Gingham's Homestyle Restaurant   

The 24-hour diner is about as American as you can get -- where comfort food is served at all hours, coffee comes in a carafe, cigarette smoke inundates the air, and you can dine alone and not feel like a loser. At Gingham's there's no flashy decor to define the ambiance, just a bar and dining room where older folks feel at home chatting away about world events on weekday afternoons, college kids can stumble in to a late-night meal after the bars close and extended families can meet to catch up on Sundays after church. The monstrous menu offers traditional breakfast items like pancakes, french toast and all kinds of omelets, while classic lunch choices include burgers and sandwiches. Those in search of supper would be smart to order the meatloaf or fried chicken. The St. Charles and Mehlville locations are spaced out enough so that just about anybody has easy enough access to Gingham's great breakfast experience.