Vicia
Ian Froeb ranked Vicia second in St. Louis in April 2026, and the dish he singled out was a plate of carrots.1
Why go
Michael and Tara Gallina came home to his native St. Louis from Blue Hill at Stone Barns, where he was chef de cuisine and she was senior captain in the dining room.2 They opened Vicia in 2017 and cooked over hearth with the vegetables billed level with everything else. The debut menu ran 15 courses for $85.1 That menu is gone. You can now book a-la-carte, take a family-style three-course run at the highlights, or eat bar snacks at happy hour.1 Jane Sacro Chatham runs the kitchen day to day and was a 2025 James Beard finalist for emerging chef.2
Order this / avoid
- Order: the cured scallop sashimi, cut crystalline and graced with Asian pear.1
- Order: the braised beef short ribs. The bordelaise under them starts as beets.1
- Order: whatever the vegetable plate is that night. Froeb's last two visits landed on carrots and on a bite of potato.1
- Avoid: Sunday and Monday. The dining room is dark both days.1
What locals & experts say
- Ian Froeb, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (9 April 2026), ranking it second of a hundred:
the kitchen continues to cook brilliantly, from a crystalline cured-scallop sashimi graced with Asian pear to braised beef short ribs in a bordelaise sauce made from beets. As ever, vegetables might steal the show, a plate of carrots or, on my most recent visit, a deceptively simple bite of potato.
1 - Tara Gallina on what they set out to build, to St. Louis Magazine (2026):
When Michael and I set out to open Vicia, we wanted to create something unique, inspiring, and truly reflective of not only our creative spirits but the hard work and passions of those in our community—the farmers, the growers, the artisans, and the talented team that works with us.
2 - James Beard Foundation, 2026: finalist for Outstanding Restaurant, one of five in the country. Kalaya in Philadelphia won on 15 June.3
Good to know
- Timing: dinner Tuesday through Saturday.1
- Booking: book it. Froeb prices an average dinner at $60 and up.1
Verdict
must-visit — Michael and Tara Gallina cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns the year it won Outstanding Restaurant, and they have spent nine years in St. Louis proving the same argument about vegetables. Ian Froeb put Vicia second in the city in April 2026 and the dish he picked out was a plate of carrots. The James Beard Foundation made it a 2026 Outstanding Restaurant finalist, which is five rooms in the country, and Kalaya won. The rung stands on Froeb and on the carrots.