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Kansas City is famous the world over for its barbeque. It all started in the early 1920s, when Henry Perry, the "Father of KC Barbeque," began selling barbeque that he'd cooked in an outdoor pit, wrapped in newspaper. Others emulated Perry's style, and the rest is history. Every local has his or her own favorite joint, but the undisputed "Big Three" of KC barbeque are Arthur Bryant's (1727 Brooklyn Ave.), Gate's (3205 Main St.), and Fiorella's Jack Stack(13441 Holmes Rd., near 135th St.). Though Kansas City barbeque is all slow-smoked, usually over hickory wood, each establishment has its own special recipe for meats and sauce. No matter where you go, make sure you try the KC's defining delicacy: burnt ends (the dry, blackened ends of the brisket).
You won't get stellar service, you won't have to dig very deep—prices range from $8 to $15 at all barbeque joints. The American Royal BBQ Contest (www.americanroyal.com) is a two-day festival held in the West Bottoms neighborhood each October. It's the largest amateur competition of its kind in the world, and it's a great way to sample a lot of local flavor in one stop.
Named 2007 Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation, Chef Celina Tip serves up a menu priced by course and organized by The Ocean, Land & Sky, and Sweets. Tip fuses contemporary technique with traditional American cuisine; try the olive oil–poached halibut, or horseradish–encrusted rib-eye steak. This midtown dining room has broad views of the Kansas City skyline.
Paintings by local artists, bronzed walls, linen tablecloths, and candles set the tone at this intimate midtown restaurant. House specialties include sliced chicken breast layered with spicy ham, Alfredo sauce, and cheddar cheese; steaks; and a range of elegantly prepared fish. There's entertainment on weekends.
This café at the east end of Country Club Plaza has an English setting with a botanical theme. Dishes include fish, steaks, and pork served with Grand St. whipped potatoes, a house specialty. There are no walls separating the kitchen from the dining room, so you can watch your food being prepared. There's open-air dining and a Sunday brunch featuring a breakfast bar guests can peruse while they wait for their entrées.
An authentic tile-studded interior and open-air front patio help set the scene for savoring the hot and cold Spanish tapas served in traditional small portions at this eatery, a longtime local favorite. A generous happy hour runs from 2 to 6 pm Monday through Friday, featuring half-off on all tapas and drinks.
The fine dining menu at this come-as-you-are River Market area eatery offers a daily entrée chalkboard and two pages of hors d'oeuvres. The bohemian atmosphere compliments the Frog's contemporary French cuisine, which is rooted in traditional Provençal technique. Favorites include steak au poivre and filet mignon with lobster topped with a beef demi-glace and Boursin cheese sabayon.
Northern Italian cuisine, such as veal with spinach tagliatelle, is the house specialty in classic restaurant operated by Lidia Bastianich, New York chef and star of TV's Lidia's Italian-American Cooking on PBS. Locals flock to Lidia's for Sunday brunch, which features an antipasti course, entré menu, and dessert buffet.
Honored with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, this Plaza steakhouse prepares double-cut lamp chops that are just as succulent as its menu's many beef selections. All meat entrées are served with your choice of diable, béarnaise, or beef pan gravy, and accompaniments are offered à la carte.
Nestled in Country Club Plaza's Raphael Hotel, this roomy European-style dining room is known for its New Zealand lamp chops and its rotating, prix fixe menu that features special wine pairings. There's live entertainment on weekends. There's also a brunch on Sunday.
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