8 Undeniable Differences Between The Eastern And Western Parts Of Missouri
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Liz Oliver
Author
Missouri is such a great state, but at many times we seem divided. It doesn’t help that our two most populous cities are on the exact opposite sides of the state. At times, eastern and western residents are really quite at odds. Here are some of the undeniable differences between eastern and western parts of Missouri.
Everyone in Missouri loves baseball, but we're not all rooting for the same team. On the eastern side of the state you'll find die hard Cardinals fans. In the west you'll see Royals fans all over town! The two teams even have a friendly rivalry.
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While both sides of Missouri are bordered (at least, in many places) by rivers, the states largest cities are quite different. St. Louis is older and boasts the Arch, but Kansas City is larger and still growing.
In St. Louis Budweiser is still king. Eastern Missourians even have their own brew, Bud Select. On the western side of the state Boulevard wears the crown. This large scale, craft brewery is great at making a refreshing stadium beer and spectacular seasonal ale.
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On the western side of the state you'll hear locals rave about Minsky's hand-tossed pizzas. Each pizza is topped generously with real mozzarella. On the eastern side of the state, provel is the cheese of choice. Imo's has perfected St. Louis style pizza and makes a mouthwatering-thin crust pizza.
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Barbecue is great on both sides of the state. However, you'll find distinctly different flavors on each side of the state. Eastern Missourians cannot get enough ribs, while western Missourians love great burnt ends. Each dish can be appreciated all over Missouri, but you'll see regional preferences when it comes to everyone's favorite barbecue meal.
The only time you can see Schnucks (pronounced sh-nooks) and Hy-Vee in the same town is right in the heart of the state, Columbia. That's when you finally realize that Schnucks is only on the eastern side of the state and Hy-Vee is only on the western side. Eastern Missourians are really missing out on Hy-Vee Chinese!
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Did you know that Panera actually started in St. Louis? You do if you've ever lived in or met someone from St. Louis. Those on the eastern side of the state remember this fine establishment solely as Bread Co. and you'll still hear them call it that today.
Likely the second biggest east vs. west debate (just behind Cards vs. Royals) is pop vs. soda. Most of the east calls it soda, while most of the west calls it pop. Should we call it a truce and just go with soda pop?
What other differences do you notice between eastern and western Missouri? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Looking for a reason to visit both sides of the state? You can see almost all of Missouri on this haunted road trip across the state.
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