Telva at The Ridge — Restaurant in Webster Groves

I am so excited that the owners of Balkan Treat Box decided to open up another restaurant! I absolutely love Balkan and Southern Greek food and believe they do a fantastic job showcasing their heritage in The States.

My friend and I went to Telva on a Friday around noon. There was ample space, not too crowded and no line when we arrived. They have a similar setup to their other establishment where you will need to grab a menu, order at the counter, find a table/be directed to one, and they will bring the food to you. If you don't travel with your own water bottle then find your way over to the water station and grab some while you wait. I GREATLY appreciated that they have eco-friendly cups and togo containers 😍 also that there is ample room between the tables.

The menu itself is rather small but if you have any questions, the staff will help to walk you through the dishes. Not everything can be made vegetarian, but there is a good amount that is. The person helping take orders that day was extremely kind, patient, and descriptive with his explanation of the dishes. I originally wanted to order the last item on the menu (forgetting the name here) but my friend and I actually ended up ordering the same thing- Turkish eggs (Çılbır).

Let me tell you, I have actually dreamt of this dish ever since eating it. There is a beautifully balanced garlicky yogurt generously encompassing the bottom of the plate. On Top is drizzled with a flavorful and rich Aleppo- brown butter and tomato sauce. Two happy eggs rest buoyantly over top and the whole thing is garnished with a plethora of fresh herbs. Two pieces of clearly homemade bread await your palate. The eggs are somewhere between poached and fried (possibly cooked in a saute pan and steamed once they set) The yokes and a rich yellow and ooze out into the bay of goodness that awaits them below.

To eat- I took the bread in one hand and a spoon in the other. Surgically mounting the bread to compose the most perfect bites. Even after the bread was devoured, I happily continued eating the rest with the spoon. Honestly, this dish is the closest thing to perfection that I have had in a while.

I do hope that Telva feels encouraged to continue to serve traditional Balkan food to the STL area. Because we need more of the regional cuisine!!

I also ordered the tahini bun togo. It reminded me more of a cinnamon roll that was elongated and twisted into a wreath then topped with a tangly but sweet tahini sauce. While it was delicious it was not what I expected and I do feel there is some room for improvement. I was expecting some cardamom, orange, and maybe even some rose flavors. Nevertheless it was a great late afternoon snack.

Overall, I am thrilled to have Telva and I cannot wait to go back. I do hope to try more menu items but honestly I will be happy if I eat their Çılbır everyday for the rest of my...

Overall, the food is delicious, but the wait is crazy on a Sunday. Only come on the weekends if you don’t mind waiting a long time.

WAIT TIME: Got here at 9:30am on a Sunday. We waited in a long line for 45 mins. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth waiting that long for any place but I really wanted to try it, so I stayed this time. We saw many people leave the line in front of us, so it seems many agree. Pastry and coffee came pretty fast after we were seated and the plates took another 15 mins to come. We were there for a total of 1.5 hrs, which we were not wanting to be out for that long.

FOOD: I got the chocolate povitica, the cilbir, and the 12oz cupavac latte. My partner got the breakfast sendvic and a drip coffee. The chocolate povitica was quite good, it tasted like a chocolate monkey bread slice. The latte tasted fine, to be honest it tasted like a regular latte to me. I could not tell the coconut and chocolate flavors in there. The cilbir was very delicious! The combination of the toast with the eggs and yogurt was quite excellent. The sendvic was also very good, the sausage had a spice flavor I didn’t expect but was tasty.

SERVICE: Order at the counter. Server was nice, but you could tell the wait staff were a bit overwhelmed with the morning Sunday rush.

AMBIANCE: The place is very aesthetically pleasing, lots of plants and plenty of seating inside.

PRICE: Came out to $27 for the pastry, a latte and the cilbir; and $15 for the breakfast sendvic and a coffee. Comparable to other brunch places, but the pastries were a bit on the steeper side. Mine was $6 but some...

Telva is easily a 5/5 once they smooth out their ordering system. the vibes of the interior are pleasing (helped by the fact that they sit above Rolling Ridge), but the weekend rush has made it near impossible to enjoy staying in to eat (though i am glad they’re doing good business). i did manage last sunday to get there early enough to grab a table just for a coffee and some pastries, though the system of the front of house line does take a while even with only two people ahead of me. once i got through the front line things went fast and smooth, and all the staff have been friendly and helpful. i would love to spend more time inside, but considering the wait time one a weekend i don’t see that happening any time soon.

their to-go option is smooth enough, but the ability to order online is usually taken down on weekend mornings, which requires you to call your order in instead. everything was packed and well to go, and they waited until i arrived to make my coffee so it was hot, which was appreciated!

the food itself is fantastic, but i expected nothing else from the people who run balkan treat box. the sloppy mustafa toast, povitica, and tahini bun (which is giant!) are favorites, and the kazandibi latte (at half sweetness) is...