With over 245 participating restaurants on both sides of the state line, Kansas City Restaurant Week is bigger than ever for 2025.
Makenzie Wolters of Visit KC, which organizes the event each year, is excited to see participation surpass last year's record. She says that, when it first started 15 years ago, Restaurant Week only had a few dozen offerings.
"It's really exciting that you can live anywhere in the KC metro and find something because there's dozens and dozens of restaurants participating," Wolters says.
Restaurants have a strong incentive to join in. Barry Tunnel, owner of Tannin Wine Bar and The Mineral Lounge in Kansas City, has taken part in Restaurant Week for the past 14 years. He says the boost in sales to start the year is "crucial."
"The first week of the year is pretty much always the slowest week of the year," Tunnel says. "So not seeing that dip (in business) is really important."
Kansas City's recent growth has also contributed to an increased focus on its food scene. More national attention and a rising population have supported a restaurant industry that goes well beyond barbecue.
Tunnel says that as the city becomes more of a destination, "Kansas City supports independent businesses really, really well."
"We're seeing more and more that journalists want to come from big national and international outlets, and they don't just want to cover the Chiefs," Wolters says. "They want to cover Kansas City's food scene and how diverse it is."
KC Restaurant Week also donates 10% of its earnings to charity. This year's featured charity is House of Hope. Director Liz Turner was surprised and touched when her nonprofit was chosen.
"I was blown away," Turner says. "It was so unexpected."
Wolters hopes that the 10-day event will offer an opportunity for locals to explore new foods and cultures.
"Obviously we love our barbecue, but there's also a lot of other really great cultures and cuisines that are represented here in Kansas City," she says. "Ethiopian food, Chinese food, all kinds of different cultures that you can explore."
You can find a full list of participating restaurants here. And for suggestions about where to go, check out Up To Date's food recs from around the city.
- Makenzie Wolters, Visit KC communications manager
- Barry Tunnel, Tannin Bar and Mineral Lounge owner
- Liz Turner, House of Hope director
