Food · Kansas City · United States
What to eat in Kansas City
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Kansas City, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
Start with Burnt ends, Kansas City ribs and The Z-Man sandwich. Kansas City has well over a hundred barbecue restaurants. Barbecue is a lunch meal for many locals, and the best-known places can sell out of burnt ends by evening.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Burnt ends
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 1
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–20% at table-service restaurants and bars, a dollar or two…
- Food experiences
- 4
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Burnt ends
The crusty, fatty point end of a smoked brisket, cut into cubes and sauced. Once given away as scraps at the counter, they became the city's signature barbecue order; some pits now make them from pork belly too.
Where: Long-running barbecue joints across the city; Arthur Bryant's at 18th & Brooklyn and Jack Stack's Freight House are classic stops.
Dish
2.Kansas City ribs
Pork spare ribs slow-smoked over hickory and served with a thick, sweet tomato-and-molasses sauce — the style most of America thinks of as barbecue sauce.
Where: Gates Bar-B-Q's locations (where staff greet you with a shouted 'Hi, may I help you?'), Q39 and Jack Stack.
Dish
3.The Z-Man sandwich
Smoked brisket, provolone and two onion rings on a kaiser roll, the best-known order at Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que.
Where: Joe's original location inside a working gas station on 47th Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas; expect a queue out of the door.
Dish
4.Cheesy corn
Sweet corn baked in a creamy cheese sauce, often with ham, and a near-mandatory side with barbecue here alongside baked beans and fries.
Where: Jack Stack's version is the best known; most barbecue restaurants offer their own.
Dish
5.Kansas City strip steak
The bone-in or boneless strip loin cut that took the city's name in the days of the stockyards, when Kansas City was one of the country's great beef markets.
Where: Old-school steakhouses downtown and on the Plaza, where it is usually served simply with a baked potato.
Dish
6.Pan-fried chicken
Chicken fried in heavy skillets rather than deep fryers, served family-style with mashed potatoes, gravy and cinnamon rolls.
Where: Stroud's, a long-standing family restaurant, is the name locals give; budget time, as each order is fried fresh.
Street food
7.Westside tacos and Mexican food
The Westside neighbourhood along Southwest Boulevard has been the centre of the city's Mexican-American community for a century, with family restaurants serving tacos, enchiladas and menudo.
Where: Southwest Boulevard between the Crossroads and the state line, near Boulevard Brewing.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
The hazy, lemony wheat beer from Boulevard Brewing is the city's default pint, served with a lemon wedge in bars from Westport to the stadiums.
Where: On tap almost everywhere, and at the brewery's own tasting room on Southwest Boulevard.
Dish
9.Barbecue beans
Baked beans slow-cooked with brisket trimmings and barbecue sauce, thicker and smokier than canned versions; pit-masters treat them as part of the meal, not an afterthought.
Where: Every barbecue counter in town; try them next to burnt ends for the full Kansas City plate.
Food experiences
A barbecue crawl
Kansas City has well over a hundred barbecue restaurants. Split plates between friends and compare a few styles in a day: an old-school pit such as Arthur Bryant's near 18th & Vine, Joe's at the gas station in Kansas City, Kansas, and a sit-down place such as Jack Stack in the Crossroads.
City Market on a Saturday
The River Market's farmers' stalls, Vietnamese bakeries and Middle Eastern grocers make the city's best breakfast-and-browse morning, followed by a ride on the free streetcar.
Dinner and jazz at 18th & Vine
Eat barbecue or soul food near the jazz district, then catch a set at the Blue Room or another of the district's clubs, where the 1930s jam-session tradition continues.
Brewery afternoon on Southwest Boulevard
Tour Boulevard Brewing, then try the Westside's taquerias and the small breweries scattered around the Crossroads.
Quick bites and street food
- Westside tacos and Mexican food — Southwest Boulevard between the Crossroads and the state line, near Boulevard Brewing.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 1 are usually vegetarian: Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Barbecue is a lunch meal for many locals, and the best-known places can sell out of burnt ends by evening.
- Many barbecue joints are order-at-the-counter; find a seat after you pay and expect paper plates and white bread.
- Sauce is served on the side at many places; try the meat plain first.
- Popular spots such as Joe's have long queues at weekend lunchtimes; ordering ahead online is often possible.
- Restaurants close earlier than in coastal cities; aim to sit down by 8:30pm away from the entertainment districts.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: about 18–20% at table-service restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares. Counter-service barbecue places often have a tip jar or screen prompt, which is optional.
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Kansas City famous for?
Burnt ends, Kansas City ribs, The Z-Man sandwich and Cheesy corn. The crusty, fatty point end of a smoked brisket, cut into cubes and sauced.
+Is Kansas City good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Kansas City?
Tipping is expected: about 18–20% at table-service restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares. Counter-service barbecue places often have a tip jar or screen prompt, which is optional.