Kansas City is known for its barbecue. You start with beef, pork, chicken or even fish, rub it with spices and cook it real slow over a variety of woods. It’s then finished off with a thick tomato-based barbecue sauce.
But Kansas City is also increasingly becoming known for its more inventive cuisines—and desserts. Keep reading to get a jump on planning your next big night out.
Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue
Some people call this the best barbecue in America. Founded in the 1920s, Bryant’s offers up a straightforward menu of barbecue sandwiches (including burnt ends) and ribs, along with baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and fries for sides. But it’s the prep behind the simple presentation that makes this place so scrumptious. The meat is smoked using hickory and fruit wood and slathered in a sauce that has attracted presidents, celebrities—as well as plenty of locals—for decades.
Bluestem
This restaurant has racked up a slew of accolades since opening in 2004, including being named as a 2015, 2016, and 2017 James Beard Semifinalist for “Outstanding Restaurant.” It’s owned by husband-and-wife team Megan and Colby Garrelts. Colby is responsible for what he calls “progressive American cuisine,” while Megan handles the “new varieties of American desserts.” The result is a menu with entrees such as grilled angus ribeye with sweet onion, oyster mushroom, confit potatoes, sweet corn, and veal jus. Follow that up with pumpkin and spice cake served with goat cheese, pecans, and sage brown butter ice cream.
Pierpont’s at Union Station
If you’re looking for classic, this is it. Named for a railroad baron, Pierpont’s still has its original smoking room and women’s waiting room. As for the menu, everything’s good, but the real draw is the seafood and steak. Dine on Kansas City strip, royal Siberian sturgeon or Rappahannock River oysters from the Chesapeake Bay area. No time for a sit-down dinner? Stop by the lounge during Happy Hour for the Prime KC Strip Sliders, served with house-made kimchi and roasted coriander crema on egg buns.
Port Fonda
Chef Patrick Ryan started out cooking his inventive Mexican cuisine in a food truck. Now, with his own brick-and-mortar restaurant, he’s serving up food that’s caught the eye of food critics across the country. You can play it safe by building your own tacos or dive in to a plate of braised pork belly with black kale and creamed corn or chimichanga served in tomato-habanero cream sauce.
The Westside Local
Looking for a more casual dining option—without sacrificing on quality or taste? Check out this place where the mac & cheese is made with cavatappi, smoked gouda, gruyere, parmesan, and garlic bread crumbs. Or keep it light and try the pumpkin hummus plate or the vegan tomato fennel soup. Our favorite? Show up for “Blunch” on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dig into the lemon curd French toast or the veggie hash burrito.
Kansas City Dining and StorageMart
At StorageMart we’re proud to be involved in the communities we serve—and we also love to enjoy a great meal in them. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our favorite places to dine in Kansas City. Stay tuned for more cool things to see, do, and eat near you.