MILQUE TOAST BAR
Bleu cheese and bacon, chickpea stew, cucumber and avocado… Milque Toast Bar loads toast with inventive seasonal ingredients. The cozy patio, live music, and, oh yeah, egg creams are all draws. It's informal with a neighborhood feel. The Fascist Pigs Get Out is particularly noteworthy. 2212 S. Jefferson.
AVOCADO TOAST
BOWOOD BY NICHE
A slab of eggy brioche is weighed down with pickled peaches, red onion slivers, and fragrant herbs. Somehow, it tastes even better in the eatery's happy environs—all tall windows and greenery. 4605 Olive.
COMPANION
Companion's house-made toast is heaped with options. Try the smoked salmon with English cucumbers, Boursin cheese, and greens on sourdough. 9781 Clayton.
GOSHEN COFFEE
The Soulard oasis offers a menu of brews from around the globe—seriously, the array of coffees is a caffeinated extravaganza. Pair a cup of joe with toast topped with whipped goat cheese and chile flakes. 910 Geyer.
IVY CAFÉ
At the new Clayton cafe, tartines are—literally—tarted-up toasts. Rafts of house-made sourdough are topped with caramelized bananas and cinnamon, fried eggs and cheddar, or a whole Caprese salad. The cafe's charming, locally crafted ceramics are used for dining and for sale. And while there are lots of options, go for the hot-pressed French tea. 14 N. Meramec.
FIDDLEHEAD FERN CAFÉ
Match the herb-flecked roasted tomato and goat cheese toast with a lime.
