Westport may be known for its vibrant nightlife, but don’t sleep on the district’s culinary scene!
There are numerous local gems that have quite the following – and for good reason.
As Kansas City locals, we’ve spent a good amount of time in Kansas City’s oldest district. In this guide, we’re sharing all you need to know for dining in Westport.
9 Best Restaurants in Westport
These are the local favorites! For many of these, We recommend making a reservation, otherwise you may need to wait. If that happens, we recommend strolling through the many unique local shops in Westport.
1. Chingu
Cuisine: Korean
Pricing: $$
Chingu, meaning ‘friend’ in Korean, brings traditional Korean flavors to the forefront of Kansas City’s diverse food scene. From classic comfort foods to contemporary interpretations, the menu – although on the smaller side with about fifteen items – is designed to cater to both Korean food aficionados and newcomers alike.
You’ll start with complimentary banchan, which is a variety of pickled and fermented vegetables alongside steamed rice. The menu is meant to be experienced family style where you’re encouraged to choose a handful from the smaller and larger plate options.
The restaurant sports a modern and stylish décor, with subtle nods to Korean culture. The bar seating side, with a large neon of their logo casting a pink glow, is a bit more lively while the dining room space is dimmed and intimate.
Adding to the allure of Chingu is its selection of soju, a popular Korean alcoholic beverage.
Menu highlights include the bi bim bap with short ribs, savory pancakes, and Korean fried chicken.
2. Westport Cafe
Cuisine: French Bistro
Pricing: $$$
Westport Café offers a delightful blend of modern French cuisine and craft specialty cocktails, creating dishes with simple, fresh ingredients. The quaint interior is reminiscent of a French bistro with exposed brick, checkered floors, rustic tables, velvet curtains, ambient lighting, and oversized mirrors.
When we visit, we opt to order several dishes from the shareable plates menu. The offerings are inventive with a wide range of flavors, from curries to béarnaise sauce. The dishes are plated beautifully and brought out by friendly, upbeat serving staff.
The authenticity of Westport Café comes from its owners, who both hail from France.
Their happy hour specials are great as well as the Steak Soiree, held every Tuesday, offering the signature steak frites with a traditional béarnaise sauce and house butter, accompanied by bottomless pommes frites for $15.
Menu highlights include mussels with coconut curry broth, lamb kefta, beignets, and scallops with black truffle risotto.
3. Chewology
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Pricing: $$
Chewology offers a genuine taste of Taiwanese cuisine. Upon entering Chewology, guests are welcomed into a cozy and inviting atmosphere, where the trendy decor hints at the owner’s Taiwanese roots blended with a touch of 1980s nostalgia.
The menu is a focus on Taiwanese street food, ideal for sharing with the table. The dumplings in particular draw in regulars – they are made with a mix of traditional techniques and innovation.
The dining experience is further enhanced by a unique craft cocktail menu, featuring drinks that incorporate traditional Asian ingredients.
Menu highlights include the smashed cucumber salad, bao buns, dan dan noodles, and Taiwanese fried chicken.
4. Beer Kitchen
Cuisine: Gastropub
Pricing: $$
Beer Kitchen stands as one of Kansas City’s first true gastropubs, where the love for robust ales and heartland comfort food finds a delightful expression.
Their menu offerings are inventive and stack up to their ethos of “honest food.” They are known for hand-ground burgers paired with hand-cut fries. Their focus on homemade, high-quality ingredients is what sets Beer Kitchen apart.
Their brunch is popular amongst locals with items like the Drunken Doughnuts.
Beer Kitchen offers a thoughtfully curated beer list, showcasing a range of local and international brews that complement the award-winning food.
Menu highlights include chicken and waffles, dutch baby, gourmet burgers, and mac and cheese.
5. Char Bar
Cuisine: Barbecue
Pricing: $$
Char Bar is known for their southern-style offerings and award-winning smoked meats. Their menu is inventive, a contemporary take on traditional barbecue. Their sides in particular are delicious.
Regulars love them for their sprawling patio bar, picnic tables, and a fire pit. The space is filled with activities such as bocce, cornhole, ping-pong, and swings designed for adults.
If the platters of perfectly smoked meats aren’t enough of a reason to visit, their house made sauces should do it for you. With just two varieties – hot and sweet – they achieve perfection, enhancing the already delicious meats.
Menu highlights include smoked chicken wings, cornbread jalapeno muffins, charred bits and grits, and burnt ends.
6. PotPie
Cuisine: French Comfort Food
Pricing: $$
PotPie has been a local favorite for over 15 years, known for its commitment to “good food, not fast food.” Is there anything that sounds better in the middle of winter than a warming, comforting pot pie?
The unpretentious restaurant prides itself on a small seasonal menu that changes daily. They are most beloved for offering comfort food with pot pie crusts that are delicately flaky and completely delicious.
The intimate space, which seats forty, features exposed brick, candlelit wooden tables, and a chalkboard menu.
Menu highlights include pan-roasted chicken, mussels, chocolate chip bread pudding, and, of course, pot pie.
7. Jerusalem Cafe
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Pricing: $
Jerusalem Cafe has been a local staple since 1989, when it started as a two person kitchen. The family-run restaurant’s growth over the years is a testament to its commitment to providing a unique and authentic dining experience.
The authenticity extends to the large wood burning clay oven, prominently placed in the dining room, which puts out incredible flatbreads. The ambiance is modern and inviting, making it a great option for lunch or a casual dinner.
The menu offers a range of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, each meticulously handcrafted. We love the fattoush salad – deliciously crisp with fresh ingredients, unlike the sad lettuce situations you can find elsewhere.
Menu highlights include the gyro platter, falafel, manakeesh, and lentil soup.
8. Bijou
Cuisine: French-Inspired
Pricing: $$
Bijou offers a chic vibe in an intimate space. The interior features a blend of Parisian elegance and coastal comfort, adorned with rich blue and sophisticated gold details paired with black-and-white floor tiles. The intimate setting of only forty seats adds to Bijou’s charm.
Their cocktail menu stands out, with the signature Bijou Nouveau cocktail, a modern take on the traditional Bijou cocktail from the 1800s, a testament to the team’s skill in crafting unique drinks.
Bijou’s menu is a carefully curated selection of small plates and larger dinner entrées, providing a balance between vegetable dishes and seafood and meat options. Each dish is crafted to offer a unique take on classic flavors.
Menu highlights include miso mushrooms, short rib, and pimento risotto.
9. Taco Naco
Cuisine: Mexican
Pricing: $
Taco Naco offers a lively take on Mexican street tacos. The vibe is a bright, family-friendly atmosphere – the restaurant’s interior is adorned with vibrant pinks and reds.
They offer a variety of frozen drinks, including mezcal piña coladas and pineapple fuego margarita. Daily specials and happy hour deals add to its popularity.
Taco Naco’s charm lies in its blend of traditional Mexican flavors with chef-owner’s unique culinary approach. The restaurant’s commitment to authentic flavors is evident in their carefully crafted sauces, from the fiery roasted fuego to the creamy jalapeno and the best-selling mild tomatillo salsa.
Menu highlights include quesabirria tacos, pork al pastor, and brisket barbacoa tacos.
But Wait, There’s More – Additional Westport Restaurants
Although they didn’t make our top nine list, these other local restaurants are worthy of a visit too!
Snooze an A.M. Eatery
Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch
Pricing: $$
Snooze welcomes you into a lively, colorful ambiance and offers a creative, seasonal take on traditional breakfast and brunch dishes, like habanero pork belly benny, huevos rancheros, corned beef hash, and a pancake flight.
Pinches Tacos
Cuisine: Mexican
Pricing: $
Authentic Mexican dishes and street tacos in a contemporary, upbeat setting. Their craft cocktail game is strong.
Denver Biscuit Co.
Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch
Pricing: $
Famous for its large, flaky biscuits made from scratch every day, this spot is a must-visit for breakfast and brunch enthusiasts.
Chick-in Waffle
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Pricing: $
A unique counter-order eatery combining the classic chicken and waffles in innovative ways, plus loaded fried variations, creating a new twist on comfort food.
Westport Flea Market
Cuisine: Bar Food
Pricing: $
Known for its burgers, arcade games, and eclectic flea market vibe.
Guy’s Deli
Cuisine: Deli
Pricing: $
A classic deli offering a variety of sandwiches and quick bites.
Harpo’s
Cuisine: Bar Food
Pricing: $
Lively sports bar with an expansive patio and pub fare.
Harry’s Bar & Tables
Cuisine: Gastropub
Pricing: $$
Longtime mainstay with a tree-covered patio and traditional historic indoor space. Their menu features small plates, sandwiches, and flatbreads.
Fat Sully’s
Cuisine: Pizza
Pricing: $$
Known for their enormous New York Style pizzas plus loaded fries, burgers, wings, and other pub grub.
Green Room Burgers & Beer
Cuisine: Pub Grub
Pricing: $
Combines craft beers with gourmet burgers, known for its quality ingredients.
Moti Mahal II
Cuisine: Indian
Pricing: $$
Standard Indian restaurant offering a wide selection of traditional Indian dishes with rich flavor and spices.
Providence By The Slice
Cuisine: Pizza
Pricing: $
The name says it all – brick walled option for pizza by the slice. They offer New York, Sicilian, and Detroit style pizza.
Tin Roof
Cuisine: Southern
Pricing: $
A vibrant live country music venue serving southern-inspired creative bar food set in an energetic atmosphere.
Westport Ale House
Cuisine: Bar Food
Pricing: $
Popular sports bar with a wide selection of beers and a menu featuring pub favorites, known for its dynamic atmosphere and rooftop patio.
Bistro 303
Cuisine: French-inspired
Pricing: $$
A cozy, French-inspired bistro offering a range of classic cocktails and contemporary drinks. The atmosphere is chic yet relaxed.
Brix
Cuisine: Latin American
Pricing: $$
Brix is a bright array of Latin American flavors, from southern to northern edges of the continent. Their craft cocktails are seasonally inspired.
Gambal’s Social Club
Cuisine: Bar Food
Pricing: $
Relaxed sports bar serving a range of drinks and pub fare, known for its welcoming environment.
Cancun Fiesta Fresh
Cuisine: Mexican
Pricing: $
Authentic Mexican cuisine with fresh ingredients and bold flavors in a casual setting.
Planning a visit to Westport? Read our complete guide to the entertainment district to make the most of your time!