Kansas City is on the western edge of Missouri, near the Kansas state line. It is famous for its BBQ and jazz history.
Kansas City (often abbreviated to KC) is the most populous city in Missouri. With a population of over 500,000, it is the 36th most populous city in the United States. Here are the 15 best restaurants in Kansas City, MO:
Cascone’s
$$ | (816) 454-7977 | WEBSITE
Cascone’s is a family-owned restaurant serving authentic Italian food to Kansas City residents. It was first opened in 1954 by the Cascone family and is still owned by the same family.
Menu items include authentic Italian dishes mixed with modern Italian cuisine. For example, you can order fried calamari and Italian Nachos (pasta chips topped with cheese sauce, sausage, onions, and peppers) as appetizers.
Pasta dishes include Fettucine Alfredo and Rigatoni Pasta OBG with butter and vegetables. In addition, Cascone’s offers combination plates with multiple options if you can’t decide what to order.
Dinner items include grilled salmon, orange roughy, and veal parmigiana. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Jasper’s Italian Restaurant
$ | (816) 941-6600 | WEBSITE
Jasper’s Italian Restaurant opened up in 1954, serving authentic Italian food to Kansas City residents. Lunch items include paninis, salads, soups, bruschetta, and pasta dishes.
They also offer specialties such as the Sicilian Pork Chop, Pesce San Pietro, and Eggplant Othello. Jasper’s dinner menu includes more Italian deliciousness, such as Lobster Raviolo, Linguine and Clams, Pollo Saltimbocca, and Liver & Onions.
Finally, if you’re in the mood for veal, there are six different variations of veal entrees. Whatever you decide to order, you will not be disappointed. Open for lunch Monday through Friday. Open for dinner service Monday through Saturday.
Scott’s Kitchen and Catering at Hangar 29
$$ | (816) 270-0505 | WEBSITE
Scott’s Kitchen comes from several years of BBQ cook-offs and many 1st place awards. In 2017, Scott’s Kitchen came to life as a BBQ restaurant, but they also serve breakfast, burritos, sandwiches, tacos, and wings.
If you’ve worked up quite an appetite, they offer a sampler BBQ platter where you can try all of the different meats and sides. But you don’t have to do that; you can order a single meat platter or a rack of ribs.
If you’re not craving bbq, try one of their taco plates, such as shrimp tacos or pulled rib tacos. Sandwiches include a Ghost Pepper Sausage Sandwich on a Hoagie and a Burnt Ends sandwich.
Finally, if you happen to be there in the morning, try one of their breakfast dishes. You can order brisket and egg tacos, among many other delicious options. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Friday.
Jack Stack Barbecue | Freight House
$$ | (816) 472-7427 | WEBSITE
Located in the Freight House Building, Jack Stack Barbecue serves Kansas City residents local bbq. Appetizers include items such as Jalapeno cornbread and Smoked Salmon Dip.
Entrees include typical BBQ dinners such as spare ribs, brisket, turkey, and pulled pork. However, the menu also includes wings, stuffed baked potatoes, burnt ends, delicious sandwiches, and grilled meats.
If you’re not feeling like a heavy dinner, they also offer soup and salads such as Burnt End Stew, Grilled Salmon Spinach Salad, or Smoked Chicken Chopped Salad. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Caleb’s Breakfast & Lunch
$$ | (816) 321-2025 | WEBSITE
Caleb’s Breakfast & Lunch is a casual restaurant serving Kansas City residents delicious breakfast and lunch items.
Breakfast includes specialty items such as Caramel Nut French Toast, The King Waffle, and Cinnamon Apple Pancakes topped with Pecans. They also offer egg dishes like breakfast tacos, shrimp, and grits over eggs.
The menu continues with breakfast sandwiches, omelets, and all-American breakfast specialties. And if you’re feeling healthy, they also offer oatmeal with fruit and Greek yogurt.
The lunch menu is long, with salads, sandwiches, and wraps options. Try their Fritter sandwich or their Turkey Reuben for something different. Open daily for breakfast and lunch.
Coast to Coast Pub (Martin City Brewing Company)
$$ | (816) 268-2222 | WEBSITE
What began as a modest brewpub in Martin City in 2013 has grown into a Kansas City institution. Martin City Brewing Company opened Coast to Coast Pub first.
However, don’t be fooled by the “pub” in the name, as Coast to Coast’s food is anything but standard pub fare. Appetizers include everything from Tuna Tartare, Steamed PEI Mussels, and Goat Cheese Bruschetta.
Their entrees range from Fisherman’s Stew to a Grilled Kansas City Strip steak if you’ve got more of an appetite. If you like mac and cheese, they serve four different varieties on their menu (with various add-ons available).
And they also serve standard pub fare like burgers, tacos, and sandwiches. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Chelly’s Cafe
$ | (816) 259-7483 | WEBSITE
Chelly’s Cafe is a Mexican restaurant serving Kansas City, MO residents. They take great satisfaction in delivering genuine Mexican cuisine prepared with the freshest ingredients.
Salsas are created fresh throughout the day to ensure the best flavor, and guacamole is made tableside with the best Haas avocados. Their menu is extensive, serving everything from enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, and tacos.
Appetizers include mini chimichangas and crispy taquitos. Delicious burrito items include Marky’s Big Mama Burrito and their Burrito Caliente.
You can find just all of the standard Mexican fare on their menu and unique items, including a Mexican-style Jambalaya and Popeye’s Enchiladas.
Chelly’s offers various Taco Salads and a Santa Fe Salad and Grilled Chicken Salad if you prefer lighter fare. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Red Door Woodfired Grill
$$ | (816) 621-3424 | WEBSITE
This location is one of six in the Kansas City region. Regardless of where you dine, make sure you’re hungry! Red Door Woodfired Grill makes everything from scratch.
Then they use a blend of hickory, pecan, and oak to give it that delicious smoky flavor. Appetizers include Killer Calamari, Prime Rib Eggrolls, and Sheetpan Nachos. They also serve tantalizing soups and salads such as Chimichurri Salmon or Thai Chicken Salad.
You might think you can’t eat anymore, but there are many delicious menu items, from their Fried Jalapeno Chicken Sandwich to Big Gary’s Meatloaf and Whiskey-Soaked Prime Rib.
If you are there on the weekend, their brunch is drool-worthy. They have options like Prime Rib Hash, Warm Beignets, and KC’s Best Pancakes. Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner. Open weekends for brunch and dinner.
The Antler Room
$$$ | (816) 605-1967 | WEBSITE
The Antler Room was born by two very experienced culinary and restaurant people. After stints in New York, San Francisco, and Denmark, Leslie and Nick Goellner opened The Antler Room.
While the menu is not extensive, it’s apparent that a lot of thought goes into each menu item. For example, they offer Beef Tartare topped with puffed chips, vinegar, walnuts, and shitake mushrooms.
Other appetizers include Doenjang Egg Salad Tostada and Fairytale Eggplant. Main entrees include Duck Leg Confit, Icelandic Lamb, or Shokupan. Open for dinner only Wednesday through Sunday.
The Russell
$$ | (816) 492-7557 | WEBSITE
The Russell is a comfortable place to dine with delicious food. You can find burgers such as The Russell Burger, topped with truffle aioli, gouda cheese, arugula, and onion.
The menu also has sandwiches such as their Steak Chimi served with gorgonzola and chimichurri on a baguette or a BLT on grilled bread.
In addition, The Russell offers bowls such as their Salmon Bowl, including salmon topped with almonds, bacon, and goat cheese.
Entrees include everything from fish & chips to a delicious ribeye. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
The Westside Local
$$ | (816) 997-9089 | WEBSITE
Westside Local does its best to promote local farms and businesses. This allows them to provide you with the freshest ingredients and a farm-to-table eating experience.
You’ll find entrees such as Garlic Cream Pasta, Mac & Cheese, and their Beef and Broccoli Bowl. In addition, they’ve got a Bison Burger, a Cubano Sandwich, and a Jalapeno and Jam Burger if you prefer a handheld item.
If you want something on the lighter side, there’s always the Arugula and Spinach Salad or the Kale Salad with almonds and fried shallots.
And if you just want some small bites, The Westside Local has your back. You can order a Cheese Board, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Plate, or Cripsy Brussel Sprouts. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday.
The Combine
$ | (816) 895-3036 | WEBSITE
The Combine is located in a historic former Wonder Bread factory, and they are the exclusive caterer, with an original Wonder Bread truck from the 1950s as its centerpiece.
The Combine serves a variety of delicious deli sandwiches, salads, and Pizza 51 pizza.
They named it ‘The Combine’ because they wanted it to be a location where folks from all around Kansas City could come together and enjoy the food and each other.
Menu items include simple things like a Fluffernutter (made with Wonder Bread, of course) and specialty pizzas like the Cowtown Lovers Pizza.
They’ve also got an assortment of cold and hot sandwiches, such as a Hummus Wrap and a Turkey Panini. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Cozy Thai Restaurant
$$ | (816) 943-0999 | WEBSITE
Cozy Thai Restaurant offers weekday lunch specials and a bento box option. Cozy Thai serves deep-fried rolls such as a Crabmeat Tempura Roll or a Spicy Crunchy Roll. Their cooked rolls include an Eel Roll and a Salmon Teriyaki Roll.
They also offer raw rolls such as their Orange Dragon and Rainbow rolls. If you prefer sushi maki rolls, they also provide a selection of those.
You can get your Cozy Thai fix any day of the week except Monday. Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.
801 Chophouse
$$$$ | (816) 994-8800 | WEBSITE
801 Chophouse is located in Kansas City’s Power and Light District. As a chophouse, they offer quite an extensive list of steaks.
You’ll find everything from a fourteen-ounce American Wagyu Strip to a dry-aged bone-in Delmonico steak to a bone-in prime rib.
The steaks are delectable, but you can top them with options like black truffle butter, cognac cream, or Maytag bleu cheese.
Their appetizers are just as savory, with options such as Roasted Marrow Bones, Pancetta-Wrapped Scallops, and Roasted Oysters.
Although they are a chophouse, they also serve a 2 1/2 pound Maine Lobster, Alaskan King Crab Legs, and a Double Bone-in Pork Chop. Open for dinner daily.
Bay Boy Specialty Sandwiches
$ |(816) 673-3960 | WEBSITE
Bay Boy Specialty Sandwiches serves just that- sandwiches. You’ll find cold and hot sandwiches and some featured sandwiches.
What makes them different from ordinary sandwich shops is their bread; they use Dutch Crunch bread for their sandwiches.
Their cold sandwiches include the Bay Boy (with salami, mayo, mustard, and house-made hot pepper sauce) and The Wiz (with bananas, Nutella, PB, and bacon).
Hot sandwiches include their Hot Pastrami (with horseradish and swiss cheese) and The Bandit (with roast beef, jam, and spicy horseradish). Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Summary
Regardless of whether you’re a Kansas City native or just visiting, we hope you get to enjoy one of the 15 best restaurants in Kansas City, Missouri!
You’ll find everything from the famous Kansas City BBQ to Wagyu steaks and everything in between. Enjoy!
