For sophistication on the cheap, you can't do any better than Monarch, the four-year-old centerpiece of downtown Maplewood's ongoing renaissance. Your first visit to Monarch might dazzle you. The place is enormous: The wine bar alone is as big as many restaurants; in addition to the main dining room, there's the more casual bistro area, the private room adjacent to the wine cellar and the chef's table.

The majestic new Monarch brings world-class cuisine to St. Louis.