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@lemons: Very well said.

There is no reason why folks can't like Imo's and other pizzas as well. That seems to be something the detractors sometimes don't get. We have some fine pizza spots in town, and their number has increased over the past year or two. But there's room for all of them. Imo's certainly is what our kids crave when they come back to STL for visits.

N.B., be aware that most Imo's is sold as take-out or delivery; many spots don't have eat-in.

It's called "Toasted Ravioli" not "Fried Ravioli," y'all - even if the later is a better description. In addition to toasted ravs, I'd be interested to know if anyone knew the origins of the "St. Paul Sandwich," (egg foo young on a white bun w/ lettuce and mayo) another odd St. Louis food phenomenon.

@hmlicata to each his own. but: while toasted rav has made its way to Chicago (& thank god for that), it definitely did originate in StL. & my husband, who'd never even been to St. Louis until he was 23 years old, was a fan of Imo's from day one. so even people who didn't eat it from infancy are capable of embracing its gooey deliciousness. :)

When I saw this article, I was prepared to defend Imo's to the fullest, but thank you for describing Imo's exactly as it is - comfort food.

@hmlicata — well, if st. louis didn't come up with the fried ravioli, i'd love to see an article here on where it came from. i've never seen it anywhere else, much less seen anywhere else lay claim to its creation. let's get to the bottom of this! : )

Another native St. Louisan here (wish I could go back there), adding her voice to the Imo's chorus. I've had better pizzas, sure, artisan potato, Neapolitan pizza margherita, blahdy blah blah.

But Imo's is one of those memory foods for St. Louisans like toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake or an Amighetti's special. I remember going to an Imo's on Hampton Avenue with my parents after a college hockey game at the Arena. It was a special treat.

By the way, my brother says that one good thing about wearing dentures is that you can't feel it when the Imo's burns the roof of your mouth. Ha!

@eating the road: Looks like you can order it here. Just might have to try it myself...

I just had a hamburger at Blueberry Hill covered in provel like, literally, 30 minutes ago. Mmm.

I've lived in St Louis for the past 20 years and Imo's and their Provel cheese still hasn't grown on me, but if somebody else is paying for it I will eat it, just won't spend my money on it.

Please understand that Imo's is not the best pizza in St. Louis. It's not even close. If you want a really good STL pizza you need to go to Faracci's in Ferguson or Angelo's in Black Jack. Give 'em a shot.

First of all, it's not the best pizza in the world but when you grow up in the middle of Missouri it's a damn nice treat. The first time I ever tried an Imo's pizza it was with my mom, we were shopping for school clothes before the next school year, and she wanted to take me to this pizza place. Up until then I had only had Pizza Hut and homemade pizza, which I liked as a 4th grader. She ordered it the way she got it in college: shrimp with bacon and let me tell you though, this pizza was like a revolution in my mouth.

Trying it now I can complain about the sauce and the crust and the shrimp being little frozen guys or whatever--but that seems so cynical and like a disrespect to the 9 year old me who loved it so much.

The best way to enjoy an Imo's pizza is to just go with it--open eyes, no expectations, no comparisons, and just enjoy a tasty little pizza.

...and eat it fast, because yeah--the cheese does get a little glue-y when it cools. :)

@courtguerra, i'm with you! although my tastes have significantly broadened and developed over the years, as a st. louis native (who longs to go back!), i am quick to defend imo's and provel. i love the somewhat... metallic(?) taste and the way it burns the roof of your mouth. yummm.