The list of the most sought after restaurants in Kansas City is long, and it can be overwhelming when you’re trying to decide where to make a reservation. So, we’re making it easier by sharing the Top 10 Restaurants in Kansas City.
How did us Kansas City locals determine this list of the ten best restaurants? The first requirement is that it be local – at Kansas City Local’s Guide, we’re all about supporting local, and besides, the best restaurants truly are local.
Additional factors taken into consideration are obviously the caliber of food – these restaurants all offer exceptional, high quality dishes.
The ambiance of the restaurants were taken into consideration. While excellent food is worth a visit on its own, to truly be one of the best, everything else about the experience should meet high standards.
We focused on restaurants that enriched the local cultural landscape. In Kansas City, that is easy to do – our city is incredibly – and proudly – very diverse.
So, let’s get into it – these are Kansas City’s top ten restaurants.
Kansas City’s Top 10 Restaurants
You’ll definitely want a reservation for these!
1. Corvino
Neighborhood: Crossroads Arts District
Cuisine: New American
Pricing: $$$$
Corvino is a culinary star with dual experiences: a supper club where sharing is the norm, and a tasting room for a more intimate, curated dining encounter. The upscale, elegant New American fare is paired with live jazz music and dimmed lights to create an intimate ambiance.
You don’t have to just take our opinion – Corvino has several accolades from the James Beard Foundation, including being named a semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest in 2023.
The supper club features a variety of small plates that change based on seasonality. In addition to exceptional dishes, they offer craft cocktails and an impressive wine list.
For a more unique dining experience, consider their Tasting Room, which offers 10 courses for $150, a small, intimate dining experience complete with an open kitchen, and access to Chef Michael Corvino.
Over roughly two and a half hours, you’ll embark on a culinary journey that masterfully displays Chef Michael’s relentless pursuit of innovation and simplicity, all grounded in a deep respect for ingredients and techniques.
The sommelier will provide thoughtfully selected wine pairings that seamlessly complement the menu. You’ll experience not only top-notch hospitality but also the region’s premier showcase of contemporary American fare.
Menu highlights include crispy pork ribs, whole fried chicken with chili butter, gnocchi bolognese, and seaweed donuts – it sounds strange, but just trust us on this one.
2. The Antler Room
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Pricing: $$$
The Antler Room is a seemingly hidden gem restaurant in Kansas City’s midtown. The space itself is intimate with brick-lined walls and dim lighting.
The dedicated team behind Antler Room has been recognized for their unique culinary approach by the James Beard Foundation. The chef’s culinary philosophy marries innovation with tradition, resulting in a menu that both surprises and comforts.
With an unwavering commitment to quality, they source local seasonal ingredients, allowing the natural flavors to take center stage on the plate. The dishes are a symphony of textures, colors, and aromas, and are designed to engage all your senses, promising an unforgettable dining experience.
The dining experience involves creative Mediterranean cuisine presented in elevated small plates to share.
Menu highlights include the smoked whitefish tartine, Georgian soup dumplings, winter squash tortellini, and seared duck breast.
3. Fox And Pearl
Neighborhood: Westside
Cuisine: New American
Pricing: $$$
Fox and Pearl is known for its rustic yet refined approach to Midwestern fare, focusing on wood-fired barbecue cooking and whole-animal butchery. It is a country-chic eatery located in a 1907 historic drugstore with a lovely outdoor terrace.
James Beard recognized Chef Vaughn Good combines a live fire hearth, smoker, and preservation techniques to create irresistible flavors. Collaborating with local farmers, he crafts seasonal menus blending French culinary expertise with regional comfort foods.
With tan leather booths, an expansive wrap-around marble bar, and dark wood tones, the ambiance is romantic. Their lovely outdoor space features brick floors and overhead strung lights.
Menu highlights include the pork chop, duck, brisket, and pot pie.
4. Grünauer
Neighborhood: Crossroads Arts District
Cuisine: Austrian
Pricing: $$
Grünauer stands as a testament to the rich culinary heritage of Vienna. This family-operated restaurant, established in 2010, is an extension of the Grünauer family’s sixty-year legacy of running a traditional Viennese restaurant, Gasthaus Grünauer, in Austria’s capital.
The restaurant’s menu is a tribute to classic Viennese techniques and family recipes. Utilizing high-quality products and local ingredients, Grunauer offers a dining experience that upholds both tradition and quality.
From traditional Wiener Schnitzel to Sacher Torte, the dishes represent a culinary journey through Central Europe.
Grünauer is located in the historic Freight House building. The domed wooden ceiling and rustic accents make you feel like you’re truly in Austria.
Menu highlights include goulash, apple strudel, and spatzle.
5. Stock Hill
Neighborhood: Country Club Plaza
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Pricing: $$$$
At Stock Hill, the essence of a traditional steakhouse is reimagined for the modern age.
Located in the former Kansas City Board of Trade building, Stock Hill presents a convergence of nostalgia and novelty. Renowned for its innovative interpretations of steakhouse favorites, every dish is the result of exceptional craftsmanship and a passion for culinary excellence.
The culinary team meticulously sources the finest cuts from Midwestern ranches, ensuring each bite is a unique encounter with the region’s rich flavors. Recognized as one of the 31 Best Steakhouses in America by Thrillist and a recipient of a Four-Diamond rating by the AAA, Stock Hill is more than just a steakhouse – it’s a gastronomic gem.
The handcrafted cocktails and artisanal sides complement the dining experience, as does the exceptional Midwestern hospitality.
Menu highlights include the wagyu ribeye, gruyere spaetzle, dry aged steak, roasted mushrooms, and smoked carrots.
6. Clay And Fire
Neighborhood: Westside
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, “Near East”
Pricing: $$$
Offering a dining experience that weaves together history, culture, and culinary delights, Clay & Fire is something special. Although we’re convinced that not many people know about it, reservations are hard to come by unless you book further out, primarily because of the limited number of tables and dedicated regulars.
Located in a turn-of-the-century home with steep granite steps and historic charm – including a clawfoot tub in the bathroom – the interior is every bit of cozy and intimate.
Whether you sit on the main floor or make your way up the creaking stairs to the second floor, you’ll be surrounded by warm wood tones, colorful tiles, bright accents, and beautiful textiles.
Their farm-to-table menu is filled with authentic dishes melded from a variety of places: Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Lebanon. The dishes are beautifully presented, adding to the elevated experience.
The menu is mainly focused around mezze like charred eggplant spread, seasonal pickles, grilled halloumi, olive medley, and guajillo humus, among many others. The move here is to order several of the small plates and share so that you can get a taste of all the exquisite flavors.
In addition to mezze, they offer kebabs, woodfired chicken, and a highlight – Turkish pizza. It’s perfectly charred, just like the variety of flatbreads they offer, due to a large traditional clay oven.
At Clay & Fire, you’ll experience a welcoming, intimate ambiance with authentic food that showcases a fusion of flavors and culinary traditions. You’ll need to be patient – their kitchen takes care in creating the dishes. It’s not quick, but it’s more than worth the wait.
7. Tailleur Restaurant
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: European
Pricing: $$$
At Tailleur, industrial chic meets intimate elegance. As you step inside, you’ll immediately notice the attention to detail and the thoughtfully curated antique decor. The walls are painted a rich navy blue, complemented by hexagon tiles and warm brass chandeliers hanging from the domed ceiling.
The equestrian theme is evident throughout, with hunting scene oil paintings adorning the walls and gilded mirrors adding a touch of elegance. Upstairs, the dining room features Victorian settees and cowhide rugs, creating a cozy and intimate setting.
They offer a blend of European and American cuisines – what they call “European Comfort Food” – and many of the menu items are reminiscent of French cuisine.
The menu changes with the seasons, ensuring that only the freshest and most flavorful ingredients are used. From hearty meat dishes to delicate pastries, there is definitely an emphasis on comfort foods with generous portions.
If you arrive early for your reservation, stroll across the street to their cocktail bar and lounge, Cheval, which offers an intimate setting with delightful cocktails and fine wines.
Menu highlights include items include the pork shank, rack of lamb, roasted salmon, and french dip sandwich.
8. Il Lazzarone
Neighborhood: River Market
Cuisine: Neapolitan Pizza
Pricing: $$ – $$$
Those with an appreciation for authentic Italian pizza should not miss out on Il Lazzarone. Located in the historic River Market district, this stylish, open-kitchen pizzeria showcases a traditional wood-fired oven imported from a Naples business that has been building them over four familial generations.
Certified by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana – one of only seventy-seven in the country, Il Lazzarone’s menu features a variety of authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas with thin, chewy crusts. They use simple, quality ingredients, like their San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy where they are grown at the base of Mount Vesuvius.
Il Lazzarone’s specialty is authentic pizza, and they stay pretty close to that. They have a few antipasti options, but you’ll want to plan on ordering pizza. With over twenty options to choose from, you’re sure to find one you’ll love.
Menu highlights include Salciccia Italiana, Carne, Quattro Formaggio, and Pizza Caprese.
9. Char Bar
Neighborhood: Westport
Cuisine: Barbecue
Pricing: $$
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.
10. La Bodega
Neighborhood: Westside
Cuisine: Spanish
Pricing: $$
La Bodega is a Spanish tapas restaurant with exceptional craft cocktails and, of course, sangria. Their menu is categorized by hot and cold small plates, as well as a selection of larger dishes for the table.
The dishes arrive as they are ready, and beautifully plated.
The space is vibrant and colorful, almost as if you were dining in Barcelona. The outdoor patio is lovely for dining in the warmer months.
Menu highlights include paella, patatas bravas, and bruschetta.