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Martini Corner isn’t just a catchy name for a cluster of bars — it’s a window into Kansas City’s knack for reinvention. On one block, you’ll find shuffleboard and craft cocktails, and on another, century-old red-brick Victorians and a cemetery holding the city’s founders.
A short distance away, Union Hill’s historic homes and Union Cemetery connect today’s latte runs to the area’s earliest settlers.
Maps from the late 1800s show the corner dotted with meat markets, dairies and drugstores. By the ‘90s, it was a nightlife destination filled with velvet-rope bars.
Development continues to reshape this area — perpetually pending projects like The Levy promise new and upscale apartments, while historic buildings like the old Aines Farm Dairy get a second life as mixed-use spaces.
Not everyone celebrates these changes, which raise concerns about gentrification and displacement.
This pocket of Midtown is playful, gritty and evolving all at once — and while newcomers may know it for tacos and bottomless mimosas, longtime residents keep sight of the deep and powerful stories that underpin the neighborhood.
Together, these neighborhoods show how Kansas City blends preservation and change, sometimes seamlessly and sometimes with tension.
A morning fuel-up on Union Hill
Start your day right on the quieter side of the neighborhood with that classic cafe vibe.
Filling Station Coffee (2980 McGee Trafficway) serves up lattes and hefty breakfast burritos on a patio that’s just begging you to linger.
Once you’ve fueled up, wander Union Hill’s tree-lined streets, where renovated Victorians sit alongside modern townhomes — a reminder that this is one of Kansas City’s oldest neighborhoods, still very much in motion.
Just down the way, you can keep the coffee vibe going while shopping some tunes at Sister Anne’s Records & Coffee (901 E. 31st St.). This combo of businesses leans into the underground spirit with vinyl, zines and that aforementioned side of espresso.
Across the street on 31st, grab a breakfast sandwich or a hearty triple-decker pork tenderloin sando at the famous Kitty’s Cafe, itself a Kansas City tradition that often opens with a line already out the door. With tots or fries on the side, it’ll keep you filled all day (pro tip: order extra of their house-made hot sauce).
If you’ve got to caffeinate quick, Prefix Coffee on Martini Corner has a drive-thru where you can grab an espresso tonic or house-roasted brews.
Another must-try coffee destination is Good Karma Coffee, located inside The Black Pantry (3134 Gilham Road), where you can pick up creative latte flavors like candied yam, banana pudding or an array of seasonal offerings, all while shopping the Pantry’s array of Black-owned brands, books and merchandise.
For an afternoon exploration, head to Virgil’s Plant Shop (2763 Cherry St.), a green-thumb haven filled with houseplants, pots and supplies. Don’t know where to get started? Don’t worry: the staff are happy to talk plant care at length.
Other stops that just have to be included:
- 816 Bike Collective (518 E. 31st St.), a nonprofit that is all about getting bikes into the hands of those who might not be able to afford them. They gather and restore bikes that otherwise might get tossed and ensure many more good rides, as well as teach people how to do their own repairs.
- Under the Cover Book Shop (607 E. 31st St.) is “a dream come to life for romance enthusiasts.” This queer-forward shop is all about empowerment, making it a new cultural cornerstone of the neighborhood.
- Made in KC’s Martini Corner Neighborhood Shop (325 E. 31st St.) celebrates all of Kansas City but, in each of these neighborhood locations, also stocks as much from nearby makers and shakers as possible.
Food and drink to try around Martini Corner
Cross Gillham and you’ll hit Martini Corner, a nightlife cluster that’s worn many faces. In the ‘90s and 2000s, it was the short-lived and legendary Café Trocadero and other martini-focused fast-posh places that gave the corner its name.
Today, the martini branding lingers if mostly in memory, but the lineup has shifted to patios, pizza/sushi/tacos (and more) … and plenty of personality.
- Barrio Taqueria (408 E. 31st St.) keeps the margaritas flowing — including $24 pitchers of classic, spicy or flavored margaritas (plus the house “matcharita”).
- Noka (334 E. 31st St.) is as trendy as it gets and is “aesthetically breathtaking,” as described by KCUR’s Up To Date. It’s hard to choose one item. Love fish? Go. Love Asian in general? Go. You’ll also find pork and beef on the menu.
Orange by Devoured (325 E. 31st St., Ste. 100) delivers the ‘za, and from a Black-owned, woman-owned, LGBTQIA+ friendly footing, too. Think blistery, chewy crunchy brick-oven pies and tapas. A great mix.
Orange by DevouredOrange by Devoured offers a great mix of pizza and tapas and is a Black-owned, woman-owned and LGBTQIA+ friendly business. - Brick House (400 E. 31st St.) does the American hang-and-chill thing and it makes sense with bottomless mimosas and cult-favorite Loaded Tater Kegs.
- Cliff’s Taphouse (3044 Gillham Road) is an approachable neighborhood pub, also known for bottomless mimosas. This cocktail-happy spot offers fun mixes like a “Lavender Lemonade” made with hometown Rally gin.
- Ludo’s (325 E. 31st St.) is that shuffleboard spot. It’s also part arcade and part frozen Tang-o bar (a frozen blend of tequila, mango, lime and orange) — with other playful cocktails like the “Biscuit Slinger” (gin, Benedictine, cherry, lime soda, raspberry, pineapple, orange and bitters). They do play to an exclusive feel with tight hours, just Thursdays through Sundays, but you can book the space for your own event.
- The Fix (600 E. 31st St.) is where you cleanse after a wild night or three. It serves vegan comfort food that confuses carnivores — from chicken fried chicken and crunch wraps to biscuits and gravy.
- Billie’s Grocery (3216 Gilham Plaza, Suite 100), founded by nutritional therapist Robin Krause, was inspired by her father’s untimely passing and her mission to promote healthier living. Just about two blocks off Martini Corner, it blends organic, globally influenced dishes with a warm neighborhood feel, and some of the best gluten-free pastries in town.
A look into Kansas City’s past
At Union Hill’s southeastern edge sits Union Cemetery, the city’s oldest public burial ground (founded 1857). Civil War veterans, city founders and more than 55,000 stories rest here.
A devastating fire in 1889 destroyed most of the Sexton’s Cottage records — followed by another fire on Halloween night in 1985 — leaving hundreds of graves unmarked or unknown.
Some graves harbor unresolved mysteries: The tombstone of Frank Barnum bears the chilling epitaph “Murdered in Brownsville, Missouri, Oct. 6, 1876,” a case that was never solved. His wife, a spiritualist, allegedly held séances to conjure him.
Then there’s the legend of Libby Mavis — a 12‑year‑old girl forced into prostitution and murdered — whose body was reportedly stolen by grave robbers. The story goes that her madam dreamed of Libby warning that her grave had been desecrated. Authorities confirmed the body was missing — and it was never recovered. Today, some say her spirit still wanders the grounds.
Union Cemetery doesn’t shy away from these legends. Haunted tours and even Gothic performances — like staged recitals of Edgar Allan Poe — lean into the humble history of a place where the living and the dead share space.
If you want to go deeper than ghost stories, there’s an opportunity for real historical immersion. The Union Cemetery Historical Society offers both self-guided maps and private tours upon request with historian Heather Faries — with a suggested $10 donation to support the grounds.
For a wider tour of the neighborhood, consider the Union Hill Garden Tour, hosted annually by the Union Hill Neighborhood Association.
Each summer, the association invites you into private gardens and neighborhood treasures. This isn’t your typical flower-show stroll — it’s a walkable celebration of the neighborhood’s evolving street-life, with music, food trucks, local vendors and a peek at beautifully curated spaces.
The event welcomes more than 500 visitors and often features a pop-up history angle with stops at places like Union Cemetery.
A hub for vintage stores
Union Hill and Martini Corner just have that retro, resale, refurb vibe, so it’s natural that they would have some fantastic shops for your perusal.
- Populuxe (3109 Gilham Road, #150) is a curated mid-century furniture must-see that prides itself on an extensive, hard-to-find inventory. The owners strive to match and complement, so buyers are inspired with fresh ideas.
- Urban Mining (3111 Gilham Road) is a women-owned vintage mall that resides in a former factory. Very fun, very large, very full of very interesting finds. Open only for four days a month, Urban Mining professes to be the pioneers of the "First Friday Vintage Market" concept in the Kansas City metro.
Entrepreneurs and artists welcome
A few blocks east of Martini Corner is The Porter House KC, an eclectic incubator that is writing the next chapter.
This Black-led entrepreneurial hub supports small businesses and local wealth-building, making it a vital counterweight to the “new bars and condos” narrative.
Founded in 2017, Porter House supports underrepresented entrepreneurs in Kansas City through mentorship, education, funding and access to resources.
Focused on “non-traditional” business owners — those without formal training, funding pathways, or loan approval — Porter House helps early-stage, main-street entrepreneurs build lasting businesses.
The mix here shifts, so drop in on your stroll or shopping hop to see what they have going on.
Lastly, make a mini tour of the incubator scene and add a stop in at Cherry Pit Collective (604 E. 31st St.). A communal studio space for artists and makers, this hub is an intentional home for women, non-binary and gender non-conforming creatives. The workspace is shared and thus collaboration is intentional.
Come down for an art class, sale event or open house and then wander the nooks and crannies of these two great neighborhoods. You’ll leave wondering why you didn’t visit sooner (and you’ll be back often).
