One of our absolute favorite restaurants in St. Louis is Aya Sofia Restaurant, which is conveniently within walking distance of our neighborhood. Aya Sofia is located along Chippewa in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood. From the road the restaurant is non-assuming, but there are actually two nice-sized patios, providing visitors some nice outdoor seating options. The first patio is covered and surrounded by flowers, the other side is a pergola with vines creeping around. Inside the dining room is small and intimate. Along each of the walls are private style booths with ornate pillows, and then a few tables along the middle.

We have visited a couple times and each time had a lovely dining experience. Aya Sofia is known for Turkish cuisine, but also features some Lebanese dishes. Each time we have visited we have tried a couple different Turkish and Lebanese red wines, which have been absolutely wonderful. Each wine has been flavorful, but not overwhelming, making for a great dinner wine. Since we have visited a couple times we have been able to have an assortment of dishes including humus, sigra boregi, sarma, tabuli, sis kebaps, the Iskender, and the manti. Each dish has been absolutely incredible, well-made, and delicious, but the manti is probably our favorite. Afterwards we have finished with some tasty baklava. For those who enjoy coffee, they also offer visitors the opportunity to grab a cup of Turkish coffee. The menu is quite large, providing an assortment of dishes, but Aya Sofia also has a variety of meatless options, ensuring there is a nice variety of dishes for everyone to enjoy.  Each time we have visited Aya Sofia, we have had a lovely dining experience.