Mai Lee.

As the first Vietnamese restaurant to open in St. Louis, Mai Lee has evolved from a small Chinese-American takeout joint into a local institution anchored by family heritage. Founded by Lee Tran in the 1980s and now run by her son Qui, the restaurant serves an expansive menu of over 200 items that stay true to traditional, non-westernized flavors. The setting in a Brentwood parking garage is unassuming, but the interior is bright and welcoming, bustling with regulars who come for the salt-and-pepper calamari and the deeply fragrant phở. While the menu still nods to its roots with a selection of Chinese staples, the draw here is the unapologetic Vietnamese soul found in the crispy roasted duck and coconut-curry clay pots. It remains a essential touchstone for the city's culinary scene.