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Southwest Boulevard is one of those rare spaces that brings Kansas City together from both sides of the border.
The street begins at 19th and Baltimore in Missouri and runs all the way to 39th Street in Kansas. But all the way back in 1887, Southwest Boulevard was actually two streets: Kansas City Boulevard on the Missouri side, and Kansas City Avenue on the Kansas side.
Two landowners donated their holdings, and those two roads merged as Southwest Boulevard. The city of Kansas City would take its modern-day name in 1889.
Passing through parts of the Crossroads, the Westside and Rosedale neighborhoods, Southwest Boulevard is now in the middle of a significant upgrade. The $43 million improvement project is adding sidewalks, bike lanes, and other road infrastructure to make the area safer for everyone.
This boulevard hosts some of the best Hispanic food in the Kansas City area, but that’s not the only draw. Fantastic barbecue, legendary breweries, and a plethora of cafes make for a diverse and fun adventure.
Coffee shops and cafes
You’re going to need some fuel as you shop. If you want a full breakfast to start your day, then Dagwood’s Cafe is your first stop. Featured in our diner adventure, their menu (and their glorious biscuits and gravy) will get you going.
Cafe Ollama opened up in 2021 and has continued to thrive with its signature café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee. Steeped in cinnamon, star anise, and piloncillo and served with a hard bone of refined cane sugar.
Three Bees Pottery and Coffee Shop is another must-stop. Their tamales are built from a masa recipe by the owner’s stepmother from Chihuahua, Mexico. A single tamale only costs $3.75, with options ranging from chicken verde to a seasonal dessert tamale. Three Bees also hosts a market on the last Sunday of each month, so head out and check out all the vendors starting at 9 a.m.
All the way near the end of Southwest Boulevard, you’ll find Café Corazón. They roast beans sourced from Latin America, and they offer flights for their different latte and mocha drinks should you wish to try it all —like their spicy Mayan mocha and their horchata latte.
PT’s Coffee and Roasting Co is built for the easygoing traveler, with local art on the wall and a chill vibe. Check out their signature coffee blends like the Ad Astra (dark chocolate, cola, and brown sugar notes) and the Flatlander (bittersweet chocolate, tangerine, and roasted almond notes) while grabbing a breakfast sandwich or baked good.
For Roasterie fans, the coffee shop has a drive-thru on Southwest Boulevard just a block away from their main roasting location. And over in Rosedale is Novella, which took over the former Garden House space.
The restaurants
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the food choices along Southwest Boulevard. Luckily, you can keep going back until you’ve hit them all.
Rosedale Bar-B-Q is a Kansas City staple. Started in 1935 with a barbecue pit and ice-cold beer, Rosedale’s is the city’s “oldest major barbecue restaurant continuously owned and operated by the same family.” Chicken, burnt ends, sausage and ribs are ready to go, and sides include corn nuggets, fried green tomatoes, and some of the city’s best French fries.
On the more upscale side, La Bodega offers Spanish tapas alongside enormous plates of paella — bring some friends and share! They specialize in wines, and their sangrias are half-off during happy hours, so be careful.
Just a block off the Boulevard is Fox & Pearl, serving up creative Southern cuisine and BBQ, as well as Lazia, an upscale Italian restaurant located at the Crossroads Hotel (which also hosts the cafe XR and the rooftop bar Percheron).
For more nearby options, check out KCUR’s guides to the Westside neighborhood and restaurants in the Crossroads Arts District.
Now we finally get to the Mexican cuisine.
Everyone has their favorite. On the east end of Southwest Boulevard, you’ll find Ricos Tacos Lupe, Tacos El Gallo, El Pueblito, and Manny’s — and we won’t fight about which is best here.
Ricos Tacos Lupe will give you that authentic street taco we all crave, with their standout being their carne asado. Tacos El Gallo, one of Kansas City’s best late-night spots, has an extensive menu that also includes lengua (beef tongue), buche (pork stomach), and cabeza (beef head), which is excellent in a quesadilla.
Breakfast is one of the underrated options at these taco spots. El Pueblito serves huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. Start your dinner with a tangy ceviche and fajitas, and wash it all down with one of their bowl-sized margaritas.
Manny’s has been around since 1980, bringing big Tex-Mex flavor. Their Manny’s Burrito is huge, taking up the length of the plate, overstuffed with meat and refried beans and topped with melted longhorn cheese.
Heading west down the road, we arrive at Lilly’s Cantina and their homemade salsas. Enjoy them with street tacos and burritos, and their 11 different flavors of margaritas — if you can’t decide, try their Mexican Peach.
La Hamburguesa Loca brings something unique with their signature Mexican burger, the Crazy Burger, loaded with ham, bacon, cheese, avocado slices, tomatoes, and lettuce on top of the patty.
Next door is Acosta’s Taqueria, which is a great place to try sopes. Sopes resemble a tostada, but are thicker and have distinctive upward curved edges. The dough has a soft interior and a crispy exterior. Top it with chorizo, carnitas, birria, pollo, pastor or other meats.
At the west end of the Boulevard, you will find Ponak’s Mexican Kitchen and Bar. Started in 1975, it’s a regular award-winner for its margaritas and tacos. Highly recommended is the #22, the Sonoran tacos that are deep-fried with beef, lettuce, cheese, and pico.
El Patron is right across the street, and traditional family recipes dominate their menu. Their enchiladas montadas are three enchiladas of your choice, with house-made salsa verde and two fried eggs on top.
Don’t sleep on the Mexican seafood options, either. Mariscos Mr. Culichi specializes in raw preparations like ceviches (including shrimp, octopus and mango combinations) as well as aguachiles, oysters, soups and more. After beginning life as a food truck, the restaurant opened its brick-and-mortar when owner Noelia Olivares was still a UMKC student.
Southwest Boulevard is also home to Kansas City’s first Sinaloan sushi restaurant, KCulichi, where many of the rolls are fried or baked, and occasionally topped with melted cheese and peppers. You’ll find the expected crab and shrimp, but cooked beef, chicken, and bacon are all on the menu too.
We haven’t talked about dessert, which is needed in this heat. Palacana, which opened in 20024, is the place to cool off with homemade paletas, or Mexican popsicles.
Breweries and nightlife
With all this fantastic food, a good beer is necessary to wash it all down. Kansas City’s brewery scene is anchored by Boulevard Brewing Company. Everyone knows this one, but have you taken a tour or done a tasting yet? Check their website to find a time, and check out some of their more seasonal offerings while you’re there.
Alma Mader Brewing is another great option that has a loyal fanbase. Their Premiant Czech-style Pilsner was awarded beer of the year in 2023 by Kansas City Magazine — go check that out at their tasting room, which they’ve been building out in collaboration with the chefs behind the much-missed Korean restaurant Chingu.
Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company is just a step off Southwest Boulevard. They brew both beer and coffee, and are named after the Rochester Brewery from the 1800s in the same neighborhood.
Between 19th Street and I-35, you’ll find the nightlife spots on Southwest Boulevard. Who doesn’t love Up-Down for their throwback arcade, skee-ball, and fun atmosphere? I call dibs on the next game of Dig Dug. Check out their weekly specials to help you plan your next night out.
Fern Bar is another popular spot, a craft cocktail bar with an intimate feel that focuses on “sugarcane agave, rum, tequila, and mezcal.” For example, give their Oaxaca Old Fashioned a try, made with Banhez Mexcal, Tapatio Reposado, Lunazul Reposado, agave, and mole bitters.
If cocktails, wine, and beer aren’t your thing, then perhaps Cafe 333 is the perfect spot for you. As Kansas City’s first sober bar, Cafe 333 is a jazz club with a full food menu and N/A cocktails. Here, socialization and music are the star.
On the furthest-west end of Southwest Boulevard, in the Rosedale neighborhood, is Sagebrush. An American Southwest-styled craft cocktail bar with a warm glow inside, grab a desert paloma (blanco tequila, rainwater madeira, wormwood, grapefruit and sage) or one of their many original concoctions.
Music lovers should also check out the 515 Music Hub. Here, it’s all about the local artists. They’ve got jam sessions, concerts, and rehearsal space available. Keep an eye on their events page to keep track of who’s playing.
Let’s go shopping
With more industrial businesses occupying the western branch of Southwest Boulevard, you’ll find most of your personal shopping options on the east end near the Crossroads Arts District. Find your fit at Dear Society, a boutique clothing store, or the Blackbird Collection, which features both clothing and furniture.
If street clothing is your style and you want to rock your Kansas City pride, there is no better place to start than Made Mobb, a local streetwear brand. Grab a Support Your Local Library t-shirt to look smart and fashionable, with proceeds benefiting the Kansas City Public Library.
If you’re a bride-to-be, The Gown Gallery has you and your bridesmaids covered. Then stop by the Heaven Scent Collection to pick up a unique candle or take a candle-making class and create your own.
