When you think of the Midwest, the mind doesn’t stray too far from food: wide open fields of corn and potatoes; images of sizzling barbeques; and big farming families coming together over a meal. Kansas City doesn’t disappoint: there are several great dining choices, and these six venues from Italian and French inspired to classic American are worth a visit.
Planted in Kansas City’s Crossroads neighborhood, the Parlor is a collection of 7 restaurants that rotate every few years with the hopes that they open a storefront location at the end of their lease. The three level space has various spots for you to lounge and eat: a living room area, library, den, and a 2nd story garden patio. Take the Vildhast KC booth, where you can order German-inspired dishes like Danish fries; curried fries; and Swedish fish soda. Red Top Detroit is another booth that offers savory pizza topped with tomato sauce and cream cheese.
Located at City Market, the Farmers’ Market can be reached by riding the KC Streetcar to Union Station. The region’s largest farmer’s market is open 7am to 3pm from April through October; and 9am-3pm November through March. You can sample and purchase food from over 150 vendor stalls –many of them local farmers and producers.
If you’re craving healthy bites and fresh pressed juices, head to The Unbakery and Juicery located in the East Brookside neighborhood in Kansas City. The ‘grab and go’ style restaurant was reimagined inside a 1960′s A-Frame building originally built as a bank. The old teller’s window is now the drive through window and the safe on the inside is used as the coffee bar. Choose from a selection of gluten free pastries like coconut and chocolate chip muffins and fresh juices like “Citrus”, “Green”, and “Root”.
At the French and Italian inspired restaurant, you can watch chefs prepare food on the chefs counter, similar to a mild version of a cable series chef show. You can watch the methodical movements of the staff as they weave around each other like a dance. The watch and wait is worth it: try the Kansas City shrimp (Kansas City Shrimp Co. bred in tanks) with squid ink and tofu puree and arugula; the whole grilled seabass; or the rabbit pot pie.
The owner of Ca Va Champagne Bar, Caitlin Corcoran is one of the top women in KC hospitality and recently just received the James Beard Foundation 2018 Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellowship. You can order champagne in the moody venue along with small bites like mushroom tartine, duck fat kettle corn, and coffee cake.
This is the second restaurant from Harry Murphy, owner of the City Market’s Harry’s Country Club. Have brunch on the patio at Brown and Loe, which is adjacent to Kansas City’s historic City Market. The establishment is housed in a former Merchant’s Bank constructed in 1920. While taking in the façade of plate glass and verde marble floors and walls, try popular brunch menu items like the freshly baked donut holes; baby kale salad with nuts, cheese, and beets; shrimp and grits; and biscuits and gravy.
