Food & Drink

Restaurant, cafe, and bar workers' will rally in Kansas City and St. Louis on Tuesday for a "Bill of Rights" proposing a $25 minimum wage, paid sick leave, healthcare, and other benefits

Pumpkin spice lattes are old news. As more Kansas City coffee shops embrace matcha and hojicha, they're now offering the green tea drinks with fall flavors like toasted marshmallow, sweet potato, caramel and, yes, pumpkin.

As fall arrives and the days get cooler, nothing satisfies quite like a cheesy dish that warms the belly and comforts the soul. From gooey grilled cheese sandwiches to tangy, whipped goat cheese dips — even famous barbecue sides — there’s a cheesy dish for every taste in Kansas City.

Around Kansas City, you don’t need to go far to find great apples for the picking, ciders for the sipping, and donuts for the eating. These local orchards, farms, and breweries have plenty on tap this autumn.

Beginning in December, new federal restrictions will make many hemp products illegal. Businesses in the industry are getting ready to close down most or all of their operations, while advocates hope there's still time to change course before the ban begins.

Starting Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, 11 Black-owned restaurants will feature special deals in an effort to put their food on the map. Black Restaurant Week was recognized by Christal Watson, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, to amplify Black-owned businesses. Many suffered economic losses in the recent severe storms.

The island-inspired chain — built around the Hawaiian plate lunch with grilled proteins, rice and macaroni salad — opened its first restaurant in Belton in 2018. Its latest franchise opened this week in Indianapolis, with more expansions on the way.

GreenHorn Bar & Grill took over the building formerly occupied by the Green Room at 4010 Pennsylvania Avenue, keeping the combination of bar, restaurant and live entertainment venue. Meanwhile, Chambre Coffee will continue to operate in the former Westport Coffeehouse space above.

Passing through parts of the Crossroads, the Westside and Rosedale neighborhoods, Southwest Boulevard hosts some of the best Hispanic food in the Kansas City area. Take a drive down the road with these restaurants, bars, stores and breweries.

Parlor, Kansas City’s first chef collective, announced abruptly this week that it would permanently close its seven-vendor space this Saturday. The news left kitchen owners reeling, and looking for spaces of their own.

Shades of red extracted from an ancient corn variety held up to heat and other conditions typical of food processing and storage. Researchers are exploring whether this natural dye alternative could open new markets for Midwest farmers.

Missouri's ban on hemp-derived THC drinks starts Nov. 12. But, if Congress gives final approval to a short-term funding bill and the president signs it, the beverages could stay on shelves longer.