Lona’s Lil Eats

Take me here using Metro Transit

Since opening in St. Louis’ Fox Park neighborhood in 2014, Lona’s Lil Eats has grown deep roots in the neighborhood and become a symbol of the eclectic neighborhood’s revitalization. Lona’s corner at Accomac and California attracts visitors from across the city and beyond. Lona’s diverse menu – inspired by the rich food cultures in southwestern China and the surrounding regions – emphasizes light, fresh, colorful ingredients, “mostly plants,” as Michael Pollan would say. Read more about Lona’s menu and background.

Lona’s knows fresh; owners Lona Luo and Pierce Powers began as a Soulard Farmers Market popup in 2008, serving kebabs and eventually the bursting-at-the-seams rice paper wraps that have became its specialty. But don’t overlook the rest of the James Beard Award nominated menu. Beef or chicken for the delicious dumplings is hand trimmed and ground fresh, minimizing waste. House-made vinaigrettes dress crisp cucumbers and rice noodle salads. Lona’s grows herbs in their garden and seasonal vegetables come from local farmers at the farmers’ market. Lona’s sauces, flavored with authentic spices, never come from a bottle.

Sustainability is less a buzzword than a way-of-life in Lona’s kitchen. Little is thrown away and it seems everything is reused. Any disposable object with a lid will eventually find a new purpose. Nearly everything that can be is made from scratch. Trim, stems and scraps become stocks, soups, sauces or filling. Kitchen staff are resourceful and conscientious of energy use, looking for little opportunities to be more efficient like insulating the duct work, fixing a faucet, programming the thermostats, and switching bulbs to LEDs.

The sense of community at Lona’s is real: the restaurant’s namesake and her family call it home. Employees, who often walk to work, are treated well and many have worked there for years. Just as neighbors and loyal customers were vital to the restaurants’ success, Lona’s has helped brighten its corner of Fox Park. The colorful patio feels like it’s always been there. The interior is cozy and funky, full of refurbished decor, local art and upcycled seating (pick from church pews or chairs from some long forgotten fast-food chain). Lona’s adapted to the old brick storefront; no tear-down/rebuild here. Alterations and repairs are done with care (and low-VOC paint). Get a feel for the place and lower your carbon footprint with real china and chopsticks, by dining in.

Congrats to Lona’s on getting certified and joining the GDA! Look out for their new location in Kirkwood, coming soon!