Brunch can take on many different forms.
There’s the all-you-can-eat buffet, complete with waffle and omelet stations.
And don’t forget the boozy brunch — quite possibly the only time of the week where one could have a drink in the morning without feeling too guilty.
On Friday's Central Standard, KCUR's Food Critics took their annual look at the best brunch dishes in and around Kansas City.
Here are their recommendations:
Mary Bloch, Around the Block:
- Happy Gillis — shrimp and grits.
- Happy Gillis — avocado toast. With smoked salmon and a poached egg.
- Succotash — pork hash.
- Port Fonda — chilaquiles. With a fried egg on top.
- Port Fonda — DIY Bloody Marys
- Blvd Tavern — chilaquiles.
- Blvd Tavern — chicken and biscuit. Chicken fried with corn flakes on a biscuit with bourbon gravy.
- Rye — burnt-end hash. With potatoes, onions, bell peppers and spicy tomato sauce.
- Ça Va — boozy brunch. Love any blush sparkling wine there.
- Ça Va — quiche.
- Ça Va — crepes.
- Genessee Royale Bistro — red chili braised pork shoulder. Served with brown rice, cabbage and corn tortillas.
- Genessee Royale Bistro — corned beef sandwich. With Brussels sprouts, Gruyère and two sunny-side eggs.
- Westport Café & Bar — chicken confit hash.
Jenny Vergara, Feast Magazine:
- Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar — blackened catfish benny. With biscuit, gumbo, poached egg and preserved okra. It’s spicy, rich and satisfying.
- Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar — buttermilk fried oysters and waffles. A play on chicken and waffles; made with a bacon waffle, Red Hot maple butter and country gravy.
- Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar — drink menu. Seven different Bloody Marys and six different Mimosas, plus a classic drink menu.
- The Corner Restaurant — The Hashes. Made with sweet potatoes, caramelized red onions, mushrooms, Swiss chard and more, plus a poached egg, Hollandaise sauce and a choice of protein (house made chorizo, pastrami, smoked salmon, etc.)
- Café Sebastienne — brioche French toast. Plenty for two people to share. Topped with seasonal fruit compote, comes with bacon. Brunch with a side of contemporary art.
- Voltaire. The brunch menu spans the globe: Szechuan beef short ribs, huevos rancheros, Croque Madame, lemon ricotta pancakes, malted waffles and more. Plus, a gorgeous bar and talented bartenders … this is what brunch is all about.
- Affäre — jägerschnitzel. Crispy pork cutlet with fried egg butterspätzle and mushroom sauce. Modern German favorites and fantastic cocktails.
- Affäre — Gin and Jam cocktail. Hendrick’s gin with black currant jam syrup and lemon.
- Jarocho — seafood brunch. An all-you-can-eat oyster and seafood bar, plus one made-to-order item from the brunch menu.
- Jarocho — Bottomless drinks. Mimosa, Bloody Mary, margarita, sangria (red and white).
- Heirloom Bakery & Hearth — bread and baked goods.
Charles Ferruzza, The Independent and Shawnee Mission Post:
Buffet and menu:
- Grand Street Café. Appetizer/salad/dessert buffet table with excellent choices on the brunch menu. Reasonably priced.
- Lidia’s Kansas City. Nice array of salads and antipasti offered before choosing off-menu items. Lovely dolci choices.
Menu only:
- Aixois Bistro.
- Village Inn.
- Café Europa.
- Westport Café & Bar. Everything is so good and hearty.
- Beer Kitchen.
Buffet:
- Bristol Seafood Grill.
- Horizon Buffet at Ameristar Casino. It doesn’t matter what you think you’re looking for — it’s there.
Listener recommendations:
- Julian — scrambled tofu.
- Julian — biscuits and mushroom gravy.
- Classic Cookie. Good food, really fresh.
- Beer Kitchen — Dutch baby. Baked pancakes with different toppings.
- Gram & Dun — blackened shrimp and grits.
- Aixois Bistro — Emmanuel's Breakfast.
- Hy-Vee — prime rib, salmon. Good quality.
- Ophelia’s.
- La Bodega.
- The Fig Tree Café — hash. They also have homemade jams!
- Krokstrom Klubb — Gravlax Smørrebørd!
- Leeway Franks in Lawrence.
- Ollie’s Local.
- District Pour House.
- The Farmhouse.
- Bistro 303.
- The Majestic.
- Chez Elle.
- Urban Table.
- The Bean Counter Café.
- Top Golf.
- Mixing Bowl Noshery.
- Chaz on the Plaza. Live music, generous portions for lobster roll or lobster benedict.
- Ragazza — Italian biscuit and gravy. Incredible. It's made with spicy Italian sausage. Served on au gratin potatoes with an egg on top.
- Ragazza — eggs benedict. Served over polenta with arugula on top.
- V’s Italiano Ristorante — Italian brunch. Regular breakfast foods, omelet bar, pasta, Italian sausages, dessert bar with their delicious rum cake.
Jen Chen is associate producer for KCUR's Central Standard. Reach out to her at jen@kcur.org.
