Kansas City Unique Eats

That Something Special 

These places are very special little spots to grab a bite

What happens when you mix great people with fab food in a special spot? Check out these delightful places and you'll see...

Both of these Market/Cafe combos get high marks for "overall wonderful experience". Mini get-aways to Veracruz, Mexico or Turkey without even leaving the city!

Tienda Casa Paloma - Mexican Food

Overland Park, Kansas

A Taste of Veracruz
Made from scratch Mexican, Veracruz Style. Order at the counter.

This little gem on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area was founded by Lisa & Bernardino Lara. It first opened in Union Station in Kansas City, MO, and then moved to Overland Park, KS in 2005. I remember seeing the sign go up and anxiously awaiting the re-opening in the new spot.

Like an authentic south-of-the-border Tienda ("little market") with bare concrete floors, dried spices hanging from the ceiling, fresh plantains, blessing candles and cooking & cleaning products from Mexico and family-friendly environment, this place just oozes charm. Real Mexican sodas, beer and frozen treats. Fresh Salsa bar, cakes and pastries from a local Mexican bakery and house-made flan and the most divine rice pudding round out the dining experience.

Best Tamales and Fish Tacos anywhere, but get them while you can- they never last all day.

Try a Tamale Veracruzan- unlike any tamale you've ever had- corn masa filled with seasoned chicken and steamed in a banana leaf to leave it melt-in-your-mouth moist with a beautiful green patina. Excellente! Did I mention that they serve BREAKFAST ALL DAY? French Toast made with real Mexcian Vanilla and Huevos Rancheros that can't be beat!
Try the spectacular Fish Tacos - (Fridays only- best get there before 7:00, or you may well be out of luck- these go fast!). Seasoned baked (not fried!) tilapia heaped into soft corn tortillas and served with rice, red cabbage and a tangy Chipotle aoli. Light and satisfying!

It's fun to come in and always see something changing. Works from local artists decorate the walls and photos of family and friends grace the the walls and table tops too. This place is never static, but it still maintains the same spirit.
Here you can taste the most important ingredient of all - the love with which it is cooked and served!

WINNNER AOL Cityguide:
"City's Best Mexican Food"

2006
2007




Update:
Casa Paloma South
In the fall of 2007 the Laras sold Casa Paloma and will move to Mexico before the end of the year to live their dream of opening a Bed & Breakfast on the white sand beaches of the Pacific coast of southwestern Mexico: Casa Paloma South! I'll keep you posted...

March of 2008-
Casa Paloma South is open for business! Watch for the website launch and reviews from their very first guests at www.casapaloma.com

Meanwhile-
Tienda Casa Paloma of Overland Park remains OPEN under new ownership in the same location. Please come and visit Armando and support him in continuing this wonderful tradition!

Mediterranean Market

Overland Park, Kansas

A Turkish Delight

Two brothers from Turkey, "John" and "Sean" run this little gem. Lovely people, wonderful food. Order-at-the-counter cafe and Mediterranean grocer all in one: gyros, babaganoosh, hummous, dolmas and more. Great vegetarian platter. The "Eggplant Special" truly is just that. Try it on a little pita with a bit of feta- divine! Turkish Tea served.

The grocery market carries many unusual food and gift items. A supplier of many local restaurants makes this a great place to buy Halal/Kosher meats, bulk spices, beans and pastas. John and Sean are charming and hospitable. Just be sure to take your time here, for the full experience, go when you're not in a rush!

No website here, just a map.

Links to Faboo Frozen Desserts in KC 

Other great places throughout the KC Metropolitain area for Frozen Treats!

Best Frozen Desert: Gelato at Dinky & Coco's Cafe

Gelato is Ice Cream Italian style.

Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard

Frozen Custard.
Kansas City's oldest original custard
2 Locations:
Brookside, Kansas City, MO
Leawood, KS (coming fall 2006)
Kansas City's oldest original custard
Great custard in the heart of Brookside (Kansas City, MO- just south of the Country Club Plaza) and coming soon to Leawood, KS. A tiny no-frills place with a great selection of fresh-made custards & combos at a great mom & pop shop.
No preservatives, no fillers!
Selected as one of the 550 best ice cream parlors in the USA by Shannon Jackson Arnold in her book "Everybody Loves Ice Cream".

Murray's Ice Cream & Cookies

Westport (Kansas City, MO)
Well, all you get is a map for this one- no web site. These guys just stick with what they do well: Ice cream, hand churned daily. Oh, and cookies too (Actually Murray is a woman.)
Be aware this little mom & pop hangs the "gone fishin'" sign on the door for a couple of months in the off-season (January-February), so call first if you're heading that way that time of year.

Balsano's Gelato Cafe

Country Club Plaza
Kansas City, MO
More than Gelato: smoothies, scones, coffe and sanwiches too. A quaint, tiny shop that overlooks brush creek.
The Pumpkin & Egg Nog gelatos (or is that gelati?) are excellent!

Angie's Italian Ice Cream

39th Street West
Kansas City, MO
Cute walk-up window in the funky 39th Street West district near the KU Med Center.
Italian Ices, fresh Frozen Custard, Ice cream treats, hot dogs and polish sausages.
Link goes to the 39th Street West Community page.

Bakery Links 

Pie Lady Coffeehouse

Lenexa, Kansas
Pies, Cookies, Muffins
Sorry, no website here yet. Just a map link.

Chacko's Bakery & Catering

Mission, Kansas
Cakes, Breads, Cookies, Sandwiches, Soups, Quiches, Killer Cinnamon Rolls
I guess these bakery folks really aren't much into the "internet thing".
Another map link- no website...yet!

The Upper Crust (Pies)

Westport
Kansas City, MO
Pies
In the lower level of Pryde's Old Westport, an amazing gourmet housewares store, and another unique Kansas City business.
Have yet to try them out- but it looks like they're up to some good stuff!
They don't have their own website, so the link is to Pryde's Old Westport's website.

Three Dog Bakery

Country Club Plaza
Kansas City, MO

A bakery just for dogs!
Alright, "We Pity the Kitties" is their feline division.

American Fare 

Down Home Goodness!

Corner Cafe

In Riverside and now Liberty, MO
Great Home-cooked food with an Ozarks influence.
5:00 AM- 10:00 PM

Santa Fe Cafe

Overland Park, KS
Great Breakfast
Have your biscuits GRILLED! Good family spot.
Open Breakfast & Lunch Only

No website, just a MAP.

Bell Street Mama's

39th Street West
Kansas City, MO (Midtown/Westport)
Great Breakfast, Pan-fried chicken (always fresh, never frozen!) at a funky little hole-in-the-wall.
BEST BUTTERMILK BISCUITS IN TOWN!
Over 50 different omlette options. One of the few places in town to find grits.

Come prepared to eat without breathing, though- a tiny place with no smoke-eaters and the non-smoking section is a joke- a single 2-top table by the front door! Well, you can see how they feel about that. Ostracize the "breathers"!
So much about this place is wonderful, but this one thing just really can make it difficult for a lot of folks to enjoy. Breathing and eating are essential to live, while smoking is entirely optional and clearly damaging to life.

I've worked in the foodservice industry, and unless you're in the "healthfood" domain, you are in a tiny minority if you do NOT smoke. After working for 4 years in a restaurant (also a high-turnover industry), I could count the number of non-smoking employees that came through on ONE HAND.
No website, just a MAP.

In the Mood for Mexican 

Great Casual Mexican Dining

Tienda Casa Paloma

Overland Park, KS
See the "That 'Something Special'" section at the top!
If you've not already discovered it, Tienda Casa Paloma right here in OP has some of the most fantastic authentic Mexican food- Veracruz style. At the salsa bar you can top of your food with all the fresh trimmings- including fresh cilantro, which is fabulous with the Salsa Verde on the Tamales Veracruzans. Friday night Fish tacos are fantastic with it too. Of course the most important ingredient is one you can always taste, but never buy- it is the love with which it is all prepared by Bernardo (one of the owners) who grew up cooking on a wood-fired stove in Veracruz. Lisa, his wife, the lovely lady at the counter with the jeweled eyes and warm smile switches from midwestern english to spanish in a single breath. She makes the place a home. Lovely people, fabulous food.

Kokopelli Mexican Cantina

Prairie Village, KS
Great tastes of the Southwest. Fun large metal cut-out art and great photos of the region there. Nifty small private dining room- a little rotunda with a hand-painted mural. A really cozy place to dine.
The Beef nachos are enough for a meal for 3 people.

Coyoacan (Coyote)

Merriam, KS
Old downtown Merriam, next to the Farmer's Market.
True south-of-the-border taste and feel. Once a carry-out only tamale stand, they have added a dining room of sorts- about 4 tables. The first time I went, I ordered guacamole to go and they said they were out of chips, but if I wanted to wait 5 minutes they could make some. Heck, yeah, you bet I'll wait for fresh chips! You know they're not sitting under some heat lamp somewhere all day. Go to the walk-up window and see the ladies making food from scratch. Good food, great value, but not the place to go if you're in a hurry.
Just a Map here. We're lucky to have that!

Tarahumara Mexican Restaurant

Overland Park, KS
They started off in the tamale stand where Coyoacan now is and now have a full-service restaurant.
Great salsa & chips- fresh, cruchy and the salsa is a blend of tomato & tomatillo. Good old-fashioned Mexian food at a reasonable price.
Glowing orange-gold interior with minimal decor adn chunky wooden furniture is quaint and inviting.

Manny's Mexican Restaurant

Crossroads
Kansas City, MO
Near Union Station
An old KC establishment, it has been through a lot. It was once closed for a year following a fire. Great food, funky-shaped old corner building. Always busy.
I'm still a little miffed that they took my 2 favorite itmes off of the menu: Sopes & Gorditas. Hello, people, not something you find just anywhere! Oh, well.

Rudy's Tenampa Taqueria

Westport
Kansas City, MO
BE PREPARED for the LOUD Mariachi MUSIC when you go to the WEBSITE or to the restaurant on a Friday night! (You can turn it off at the top of the page.)
Cousin of Manny from Manny's Mexican Restaurant.
Unusual Item: Fideo- pasta in mild tomato sauce available as a side item option instead of rice.
Chicken tacos are fried in a flour tortilla- so greasy, but oh-so-good!

Torreon

Overland Park, KS
A cute little building with nice patio dining in the summer. Established in 1960, I believe this may be the oldest existing Mexican restaurant in Johnson County, and possibly the whole Kansas City Metropolitain area. Good authentic Mexican fare.
Claim to fame: Home of the Fishbowl Margarita.

Italian Eats 

Spin! Neopolitan Pizza

Overland Park, KS
Excellent pizza- red & bianca. Fantastic salads, made-from-scratch soups, pannini, home-made gelato and wine on the menu. Everything is fresh- from the salad greens to the hand-tossed crust and oven roasted veggies.

Watch the cooks toss the dough in the air in front of the authentic Italian oven. Ambiance is a bit on the loud side for indoor dining- the high ceiling and all hard surfaces and a high ceiling amplifies the clatter of dinnerware. Would recommend some decorative textiles to improve and soften the acoustics.

A large pizza and a large salad is plenty for 2-3 people.
The outdoor covered patio for warm-weather dining is great.

Cupini's

Kansas City, MO:
Westport (original)
Downtown
Lees Summit, MO
Liberty, MO
Italian Deli & Market
Rapidly expanding, now has 4 locations in the metro area.
Order at the counter. A wide variety of pasta dishes and beautiful bakery items (check out the cakes!) In-house made fresh pastas & sauces you can buy to cook at home too.