiches at Hardee’s down the street, for example — remember, you’re going to be knee-deep in delegate business and not in a position to appreciate the better stuff anyway!), then splurging a little for dinner out with friends.
Directions:
From the Renaissance Grand and Suites, walk two blocks east on Washington to 6th Street. Turn south (right) and proceed to 207 North 6th Street (not quite three blocks, on the right side of the street).
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Cheap Food: Sub Sandwiches
The sub sandwich may be the perfect convention/meeting food. It’s filling, it’s portable, it comes in a variety of configurations to satisfy all appetites, and some sub shops offer catering of “party sandwiches” that can be set out buffet-style for events.
And, of course, it’s usually relatively cheap. A single meal is going to run less than $10, and possibly less than $5 (depending on how hungry you are and whether you want cold cuts or a hot meal).
So far, I’ve identified four sub sandwich places — all of them chain stores — within a short walk of the Renaissance Grand & Suites. Since they are chains, I’m just going to link to their national web sites (in alphabetical order) so that you can consult menus/prices:
Directions to stores after the jump.
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Cheap Food: Chili Mac’s Diner
Note: This is not a review … yet. I’ve visited this restaurant but haven’t eaten there. I’ll try to do so as soon as possible so that I can offer more information on the establishment.
Without having eaten there, I can already say three nice things about Chili Mac’s Diner:
- The staff is helpful and friendly.
- The food smells great.
- The place opens at 5:30am, which makes it a perfect breakfast spot for Libertarian National Convention attendees who want to get a good meal in before the day’s action starts (they close at 2pm, which makes them a lunch, but not dinner, option).
Chili Mac’s is a short walk from the Renaissance Grand and Suites, between 6th Street and Broadway at 510 Pine. To get there, just walk two blocks east from the hotel on Washington, hang a right (south) on 6th Street, go three more blocks to Pine, turn left … and you’re there (it’s on the south side of the street). A 5-10 minute walk, perfect to get your appetite up on the way there and let your stomach settle on the way back.
The most expensive item on the menu is the steak and eggs breakfast — $8.25 for a 5-ounce ribeye with two eggs, American fries and toast. Most of the breakfast and lunch items run in the $4-$6 range plus drink, but if you’re a light breakfaster, oatmeal or grits will only set you back $1.95. For lunch, a plate of the signature item, chili mac, is $3.85 or $5.80 for a double portion. Personally, I’m looking forward to trying an old American favorite that’s difficult to find these days — the pork tenderloin sandwich at $3.75.
You’re not going to break the bank eating at Chili Mac’s. And while the place isn’t a traditional stand-alone “train car” diner, it definitely has diner/cafe atmosphere. As you can probably tell, I’m already predisposed to like the establishment. Others are too — check out their Facebook page for fan comments.
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