Located at 5101 Shaw Blvd, on the Hill in St. Louis, a neighborhood burgeoning with Italian restaurants, Adriana’s is a warm, sunny spot to go for lunch summer or winter, sunshine or rain. That is because every time I have gone Adriana herself has been at the counter and chatted warmly as she takes my order. On the day I took these pictures, the friendliness was doubled as one of her daughters was also at the counter.

Adriana’s menu features sandwiches and soups and salads, which can be bought whole or in combination as a half and half meal. Everything is fresh. The daily pasta and tomato salads sit on the counter behind Adriana, just in front of the kitchen which makes your sandwiches just after you order them. I neglected to take a picture before I started eating, but this was a traditional pork sandwich with rabe and a side of soup.

The prices are about $1 or $2 over similar soup/sandwhich combos at chains like Panera, but the portions are larger and the flavors…well, the flavors are fantastic, often as a result of reflecting traditional Italian recipes.

So if you want to have lunch where there is fantastic food, good prices, pleasant surroundings, and charming people head to Adriana’s on the Hill.