Here in St. Louis, locals certainly have their own language. Our vernacular may have many words that are familiar to other English speakers, but they don’t mean what the average out-of-towner would expect. If you know exactly what these words are referring to, you’re definitely a lifelong St. Louisan:
- Butter
clio1789/Flickr No, we’re not craving an actual stick of butter. We’re craving the most delicious cake in the world.
- Cartel
Lester Maceren/Flickr An affectionate name for the Coffee Cartel, one of St. Louis’ best cafes.
- Concrete
Kara/Flickr Yet another absolutely delicious treat that St. Louisans love, concretes are perhaps the most brilliant frozen custard combination ever conceived.
- Hoosier
TheChanel/Flickr This may be the official name for a resident of Indiana, but here in STL, we use it to refer to rednecks. Indiana residency is not required for the application of this term.
- Missouri
Thomas Hawk/Flickr If you pronounced that word like “misery,” you’re probably a St. Louisan. There is not an “a” at the end, and we wouldn’t be caught dead pronouncing it with one… like other state residents tend to.
- Farty
Doug Kerr/Flickr It’s rare to find a local that calls Interstate 64 by its proper name. Here, we call it Highway 40, but it kind of comes out sounding like “farty.”
- The Bread Company
Jason Meredith/Flickr Don’t you dare ask, “Don’t you mean Panera?!” No, I don’t.
- The Hill
TMS63112/Wikimedia The Hill is St. Louis’ own Little Italy, and it is an endlessly charming neighborhood known for its mouthwatering cuisine.
- T-ravs
Liza Lagman Sperl/Flickr Toasted Ravioli was invented in The Hill, but it’s a classic throughout all of St. Louis’ chic neighborhoods.
- Cementland
Paul Sableman/Flickr This stunning park is part abandoned cement factory and part art, though it is unfinished due to the unfortunate demise of its creator.
We certainly use a language that’s uniquely our own here in The Gateway City, and we’re okay with that. St. Louis is a melting pot of influences, so it is only natural that a whole dialect would be born out of that!
clio1789/Flickr
No, we’re not craving an actual stick of butter. We’re craving the most delicious cake in the world.
Lester Maceren/Flickr
An affectionate name for the Coffee Cartel, one of St. Louis’ best cafes.
Kara/Flickr
Yet another absolutely delicious treat that St. Louisans love, concretes are perhaps the most brilliant frozen custard combination ever conceived.
TheChanel/Flickr
This may be the official name for a resident of Indiana, but here in STL, we use it to refer to rednecks. Indiana residency is not required for the application of this term.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
If you pronounced that word like “misery,” you’re probably a St. Louisan. There is not an “a” at the end, and we wouldn’t be caught dead pronouncing it with one… like other state residents tend to.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
It’s rare to find a local that calls Interstate 64 by its proper name. Here, we call it Highway 40, but it kind of comes out sounding like “farty.”
Jason Meredith/Flickr
Don’t you dare ask, “Don’t you mean Panera?!” No, I don’t.
TMS63112/Wikimedia
The Hill is St. Louis’ own Little Italy, and it is an endlessly charming neighborhood known for its mouthwatering cuisine.
Liza Lagman Sperl/Flickr
Toasted Ravioli was invented in The Hill, but it’s a classic throughout all of St. Louis’ chic neighborhoods.
Paul Sableman/Flickr
This stunning park is part abandoned cement factory and part art, though it is unfinished due to the unfortunate demise of its creator.
For more fun in St. Louis, you have to visit these super bizarre places.
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