The season of Lent is also the season of Friday night Fish Fries in St. Louis. St. Louis has a long tradition in their Catholic parishes of attending fish fries as a way of observing the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent. Lent starts Wednesday March 5, 2025 and runs to Thursday April 17, 2025. If you don’t see your favorite one listed let us know and we can add it.
Fishing for Lenten Fish
By Suzanne Corbett, STLSportsPage.com Food/Travel Editor
Ash Wednesday ushers in the Christian season of Lent with the time-honored tradition of community fish fris. From now until Good Friday churches, VFW Halls and countless non-profits will fry tons of fish. Each frying fish using their own special recipes for fish and sides.
We all have our favorite locations that will contribute to the weekly tonnage of Lenten Friday fish fried. Perhaps it’s the traditional church fish fry or the one sponsored by the local legion hall. Maybe it’s a restaurant special or a pop-up fry, which is currently trending is another great choice. Of those choices I’ve shared my top picks for this year’s fish fry catch. However, the best fried fish anywhere is the fish you catch and fry yourself.
Fishing locations is a subject of another story, but until then, if you choose to fry your own fish, here’s the secret. Deep fat frying.
Deep fat frying is easy to master. Just follow these tips, which begins with the oil. Don’t overheat the oil. If the oil begins to smoke, it’s too hot and a sign that the oil is breaking down and will affect the flavor of the fish. Optimum cooking temperature for fish is about 375 – 380 degrees. Fry in small batches. Small batches are easier to control while large batches can lower oil temperatures, preventing perfect frying. And use the right tools to get the fish in and out of oil safely – long handled tongs, slotted spoons or a fry basket.
Since fish fries up fast, be ready to remove it from the oil and drain on paper towels. To keep fish warm until you’re ready to serve, place on a rack on a baking sheet, then place in a 275-degree oven.
The fish I grew up eating in South St. Louis County was jack salmon. The fish of choice found at local fish fries. It was often served with meatless spaghetti. Recipes for each that I included in my first book, Pushcarts & Stalls: The Soulard Market History Cookbook. Retro recipes I’m happily share, along with my picks for this year’s Lenten Fish frys.
4 whole, skinless jack salmons (whiting)
1 cup milk
one lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup white cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
salt and red pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
oil for frying
3/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Place jack salmon in a shallow dish. Pour milk over fish, add lemon slices, cover and chill for an hour. Mix together the cornmeal and flour and place in a shallow dish. Remove fish from milk, season with salt and red pepper; set aside. Beat together the egg and 1/4 cup milk; dip fish in egg mixture, then roll into cornmeal mixture. Using a deep fryer or skillet, set at 375 degrees or medium high, deep fry fish in hot oil until golden brown. This takes about 5-8 minutes. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels. Heat together barbecue sauce and Worcestershire and serve with fried fish.
Makes 2 – 4 servings, depending on the size of the jacks.
Church Lady Spaghetti
2 16-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Italian spice blend
1-pound thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
In a large saucepan heat together the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Add in garlic and Italian spices, bring to the boiling point, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Pour sauce over cooked spaghetti and to
Fish Fry Round-up
American Legion Post 397
934 Rue De La Banque, Creve Coeur, offers lunch and dinner hours: 11 am – 2 pm, and 4:30 – 7 pm every Friday during Lent. Insider tip: Arrive early, especially for lunch. The catch: cod, catfish, clams and shrimp.
St. Ferdinand Catholic Church
1765 Charbonier Road, Florissant, Fridays, a popular location where fish frys are held year-round, from 3- 7:30 PM St Ferd’s is considered one of the area’s oldest fish frys. The catch: Fried or baked cod, shrimp and catfish prepared regular or Cajun style
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
906 Eichelberger Street, St. Louis, Fridays March 7- April 11, 4:30 8 pm. home of the St. Louis Mexican fish fry where dining in includes with mariachis entertainment. The catch: cod, salmon and shrimp with chile rellenos and cheese tamale options.
Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church Fish Fest
1910 Serbian Drive St. Louis, Every Friday during Lent. 5 – 7:30 pm. Serbian side dishes desserts and a full bar. . The catch: catfish, tilapia, boiled shrimp, and baked cod with creole sauce.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2618 S. Brentwood Blvd., St. Louis, Every Friday during Lent except Good Friday, 4:30 – 7:30pm. home of the original drive-in fish fry and the God’s Cod platter. The catch: Cod, baked salmon, fish tacos and gumbo.
American Legion Post 400
2 Gravois Road, Fenton MO, Fridays from 3- 7pm or until sold out. Perched near the banks of the Meramec River in Fenton, the Legion’s community fish fries on Fridays now until June. The Catch: Cod, shrimp, and whole catfish and boneless filets,
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
4556 Telegraph Road, St. Louis, Fridays including Good Friday, from 4-7 pm, where hand breaded jack salmon is still a specialty and meatless spaghetti rules. The Catch, Cod (square and nuggets), jack salmon, catfish, shrimp. And crab cakes.
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
12550 South 40 Drive, St. Louis, Fridays March 14, 21 and 28, from 4 – 7 pm offers its Greek Style Fish Fry. The catch fried and baked fish served with optional sides of spanakopita, Greek Mac n Cheese and desserts
Restaurant fish fry standouts
Located in historic Lafayette Square 1415 18th Street, St. Louis.
Fish Fry every Friday March 7 thru April 11 from 4:30pm-9pm (or until sold out)
The catch: a fish and three side plate of beer battered white fish or gulf popcorn shrimp, plated with sweet, braised onions, whipped potatoes, green beans, creamy slaw and a dinner roll
Grace Meat + Three’s Lenten Pop-up Fish Fry
Food truck pop-up at 8654 Watson Road, St Louis, (former King Edward’s location), Grace’s soon to be second location, will open for hot fish Friday during lent 3:30 – 7:30pm. The catch: Southern fried Mississippi catfish and shrimp.
Gioia’s Deli
All locations, The King Cod Sandwich is back on Fridays during Lent
Fried cod on a toasted garlic cheese bread with mac n cheese and sprinkled with a layer of Old Vienna Red Hot Riplets, try the Classic Cod garlic cheese bread
