Old Town Florissant: A Historic Business District in North St. Louis County
Florissant is one of the oldest cities in the St. Louis area. It was likely settled by the French around the same time St. Louis itself was being built. The French organized a government there in 1786, originally calling the town Fleurissant, which is French for blooming. In the 20th century, it took on its current name, but it remained by and large a small village until the post-World War II suburban boom, which saw Florissant — like many other parts of St. Louis County — grow rapidly in population.
In 1969, during the height of postwar suburbanization, the city formally created the Florissant Old Town Historic District with the intention of preserving the older parts of town, including some buildings dating back to the 19th century. If you pass through Old Town Florissant, you’ll see some older homes and possibly a golf cart or two used by local residents.
The heart of the district is a business corridor on and around Rue St. Francois Street, a street that includes City Hall. There you can find some cool businesses, including a few of the more memorable eateries in North County.
Getting There
Old Town Florissant (Google Maps link) occupies several blocks of the City of Florissant in North County. Much of Old Town consists of homes, with slices of it zoned for government and business establishments. It’s not far north of I-270 in North County, and it is accessible from the Lindbergh (US 67), New Florissant (MO-N), or Washington / Elizabeth exits.
Parking
There is parking all along Old Town, including street parking and various parking lots. Some of the larger lots can be found at Old Ferdinand Shrine (Google Maps link), Riviere Plaza (Google Maps link), across from City Hall (Google Maps link), and, if the gate is open, the Knights of Columbus (Google Maps link). Most, if not all, parking in Old Town is free. Depending on where you park, you might have to cross a bigger street like St. Ferdinand or New Florissant, although there are lights and crosswalks on those roads.
Costs and Considerations
On a normal day, Old Town is no more than moderately busy, and at certain times before businesses open it can be quiet. Things can pick up at lunch or on weekends, and the major streets can get busier in and around rush hour.
There are two days of note when Old Town gets quite crowded. One is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Festival, and 5K Run, which happens on or near St. Patrick’s Day. The other is Valley of Flowers, a multi-day festival and parade that usually takes place in May. Both of those events use much of Rue St. Francois Street and typically part of New Florissant Road as the parade route, with those streets closed and crowds lining the sidewalks. Even side streets can fill up, especially for Valley of Flowers.
Things to Do
You can find various businesses and establishments throughout Old Town.
The corner of St. Ferdinand Street and Washington plays host to several notable eateries. BJ’s Bar and Restaurant is a dive bar that sells the likes of pizza and beer, and it is covered inside with old posters and political signs from Florissant and North County history. Across the street sits Helfer’s Pastries, a delightful seller of pastries and other foods, and Big Belly Deli, a very good sandwich shop that opened in 2023. Next door to Helfer’s sits Mann Meats, a nationally recognized takeout BBQ place known for its charity and its signature yellow bus. On the other side of BJ’s is Goeke’s Produce, a retailer of all things fruits and vegetables, plus a large selection of spices.
On the east side of Old Town runs New Florissant Road. Here you can find Crest Bowl, a classic bowling alley in Florissant, as well as Fritz’s Frozen Custard and, farther south, Doozle’s Frozen Custard. Across from Fritz’s on New Florissant you can find Old Town Donuts, a 24/7 shop so good it recently won a national donut store faceoff.
The main artery of Old Town is Rue St. Francois Street. On the west end, you can visit the St. Ferdinand Shrine, which is open to tours by appointment.
Proceeding east on St. Francois, you’ll pass by a number of businesses, including Made. By Lia, an up-and-coming bakery whose owner recently published a cookbook, and Florissant City Diner, a local hot spot for breakfast and lunch.
Arguably the best restaurant in Florissant — and maybe in North County — can be found on Jefferson Street just a few blocks north of Rue St. Francois. Hendel’s Restaurant occupies what was once a grocery store, and it serves great food in a beautifully vintage space.
It’s worth noting that, while food and drink dominate the Old Town scene, there are other establishments, too. Walking through the area in mid-2025, I spotted antique shops, comic book stores, churches, government buildings, a florist, an optometrists’ office, and various other businesses. You can also find plenty of residential streets, too, including homes that look like a page out of history.
Our Thoughts
Old Town Florissant is a little different than other districts in St. Louis. It’s not as trendy as the Delmar Loop and isn’t as vintage and touristy as Historic Main Street in St. Charles. Still, it has its charms, especially during big events like Valley of Flowers. It’s also got a handful of really good restaurants that are worth considering if you are in the area.
If you’re one for walkable shopping districts, Old Town warrants a look.
