Top 5 French Fries in St. Louis, Chosen by Our Critic

Wright's Tavern

Chef Cary McDowell is on a quest to make the perfect version of every last dish that graces the menu at Wright's Tavern (7624 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton; 314-390-1466), so it's no wonder his fries are some of the best you'll ever experience. Getting them from their raw, russet form to the golden brown beauties that adorn your plate involves a painstaking process, but the result is a crisp, perfectly fried and salt-coated exterior and an interior the texture of potato fluff.

Bolyard's Meat & Provisions

What do you do with all the tallow you have laying around from being a whole animal butcher shop? Use it to cook your fries, of course. Chris Bolyard of Bolyard's Meat & Provisions (2733 Sutton Boulevard, Maplewood; 314-647-2567) serves brilliant beef-fat fries that have a stunning crispness and deep, rich flavor, ensuring that even a generous portion will be eaten in full.

Planter's House

More than just a means of soaking up world-class boozy libations, the French fries at Planter's House (1000 Mississippi Avenue, 314-696-2603) are a joy unto themselves. Crisp and perfectly seasoned, these golden beauties are offered in either cacio e pepe, dill or hot styles — or you could get all three and truly make a night of it.

Eat Duckbill

Eat Duckbill (inside Platypus, 4501 Manchester Avenue, 314-448-1622) owner Grant Heman may be known for his amazing popcorn chicken, but he puts just as much effort into his restaurant's fry game. The potatoes are hand-cut to a thickness similar to Belgian fries and generously salted and seasoned. They're delicious on their own but even better when dipped in his glorious ranch sauce.

Fleur STL

The fries at Fleur STL (622 Chouteau Avenue) are the quintessential skinny fry — crisp and larger than a shoestring but smaller than a medium-cut version and coated in a generous sprinkle of salt and black pepper. What makes them truly outstanding, though, is that they are served so searingly hot you can practically still hear the oil crackling when they are placed before you.