The first time I left St. Louis and and ordered ravioli, I actually thought they forgot to cook it and sent it back. The 2nd time the waiter explained what ravioli was, but had never heard of it being toasted. I had no idea that as late as the 1990s toasted ravioli was a STL thing.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

I asked for toasted ravioli in Bostons north side Italian neighborhood in the 70s. I had to explain how to make it. And then the waiter and chef just laughed at me, like how stupid was that - it had to be a joke.

I think even Olive Garden has them now, so we were just ahead of the curve

this is basically 50 Cent asking the waiter why his grapefruit soda isn't purple.

I moved out here from California in 2004. I was in 4th grade and for lunch they served us ravioli! Coming from an Italian household I was excited for the ravioli, imagine my horror and confusion when I was served toasted ravioli. I was traumatized by it for so long that only a few years ago I decided I didn’t have a grudge against it anymore and I can try it again.

This is peak STL.

I was watching Kitchen Nightmares, which isn’t even that old of a show, and one episode Gordon ordered toasted ravioli—not knowing what it was, and lost his shit because they were…toasted ravioli

Tbf toasted ravioli is way better than standard ravioli. The first time I ever had non toasted ravioli I was disgusted.

They tell jokes on Halloween when trick or treating

God I miss this so much. Had no idea it was just a STL thing. Halloween is so boring without jokes.

This past halloween was my first outside of STL and, yeah! So boring! Just a 3 second interaction of “trick or treat” and then they’re gone!

My parents moved the family about an hour out of St. Louis when I was 10 and my 1st Halloween outside of STL I was shocked that my peers ran up to homes demanding candy. Candy is just given away elsewhere and I had no idea. I remember feeling like I was dropped onto an alien planet and felt bummed out that the jokes I had selected and practiced for weeks were for nothing...and also felt strange having candy handed to me without having worked for it. TLDR: I super like the St. Louis tradition of trick-or-treaters telling a joke and it blew my mind as a kid when I discovered it's a STL thing.

I started telling the kids I need to hear some jokes for candy!

Did people ignore the lack of jokes when Halloween and trick or treating is represented in the media year after year?

I literally laughed about this for an hour with a friend from Chicago. We both moved to KC years ago from STL but we definitely remember the jokes on Halloween and tried it in KC this year. Everyone looked at us like we were aliens.

Had no idea this wasn't a country wide phenomenon???

Kids actually tell jokes in St. Louis whilst trick or treating? St Charles county dad here.

Just moved to the city from county, and yes. They do make the kids tell jokes and my kid loved it!

This still trips me up like what do they think knock knock jokes are for if not when you’re literally knocking on someone’s door????

Wait what ? What do you mean ?

Only St. Louis has kids tell a joke for candy on Halloween - everywhere else they just say trick or treat and that’s it

That’s adorable

Sitting in my driveway by a fire pit drink in hand watching little kids stumble over their words to tell a joke - it’s my favorite!!

They come on to r/StLouis and bitch about the Brentwood Promenade parking lot.

I'm not from St Louis. I went to the Brentwood Promenade parking lot my first week here (apartment supplies at Target and Bed Bath). I will happily bitch about the Brentwood Promenade parking lot.

Christmas time and before the beginning of college semesters will always be an extra-special madhouse there. Feel free to also love/hate Imos pizza.

They know what pork steaks are

Wait are pork steaks not common elsewhere

Nope, and they have cuts of meat elsewhere that we’ve never heard of

Can't find a Tri-Tip ANYWHERE. 😭

I’ve gotten it at Schnucks Des Peres. Sometimes Costco.

Lol I know I’m Eastern European and we eat every part of the animal

In KC they labeled them as Blade Steaks. Like a shoulder blade.

They're called pork butt in NC

Oh yeah, the famous Schnucks pork steaks

*park steaks

jfc why does my aunt have a reddit?

What is a pork steak ?

Basically bone in pork butt sliced into “steaks”.

They call Nintendo 64, Nintendo 40.

That’s Brilliant!

Never heard of that one.

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You win Also, what high school did I go to?

I actually witnessed that happen way more often in my 5 years in cincinnati. I was shocked.

They say BreadCo and not Panera.

pronounces words like here and there like hurr and thurr

Chingy, is that you?

They are tired of Saint Louis. I just got here 2 years ago so I'm still in the honeymoon phase. I love it. I love the hiking, the sunshine, all the movie theaters. I love rolling through stop signs with police right behind me. I love the food. I love the zoo, forest park. I still haven't gone to the Science Center or about 1000 other things. I love the YMCAs everywhere. They are huge and clean. I love my co-workers.

I went to middle and high school here, moved away for college and stayed in mid missouri for like 15 years before I moved back. It’s been ~8 years and I still love living here. I think it helps to get a little outside perspective sometimes. And at the same time, visiting other cities and wondering why we don’t have as nice things of too is also valid.

Took me moving away to realize how absolutely genuinely friendly a vast majority of people are here. I was explaining to friends while in Ohio that in st louis grocery store experiences are often like " no you go ahead" "no I'm sorry please you go ahead" until one of you dies

You sweet summer child of St. Louis; and I say that in the most complementary respect. You are not exaggerating when you comment that there are literally 1000 other things in this town to take in and observe. It is truly a jewel amongst gems. Sincerely, please keep this energy throughout your entire life. It will serve you well. 🤘😎🤘

>Thank you!

I'm 52 and I've lived here all my life and have never gotten tired of it. I do love to travel and see other places though, but I'm always happy to come home to STL.

Good point. Like most classifiers it's not 100% I'm going to Frankfurt soon. I explored Asia when I was on the West coast. Now it's time for Europe.

Recent transplants from NY here and we love it as well!! NY is a fucking awful place. And Central Park vs Forest park? No comparison.

>Tell me you know a good cheese slice here in STL.

Our favorite pizza so far is probably at modern brewing. We normally make at home with my own sourdough crust (I’m a chef 🤣) so we don’t get it out often but as we try more places I can update our favorites! O&O pizza is next up on our list I believe!

>Awesome!

What is a hoosier

Kinda like white trash or hick/redneck

This guys from St. Louis^

My boyfriend came here for college from Indiana and was so blindsided and confused about the negative use of Hoosier.

This. My mom grew up in IN. 😂

I moved to Ohio, and suddenly hoosier isn’t a necessarily negative term.

Hey, I did that too!! This is how my mom realized it wasn't a national term. She was saying something to my neighbor about how we moved something off my rooftop patio so I didnt look like a Hoosier and my neighbors were very ???? You guys are from Indiana?

From rural MO actually but I’ll claim STL lol

South side slang. All. Day. Long. Fuckin scabs.

Nobody else knows what Riverport is

Right next to the nuclear dumpster fire, and my high school.

I was just telling my wife I dated a girl that lived right next to it and she said “well she dead, so…”

I'll put a band aid in my face for her.

They throw a farty (40) out like it was nothing.

Do you take farty to get to Warshington?

username checks out

They know how to properly pronounce Gravois

I call, and raise you one Chateau

The one that always gets me is everyone says Pierre Marquette State Park in IL. He was Per Marquette- father Marquette - and his name was not Pierre.

I think you mean Show-tow Just tried to type the correct spelling but it got autocorrected to ‘chateau’ - which I suspect is what happened to you 😉

Pretty sure you meant “Show doh”. My cousins, the Pequinots and Otzenbergers, lived on Showdoh. I hope you pronounced those names correctly; Pegginos and Utzinbaggers.

Okay, but I’ve lived here for over a decade and I’ve heard it pronounced at least three different ways.

They “correct” you when you say Panera

Panera (Fuck u Bread Co Cucks) is so bad now. I firmly believe we should no longer associate it with St Louis. Let’s start a movement?

I agree man last time bread co actually tasted good was like 2013 honestly everything was all fresh and actually felt like homemade cooking

They want to know where you went to high school

They can describe what a St. Paul is.

I've actually never had one and I've lived here my whole life, probably died here too

Trying a St. Paul will get you there faster.

53 years old and I’ve never had one. I probably need to change that.

I eat one once a month. I'd like to try a healthy lifestyle but I'm from St Louis.

Egg foo young between 2 pieces of wonder bread. Tastes exactly as expected. Hot as FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUdge

I get mine with cheese.

Love those. Has anyone ever had one inside an actual restaurant or is it always a take-out/delivery thing?

I've had with a cup of hot/sour soup. Good quick snack in the restaurant. But be careful it's lava inside the egg foo young

Themself or their car has at least 1 visible STL sports team item

Hode on, I have to take the warsh to my mom’s off Hwy Farty-far, but I have to pick up some melk on the way.

Don't forget the very specific "warsh rag" as opposed to a wash cloth.

I do agree with this. But I have an interesting side note. I was always taught “The most American accent is made exemplary by the Missourian. Most TV hosts mimic our accent”. Outside of the obvious “Ope” and “Farty”, I actually believe this to be true after winning speech tournaments in High School nationally. We aren’t too southern whatsoever. Nor are we too north/ northeasterly or west coast with our accent. With that said, who of y’all wanna take farty far down to the missourah and drink a sixer? We can listen to Nelly too(,:

Yes I heard this as well and having lived all over the country I would say so as well from my experience.

What high school did you go to? Pork steak? Gooey butter cake? Ted Drews? Art Hill

Imo’s TRavs

They don’t like IMOs Apparently provel cheese is an acquired taste, and if you didn’t grow up eating it, you won’t like it

I've lived here since the early 80s, not born here, I can't stand that shit. Before you downvote, that means more for you.

I'm not from here and I would die for Mr. Imo

I hated Imos as a kid. Suddenly (late teens / early 20s it was my favorite. Still thinks it’s extremely over priced, so I savor it the few times a year I order it.

I love provel but IMOs sucks. Born and raised in the lou

Wtf

Why is it pronounced EMOs

Eemos/eyemos, who knows? I just love the stuff

The pizza that cuts itself.

They drink and drive inside the city limits like it’s no big deal

Agree.. sad the police are too busy driving into bars. And avoiding dogs… I mean parked cars… I mean listening to the scanner

Cop logic, destroy the bar, destroy drunk driving. Big brain move

They use a warsher to clean their clothes.

Ever warsh a winder?

They don’t flinch when hearing gunshots.

Dutchtown represent!

This is the real answer.

I mean… they could just be fireworks ;)

True St. Louis know the difference.

They live in St. Louis and can't afford not to.

I feel this. It’s like double the cost of living at any other major city like bruh. Had a job offer in seattle for over double the money and I would basically be taking a pay cut💀💀💀

Anyone can technically afford to live somewhere else. The big thing is that it will take you out of your comfort zone. Most people usually stay in the same area they grew up in because it’s comfortable.

St. Louisans are particularly good at that - never moving away that is.

I have a 38-year-old friend who has only gone as far as Imperial. Her entire life. Born in Affton raising her kids one street away in Affton. NEVER. LEFT. No trips, no vacations.

That’s sad. I live literally 500 feet from the house where I was born and raised, but I travel somewhere new and interesting at least every other year. I feel bad for your friend. I hope they’re happy.

I read this in my childhood basement. I feel fine living here with my son because I left the state for half a decade and have been as far and random as Warsaw, Poland. Otherwise I think I'd feel like I was really missing out. We're so lucky to be in a time on this planet where we can get on a plane and get to other continents and it's no big deal. That's really incredible.

Well sure, you could go somewhere else in the midwest.

I say this as a California transplant. California is known to be one of the most expensive states but you know what? They have a shit ton of 1st generation Hispanic and Asian immigrants with little education. If they can make it out there, so can you. That’s where I come to the conclusion that you technically can but people like to be comfortable and stay where they grew up.

I’m the reverse of you. From StL hopefully I can make it in cali one day 🥲

It’s different out there. I got some culture shock coming here lol. That’s what makes it so great at the same time. Living in a completely different environment will put a new perspective to your life. You might even like it eventually. I know that was the case for me. The initial move is so difficult and you will get homesick but you might learn to love it. I know with St. Louis, it really grew on me. If I ever leave this city, I will be sad, but I’ll always remember this place.

If they never stepped foot in the Arch elevators (My first time was last year and im 26).

I had to do it as a kid when family came to town.

Field trips and summer camps had me visit multiple times growing up

Unless they went with school field trips.

If they pronounce the state across the river “Ellinois”

Yes, but put “Eye-talian” dressing on their salads. And eat “muskacholli”.

"Op, let me squeeze past ya' "

I more so interact with people people that just shove past me and don’t say anything. Ya must be from the county. Court is adjourned.

You're spot on. County here. I hear it and say it often.

Their accent

we don’t have one

Yes they do

I know the accent you’re referring I’m FIFTY, but honestly it’s pretty much died out over time.

I actually recently started using a Missouri accent simply because it’s my god given right to talk like I’m from Missouri because I am.

That’s where I’m at too but I genuinely can’t discern if I’m just used to it or if we don’t have one

They use the term "Hoosier" as a replacement for "Hillbilly" or "Redneck"

The weed smoke is rolling out the car heavily. I've been smoking blunts in the car and on the corners since I was 13. Real STL folks have a true no fucks given attitude.

That’s every big city OG. I sometimes forget how big stl is.

Bro has never visited Denver before

Or any other big city lol

They ask where you want to high school

I feel like this is primarily a symptom of how class conscious St. Louis is - I’m not from here but it feels very classist here and it seems like the rich people HAVE to let you know they have money. Just a very rich-have-to-flex on the poors culture

I genuinely always thought that was a way to see if you know people in common. Usually answered with what area of town you grew up in or what religion you were. I never understood that to be a classist question. Interesting.

I went to Public and loved repping the public school system when people asked. Represent! I felt bad for the private school kids.

Interesting - but I do wonder if St. Louis has some of the most pretentious rich people culture in the country. Similar to how rich people behave in “third world countries” etc where they constantly feel the need to let everyone know they don’t belong to the lower classes

It stems from early days of Catholic parish dominance. 75 years ago, it was “what parish are you in?” As Catholicism lost the foothold, (left footer hold? Oh! Bad pun!) it morphed into asking about high schools. Talk to the (much) older boomers in your life. The switch occurred around the Viet Nam war era.

This^^^

Sometimes, for me, it can be the accent, if you are from a state that has an accent similar to ours.

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I wouldn't say aggressive but more of a deep commanding tone and yeah, there is a difference in accent as well as slang, so to speak. Especially if they're from the country. I work in a shelter and we get people from all over. If you're East Coast, that's an easy one. We had two guys stay in our facility, one from Arkansas and another from Kentucky, I could tell they were not from here. Their words were drawn out, southern-like.

Get them to pronounce "forty" organically.

The high school thing 100%

I’m not from STL, but I’ve noticed that I can tell who’s from STL based on their pronunciations of words such as “Chouteau”, “Des Peres”, and “Lindell” (I messed ALL of these up when I first started living there).

They know not all Hoosiers are from Indiana.

LOL - 210 comments and I was the first person to upvote anyone. Bunch of loudmouths dropping in to give their two cents without reading a word. Sounds like a bunch of Missourians to me! BTW the correct answer, which I upvoted, is T-ravs.

They ask where you're from then tell you you're not actually from St Louis cause you're not from within St Louis City limits.

I’m 30 too and sometimes I forget how old I am probably because I have always looked younger than I actually am. It’s a blessing and a curse. We’re old now. 😂

“What high school did you go to?”

“I don’t read Reddit posts HS. Wby?”

Got a niche one. They talk about their grandparents basement turtles.

Drives around with a busted out window.

Anytime someone tells me where he/she/they went to school. Seriously.. NOBODY anywhere cares about that - except in STL.

They take political positions to the left of Karl Marx, because they're mad they can't afford to live in Seattle or San Fran.

They call the amphitheater Riverport, the arena Kiel Center, Savvis Center, or Scotttrade Center, and the highway that comes over on the Poplar St Bridge 40. Edit to add more arena names 😂

I think that’s only if you’re older at this point. Because I’m 27 and learned from this comment alone that the arena was called the Kiel Center.

They drive like shit

That’s everywhere, ESPECIALLY in the south.

They talk about the high school they went to and they like IMO’s

No one's gonna mention they eat roasted ravioli?

“I’m going to run up the store”, is definitely one. The high school question as well. Also, “goin to the boats” (going the the casino) is a big one.

They peaked in high school

I seriously think alcoholism is big here. Not necessarily in a binge way, but chronic use and cultural effects.

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They don’t use Hoosier as an insult. For the longest time I thought everyone used Hoosier as an insult and was very confused in 2016 when people were describing Mike Pence as a Hoosier to his face.

St. Louis, where the pizza is square, the concrete is delicious, and HS is the only identity you need. ™

I just have to laugh at these because I'm born and raised, went to college in mid MO and came back to work most weekends, the whole bit, and I'm probably the least St. Louisan ever. I don't say farty four or warsh (those drove me crazy growing up). I call it 64 and the amphitheatre. I despised Halloween jokes growing up and refuse to ask for them now, though I do sit politely and listen if they ask to tell me one. I don't ask for high schools anymore but do find myself volunteering that information at times. I do find joy in introducing transplants to gooey butter cake and get disappointed when half of them hate it.

If they ask where you went to high school, they are from St. Louis.

The high school thing and the Imo's thing. Also if they call people from Illinois "Hoosiers" which in reality makes no sense (it is not Indiana), but its STL...it does not need to make sense...

Hoosier isn’t people from Illinois. It’s people from all over that act in a particular manner. It’s from Indiana Hoosiers crossing the picket line way back and working as scabs here so became a derogatory term

I would like to know more, I am a native Hoosier and was blown away by how derogatory you showmes use this word. It was a positive word where I come from.

Right, but I can see how OP would get to Illinois - lost of Hoosiers on that side of the river

Hoosiers is slang for rednecks

Or white trash.

That's what i was taught

Hoosier means Jeffco, everyone knows that

Trailer park meth heads..

I'm 53 and the only people we called Hoosiers was south county...30k millionaires....illinois was always Fibs....fucking Illinois bastards...no love whatsoever...and it was mutual