By Jennifer Young
The number-one best thing to do after an all-nighter in St. Louis is to head to the nearest diner for one of the city’s quintessential late night / early morning meals—the St. Louis Slinger. The darling of all-night diners, the Slinger is a concoction of meat, starch, and cheese. The origins of the Slinger are obscure, but there are a few pioneers who have some claim to the development of this plated feast. As meals go, it pairs deliciously with a nightcap but it’s also delightfully curative for those first hangover pangs.
Although the Slinger is a St. Louis special, it appears to be related to New York’s Garbage Plate —a chili sauce-topped plate full of potatoes, onions, hot dogs, and onions. While similar, the Slinger has a charm all its own. The typical Slinger features two eggs, a hamburger patty, and hash browns topped by chili con carne sauce, cheese, and onions as well as a slice of toast to help you mop up the plate. Diners can enjoy their eggs anyway they prefer, but over easy tends to be most popular. Sometimes the hamburger patty is substituted by sausage patties, a slice of ham, or even a t-bone steak.
