local food

Slow Rise's sourdough doughnuts nearly always sell out at the Lawrence and Overland Park farmers markets. Owner Jessica Dunkel says she hopes to open her Overland Park brick-and-mortar location within a month.

Whether you’re looking for a sourdough loaf, a croissant, or a cake, the Kansas City region is full of bakeries worth exploring. Here’s where to find the best from-scratch breads, pastries and more.

For the past four years, a federal program has given Missouri farmers and hungry families a boost by putting locally grown, fresh food on their tables. But the recently canceled Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement won't provide that help this year.

The Strips Chicken and Brewing location in Lenexa boasts a garden where the restaurant's founder grows heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, spinach, kale and more. He uses much of the produce in his menu.

From The Better Cheddar to dedicated charcuterie stores, Kansas City has an abundance of specialty cheese shops, cheesemakers and cheese-making classes to explore. These are some of our favorite places to find gourmet cheeses.

At Ding Dong Dogs just west of UMKC, you can get The Roo-Up Dog, a jumbo dog topped with pulled pork, pickled red onion, sport peppers and barbecue mustard. Or bite into The Big Salvy, the same jumbo wiener smothered with caramelized onion, giardiniera, tots and mustard.

Mike King calls himself a chocolate maker as one of those who starts with the raw beans to create his boutique chocolate bars. The bars are featured at his one-man operation — Encore Coffee and Chocolate in Grandview.

When consumers get their utility bills every month, it’s not always clear why energy costs as much as it does — and there are usually no other options. Why? The upfront investment and barriers to entry create natural energy industry monopolies. Plus: Learn why local fruits and veggies are often more expensive than produce shipped thousands of miles.

As part of the “Food Routes” series, Harvest Public Media explores three big factors that affect produce prices in the Midwest and Great Plains.

The food hall, just up the hill from the Plaza, is set to open Monday in the Cascade Hotel, 4600 Wornall Rd. Plaza Provisions takes the place of the Strang Chef Collective, which closed in December after just a year.

Betty Bremser has been running Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard for nearly 30 years, turning the Brookside locale into a dessert destination and the start of many local teens' careers. But Bremser is hanging up her scoop at the end of the month.

Sandwiches are versatile, portable, and filling, which makes them perfect for a hearty breakfast, a picnic lunch or a low-key dinner. Kansas City’s food scene is full of delicious hoagies, tortas and bahn mi. Here’s where to find the cream of the crop.