The St. Louis Mosaic Project has a big goal: By 2025, make St. Louis the fastest-growing major metropolitan area for people born outside the U.S.
The project, an initiative of World Trade Center St. Louis, is among a network of local programs and organizations that work to ease the transition of resettling in the region. And U.S. Census data show that St. Louis is making progress toward that target. As recently as 2018, St. Louis was among the metro areas with the fastest-growing foreign-born populations, at 4.1%, outpacing the national growth of 0.5%.
Foreign-born people make up just over 5%, or about 130,500 residents, of the St. Louis region's population, according to the 2020 census. Immigrants resettle in St. Louis for various reasons, including job opportunities, universities and seeking asylum.
Groups helping foreign-born people establish new lives in St. Louis fill various niches:
- The International Institute and St. Louis Mosaic Project take comprehensive approaches toward resettling immigrants in the region, such as providing networking job opportunities and English language learning classes.
- Welcome Neighbor STL and Oasis International focus on connecting refugee families to community and resources, such as household items, clothes and networking events.
- Casa de Salud works to provide medical and mental health services for immigrants and refugees without health insurance.
- Bilingual International Assistant Services is providing newly arrived Afghans who suffer from combat-related trauma with mental health support.
International grocery stores
Food can be an ultimate source of comfort for immigrants and way to stay connected with a piece of home. Here’s a list of international markets across the region that have food items not generally found in chain grocery stores:
General international
- Global Foods Market: 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood
- Jay’s International Foods: 3172 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis
- United Provisions: 6241 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis
Middle Eastern
- Al-Amier Market: 1139 N. Hwy. 67, Florissant
- WorldWide International Market: 7238 N. Lindbergh Blvd., Hazelwood
- Hebron Market: 1786 Zumbehl Road, St. Charles
- Salam Market: 14063 Manchester Road, Manchester
African
- Zain's African International Store: 3949 Gravois Ave., St. Louis
- East Africa Grocery: 3616 Chippewa St., St. Louis
East Asian
- Olive Supermarket: 8041 Olive Blvd., St. Louis
- Universal Food Market: 4330 S. Broadway, St. Louis
- World Market-Chợ Quốc Tế: 3900 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis
- Pan-Asia Supermarket: 14246 Manchester Road, Manchester
- East East Oriental Market: 13365 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield
- East Seoul Oriental Grocery: 9622 Olive Blvd., Olivette
Balkan
- Eman Euro Market: 6035 Telegraph Road, St. Louis
- Europa Market: 5005 Gravois Ave., St. Louis
South Asian
- Akbar Grocery: 10606 Page Ave., Overland
- Ambia Foods: 12264 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton
- Asian Spices: 1928 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights
- Bharath Bazaar: 15809 Manchester Road, Ellisville
- Bombay Bazar: 1761 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield
- Desi Bazaar: 14033 Manchester Road, Manchester
- KrishnaVeni Foods: 943 Waterbury Falls Drive, O’Fallon, MO
- Saino STL Grocery: 4812 Forman Road, Afton
- Seema: 10635 Page Ave. and 14238 Manchester Road
- Spice Bazaar: 3449 Pheasant Meadow Drive, O’Fallon, MO
- Taj Market: 3243 Gravois Ave., St. Louis
Mexican-Latin American
- Carniceria Latino Americana: 2800 Cherokee St., St. Louis
- La Tienda International: 7459 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis
- El Toluco Taqueria and Grocery: 14234 Manchester Road, Manchester
- El Torito: 2753 Cherokee St., St. Louis
- El Morelia Super Mercado: 12005 St. Charles Rock Road
Bridgeton - Mi Tierra Bonita: 3203 Collinsville Road, Fairmont City
- Tienda El Ranchito: 2565 N. 32nd Street., Fairmont City
- Tienda El Maguey: 8406 Collinsville Road, Collinsville
- La Jerezana: Tienda Mexicana, 4618 N. Illinois St., Fairview Heights
If you have any questions, comments, grocery stores or ideas to add to this resource guide, email us at welcome@stlpr.org.
