Thee Abbey Kitchen

I had heard this place was hit and miss. That was just what I experienced. The waitress was not very attentive and the food took awhile. I went with the soup and salad bars that were endless trips. My food was good, but my cousin got a sandwich that was all gristle. She couldn’t touch it with a knife.

From the outside, the building looks almost derelict, but don’t be turned off. This little restaurant sits in an old building that used to be a Catholic girls’ high school. The dining room is a little austere and short on ambience, in keeping with the location’s tradition. The homemade bread is the best I’ve ever had. My bacon cheeseburger was huge, if a tad overcooked, and the fries were amazing. We didn’t have room for dessert, but we did step across the hall to the Creamery and couldn’t resist getting a scoop of caramel apple frozen custard to take home. If you’re in this part of Missouri for sightseeing at any of the nearby state parks (Taum Sauk, Johnsnon’s Shut-​Ins, and Elephant Rocks are all within a few miles), this is a fantastic place to relax and have a delicious meal!

If you are anywhere near the Abbey Kitchen (within 50 miles) you have to visit this place. My family shared the Prime Rib and the Chicken Alfredo. Both were delicious and expertly prepared, but I’ve never had a baked potato or carrots as good as those at the Abbey Kitchen. Also, the homemade desserts were excellent. The Coconut Cream Pie and the ice cream alone were worth the drive.

Delicious food, really interesting building and friendly service. I had half the French dip and potatoe soup with croutons. Their bread is homemade, fresh and to die for. The soup was kind of watery but the flavor was still rich. I had some of my sister’s fries and they tasted homemade and fresh as well. Only complaint was it was eerily quiet in the main dining room; could use some soft music.

We ate here for lunch after a night of camping from St. Louis. The menu was mostly sandwiches and there is an unlimited soup and salad bar, which is small but almost everything is homemade and delicious (even had pomegranate seeds!). I was so full but couldn’t resist the pumpkin ice cream that was a very generous 1 scoop and was so delicious. The building is very cool as well with lots of artifacts from when it was a school (and now I’m finding out it is also a bit haunted). DEFINITELY make this your lunch stop if you’re in the area.

For those who haven t recently been to Arcadia Academy, it is quite excellent! I came from Idaho to visit this area. I stayed in one of the hostel rooms. During my visit, I received EXCELLENT care and service. If you would like to add a little more history to your visit, this is definitely the place to come. Here at Christmas time, the combination of quality and festive atmosphere, makes it feel like home away from home. It was a comfortable family-​friendly location. Our servers and hostesses were kind and very hospitable at Thee Abbey Kitchen. Their lunch menu was delectable. During my visit I ate at the salad bar. With the fresh greens, vegetables, and other toppings made it easy for me to make a salad just how I liked it. (I am very particular when it comes to salads.) The soups were hot, which was so nice to warm my insides from a cold winter day. The breads were made fresh each day, the best I had ever eaten. Their cheese stollens, cinnamon rolls, are huge! They taste wonderful! On Saturday, they had their hot dinner buffet. Home tasting meals added to my stay. They have such a beautiful historic building they are working to restore. What a neat place! They have events that go on throughout the months that make it enjoyable. Nearby are many attractions to keep you busy. This is the place to come to. Thank you so much Thee Abbey Kitchen & Arcadia Academy for making my stay so enjoyable! I will be back!

Great place to stop for homemade ice cream after hiking at Taum Sauk state park. The lady who runs the restaurant was very nice and answered a bunch of questions we had about the area. Wish we would have stopped here for lunch instead of the Huddle House in Fredericktown.

This is the second time my wife and I have eaten here and the food keeps getting better and better. There bread is simply the best.