Panorama Restaurant
Panorama Takeaway Take a look around Panorama for breakfast or lunch. It scores a 6.5/10 for solid food that's definitely more "fancy" than it is "fantastic." You're paying for fresh, nice-sounding ingredients like gouda and arugula in a setting that is, quite literally, a work of art. Just don't expect any culinary revelations.
What you're really buying is the setting. You're dining inside the St. Louis Art Museum with gorgeous views over Forest Park. In my opinion, it makes for a worthy afternoon out, especially if you're headed to the museum anyway. You don't drive across town for the food alone, but it makes the whole museum day feel complete.
Logistically, it's a breeze. The service is solid, you can park free across the street, and if you're already on Art Hill it could not be more convenient.
How Panorama Restaurant Stacks Up
Weight, meat, and price weighed against every other St. Louis sandwich I've reviewed. Panorama Restaurant is highlighted below.
| Place | Score | Price | Type | Weight | Meat | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blues City Deli | 9.7 | $10.50 | Roast Beef | 13.7 | 5.2 | 8.0 |
| Carl's Deli | 9.3 | $11.95 | Pastrami | 14.3 | 9.6 | 6.0 |
| Legrand's Market & Catering | 8.8 | $10.49 | Special | 11.4 | 7.6 | 8.0 |
| Parker's Table | 8.7 | $13.00 | Special | 9.0 | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Nomad | 8.3 | $14.00 | Pastrami | 13.6 | 7.6 | 6.0 |
| Gioia's Deli | 7.8 | $12.00 | Italian | 24.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| Eovaldi's Deli | 7.2 | $11.95 | Italian | 27.8 | 13.8 | 9.0 |
| Mom's Deli | 7.1 | $9.50 | Special | 16.9 | 9.8 | 9.0 |
| Lion's Choice | 7.0 | $7.89 | Roast Beef | 7.7 | 5.4 | 4.0 |
| Adriana's on the Hill | 6.9 | $13.50 | Roast Beef | 17.0 | 6.8 | 12.0 |
| You're herePanorama Restaurant | 6.5 | $16 | Special | |||
| Snarf's Sandwiches | 6.4 | $13.50 | Italian | 24.4 | 5.6 | 12.0 |
| Pickles Deli | 4.1 | $10.99 | Special | 8.3 | 3.6 | 6.0 |
| Fozzie's Sandwich Emporium | 2.1 | $12.95 | Roast Beef | 15.0 | 6.8 | 6.0 |
| Protzel's Deli | 1.9 | $13.00 | Pastrami | 12.8 | 6.8 | 6.0 |
Panorama Experience Summary
I went to Panorama with some friends for lunch on a random weekday afternoon. I had moderate expectations from chatter on Reddit. Nice place for brunch, good food, good lunch, that kind of thing.
The big thing to me immediately was that the whole vibe was exactly what you'd hope for when eating at an art museum.
And that ended up being the story. You go to Panorama for the full package, not the food.
Walking into the restaurant, you're immediately struck by this bright, open seating area. It's got floor-to-ceiling windows looking out across the pond and down the steps of the Art Museum into Forest Park.
It's not some stuffy, old-school deli.
It feels modern and, honestly, a little moneyed. Think collared shirts and khakis more than jeans and T-shirts. We saw a lot of retirees and people who clearly work in the area grabbing lunch, so it's relaxed without ever feeling casual.
The meal itself was nice. Totally fine. Good, even -- I'll get into it. The food limits my review to 7.0/10 as I'm here for food, not vibes.
But the real reason you're here is to make it part of a museum visit. Walk the galleries before or after you eat. I'm telling you, the modern art collection is surprisingly strong. And considering the whole museum is free, you really can't beat it.
I've actually spent a couple of afternoons just working on my laptop in front of the art. It sounds kind of pretentious, I know, but it's actually super relaxing. There's also a sculpture garden in the back that's worth checking out.
If you're already planning a museum day, Panorama is a no-brainer. It's not crazy overpriced when you consider the setting, and parking is simple.
Just know what you're getting into. You're going for the atmosphere and the view, not for a mind-blowing, life-changing meal.
Worth it.
The Food At Panorama
I ordered the turkey gouda sandwich, which ran about $15-16. It came with all the fancy-sounding ingredients like smoked gouda and arugula, and I'll admit, it looked really nice on the plate.
The ingredients were fresh. Everything tasted good together. Good lunch, no complaints.
The house-made chips staring up at me also looked great.
This sandwich isn't winning any awards, though. It's "restaurant quality" because the ingredients are fancy, not because it's doing anything you haven't tasted before.
If you want a really fun, killer sandwich, you're better off heading to Legrand's or Blues City Deli. But those spots have you eating in a fun deli atmosphere. This is very much eating in a museum where the food happens to be decent.
My wife got a salad that she enjoyed just fine. Nothing to write home about, but it was fresh and well-prepared.
The real winner, in my opinion, was the dessert. I grabbed a cherry profiterole for about $10. I was in the mood for something sweet, and this did the trick perfectly. A little pricey for what it was, but it satisfied that end-of-meal craving.
The pricing is expensive for the portion sizes. There's no question about that. But it's not astronomically insane when you factor in the setting and the service. You're paying for the room and the view as much as the plate.
I've also heard the brunch is pretty good. If you want a semi-upscale, fancy brunch spot, that could be worth a weekend visit.
Or a date.
Panorama Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
The atmosphere at Panorama is really the main event. It's bright and clean, with those incredible views overlooking Forest Park. The seating area has this open, airy feel that makes lunch feel special, even on a regular Tuesday.
The crowd definitely tends to be older and more professional. You'll see people who work nearby grabbing lunch and plenty of retirees enjoying a leisurely meal.
I'd guess that on weekends, when more families are visiting the museum, it probably picks up with a more diverse crowd. When we went, it was actually pretty packed for a weekday afternoon, so I'd expect that's typical.
The service was solid. Nothing remarkable.
Again, I can't stress this enough, you should plan on pairing your meal with the museum. The modern art collection is really strong, and the fact that it's completely free makes the whole outing an incredible value.
I'm not a huge fan of their artifact collections. That stuff's kind of boring to me. But the contemporary pieces scattered throughout the museum are worth your time.
Parking At Panorama
There's a free lot directly across the street from the museum. We had no problem finding a spot, and it's close enough that you can just walk over. There is also paid parking at the museum itself, but I honestly wouldn't bother with that. The free lot works perfectly fine.
Panorama Receipt
