Kansas City just keeps getting better and better—especially when it comes to its restaurant scene. What used to be a one-stop barbecue shop is now a city bursting with countless dining options and cuisines, from street tacos to one of the best bowls of pho in the country.
Below, we’ve rounded up the can’t-miss meals to try while you’re in town, including a fancy tasting menu, a roadside hamburger, and some serious shrimp and grits. Leave your diet at the door and come sample all this cool city has to offer.
Head to Q39 for creative takes on barbecue like brisket poutine.
Photo by Bill Krzyzanowski
Brisket poutine
- Where to try it: Q39
Kansas City has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States, so you better believe locals have opinions when it comes to the best places for burnt ends. Still, even the staunchest barbecue loyalist will admit that relative newcomer Q39, opened in 2014, is well worth your time.
It’s somewhat fancier than some of the old-school joints, but the meat and sauces here are phenomenal. The ribs fall right off the bone, the sausage is perfectly flavored, and the smoked chicken might make you reconsider red meat altogether. But it’s innovative dishes like the brisket poutine—crispy fries topped with beef brisket gravy, chopped brisket, cheese curds, and barbecue sauce—that let Q39 hang with the heavy hitters.
Cinnamon rolls
- Where to try it: Big Momma’s Bakery and Cafe
Cinnamon rolls are a big deal in Kansas City. Not only will you find them on most dessert menus around town, but locals also often pair the sweet treat with a bowl of chili as a complete meal. (Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.) It’s hard to pin down exactly which restaurant makes the best cinnamon rolls, but our vote goes to Big Momma’s Bakery and Cafe.
Since opening in the Kansas City suburb of Raytown in 2004, Big Momma’s has garnered quite the reputation for its cakes and breads, but especially for its cinnamon rolls. They come in three sizes: the bite-size Mini Momma, the dinner roll–size Little Momma, and the Big Momma, which is about the size of a salad plate. Whichever you choose, you’ll be rewarded with a chewy, gooey roll, smothered in your choice of vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate, or raisin-and-pecan icing.
Don’t miss the double cheeseburger at Town Topic, a Kansas City institution.
Photos by Pilsen Photo Co-op
Double cheeseburger
- Where to try it: Town Topic
Like many restaurants on this list, Town Topic doesn’t look like much from the outside; it’s just a little diner off the side of Broadway in downtown Kansas City. However, any doubts you have will quickly dissipate when you smell the burgers cooking before you even leave your car—and see a line of customers wrapped around the building. A city staple since the 1950s, Town Topic smashes its patties on the griddle to create seared, practically crunchy edges, then tops them with grilled onions that melt in your mouth. Order the double cheeseburger and pair it with a side of fries or a slice of pie.
Tacos al pastor
- Where to try it: Tacos El Gallo
KCK (Kansas City, Kansas) gets most of the hype when it comes to Mexican food in Kansas City, but KCMO (Kansas City, Missouri) has a few worthy contenders. One such place is Tacos El Gallo, a casual market/restaurant off of Southwest Boulevard. Although it’s housed in a row of other Mexican cantinas, it stands out for its colorful hanging flags and swarm of hungry people gathered outside.
Inside is a flurry of activity, with an open kitchen, shelves of groceries and clothing, and dozens of piñatas strung from the ceiling. The menu is expansive, but go for the street tacos, which come in house-made corn tortillas piled high with onions and cilantro. The cooks are gloriously heavy handed when it comes to the meat fillings, whether you order beef tongue, chicken, or al pastor. (Definitely order the al pastor.)
One of Kansas City’s first barbecue chains, Gates is a favorite for its burnt ends and fries.
Photos by Ben Pieper
Burnt ends sandwich
- Where to try it: Gates Bar-B-Q
Founded in 1946, Gates Bar-B-Q is one of Kansas City’s original barbecue chains. The menu here is entirely unpretentious—no six-ingredient sandwiches or fancy appetizers, just a list of meat served on a tray or between two slices of bread—but you have to be a bit in the know when it comes to ordering. To do it like a local, get in line and, when a cashier yells, “Hi, may I help you?,” be ready to yell your complete order right back.
The signature meat of Kansas City is burnt ends—crispy, fatty scraps cut from the ends of brisket—and that’s exactly what you should order at Gates. Be sure to also get a side of fries, because they’re the best out of all the city’s main barbecue restaurants.
Kansas City BBQ Ribs: Tender, smoky ribs slathered in a sweet and tangy Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, served with baked beans and cornbread.
Photo by SYED IBAD RM/Shutterstock
Spare ribs
- Where to try it: Arthur Bryant’s
Yes, OK, we said that Kansas City is more than barbecue, but we’d be remiss to not give a shout out to Arthur Bryant’s, which counts both Barack Obama, the Kansas City Chiefs, and several happy food critics among its guests. Take a slab of its pork spare ribs with fries and go heavy on the sauce.
Hawg Jaw’s Irish Hawg sandwich comes piled high with smoked corn beef, smoked sausage, Swiss cheese, and spicy sauerkraut.
Courtesy of Hawg Jaw Que and Brew
Irish Hawg
- Where to try it: Hawg Jaw Brew & Cue
How does a marble rye sandwich stuffed with smoked corned beef, smoked sausage, swiss cheese, and spicy sauerkraut sound right about now? Followed by a pint of cream ale laced with vanilla or a blueberry and ginger cider? That kind of tastebud tango is available at Hawg Jaw Brew & Cue and its neighbor Big Rip Brewing—one of several barbecue and beer pairings available across Kansas City.
For Midwest comfort food with a twist, try the Stilwell at the Loews hotel.
Courtesy of the Stilwell at Loews Kansas City Hotel
Shrimp and grits
- Where to try it: The Stilwell
The Stilwell restaurant puts a modern spin on classic Midwest comfort food, with shared plates like fried chicken with mac-and-cheese and s’mores tart with chipotle marshmallow. If you want a memorable meal, order the shrimp and grits. The grits are thick and cheesy and come with tasso ham and creole sauce.
Pho bo
- Where to try it: Vietnam Cafe
Located in River Market, Vietnam Cafe has hands down the best Vietnamese food in the entire city. The cozy joint received a design upgrade a few years ago and now features a nicer, bigger dining area, but the inexpensive bowls of pho and fried sweet potatoes are as delicious as they’ve always been. The broth is the star of the show here, made from boiling down beef and chicken bones for a full 24 hours. You can taste the love in just one spoonful of sinus-clearing pho, topped with fresh cilantro, bean sprouts, sliced jalapeño, and a few squirts of sriracha. Whether you grab your order to go or warm up in the restaurant, you’ll be treated with fast service, great prices, and perfectly un-Americanized comfort food.
The tasting menu at Corvino is perfect for a fancy night out.
Photo by Jenny Wheat
Tasting menu
- Where to try it: Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room
If you want a high-end dining experience in Kansas City, you can’t do much better than Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room in the Crossroads. The restaurant has two concepts: on one end, an 18-seat tasting room with a dramatic 10-course menu; on the other, a 70-seat supper club with à la carte shared plates and live music. Go all out for the tasting menu and look forward to strangely delicious items like seaweed doughnuts, tater tots with caviar and shallot pickles, and sheep cheese ice cream, plus some classic favorites like fried chicken and short ribs.
Locals line up at Betty Rae’s for unique ice cream flavors, such as brown butter and toasted pecans.
Photo by Lisa Corson
Brown butter and toasted pecans ice cream
- Where to try it: Betty Rae’s
Betty Rae’s is renowned for its unusual menu and brightly colored decor. Flavors change every once in a while, but favorites include brown butter and toasted pecans, goat cheese and apricot, and lavender-honey.
This article was originally published in May 2021 and was updated in January 2025. Tim Chester contributed additional reporting.
