Pastaria Deli & Wine - Perfectly Passable Premium Sandwiches

Pastaria Deli & Wine Experience Summary

Pastaria Deli & Wine is a sandwich shop connected to Pastaria, its bigger, more famous St. Louis brother next door, both run by the Niche Group. The Niche Group is one of the bigger restaurant groups in St. Louis. What this means is, if you know what they're doing, they're going to put out a quality product, but it's going to be expensive. That brand comes with a price, usually. And it was for this. So all in with parking, it was like $21 for a sandwich, which is pretty crazy, even for St. Louis standards of quality sandwiches.

This place is kind of a mix of Parker's Table and Union Loafers. They use Union Loafers' bread, but they use Parker's Table's kind of level of ingredients. So things like sopressata and 'nduja, not your typical like turkey or bacon or something like that. They're going to put on fancier spreads, like coleslaw or like a fig spread almost. So you're getting a premium sandwich at a premium price.

I went on a Wednesday at 12 o'clock, and it was filled with typical Clayton business executives, business casual bros hanging out there, eating. That's kind of the vibe you get, which is like upper-middle-class, casual financier. The service was fine. We ordered, and the food came out within 10 minutes. They give you a number and you sit down at a table. Seating can be kind of limited. This was peak lunchtime, and there was only one table left. There are also a couple of seats at the window bar, which is where I sat two years ago. It's actually quite nice. You look out onto Maryland or whatever road that is right outside and people-watch as you eat. Everyone that works there was very friendly and helpful.

Overall, I'd give it a solid 7.2. It's a restaurant-quality sandwich that's better than anything you'll make at home. If you work nearby and you can afford Clayton prices, it'll be a nice place to grab lunch once a week or once every other week with your coworkers. But I wouldn't drive out of my way to go get lunch with friends.

The Food At Pastaria Deli & Wine

I would say it's not nearly as good as Union Loafers, even though they use Union Loafers' bread. So it kind of feels like a different version of Union Loafers. It feels like a Union Loafers' quality experience, but with a different flavor profile, which isn't quite at the level of Union Loafers for something like that.

I got their most recommended one on Yelp, which was like a 'Figata'. The coleslaw surprisingly didn't have enough flavor relative to the rest of the sandwich. It had a little bit of spice, but it didn't have a vinegary kick to it. So I was a little bit disappointed with that. Overall, the sandwich kind of tasted bland for what it was. It was still good quality meat, but I've come to expect more from a sandwich place, especially for like $18.

I've been here once before, about two years ago, and I got the soppressata. I remember that one having a little bit more flavor, specifically in the meat itself. But nothing really beyond that. It was just, again, a fancier meat sandwich shop.

Pastaria Deli & Wine Atmosphere And Miscellaneous

The atmosphere definitely caters to the local business crowd, offering a refined yet casual dining experience. It's clean, bright, and comfortable, making it a pleasant spot for a quick lunch if you're in the area.

Parking At Pastaria Deli & Wine

You have to pay for parking in Clayton, which is a pain in the butt. So add an extra like $2 for that, especially if you don't work nearby. This is definitely a factor to consider when budgeting for your meal.

Pastaria Deli & Wine Receipt

Sandwich Size Comparisons