Dish and Drink KC: A sense of belonging at Cafe Cà Phê, plus the “best wings on the planet” at Q39

Cafe Cà Phê // Photo By Tiffany Watts

Cafe Cà Phê

It’s still Pride month and as a queer woman, I believe there’s no better way to celebrate Pride than to be inspired by others. And what better way to become inspired than to see our children follow their hearts? This month, my daughter’s best friend set aside time on his birthday to do what may have been the scariest thing he’s ever done in his 16 years of life so far, and he came out to his mother. 

In hopes of encouraging others to be brave and step into their truest selves, he allowed me to share his milestone with all of you. 

To hold space for him and allow him to decompress after the big reveal, I decided to do a spin-off of Take Your Kids to Work Day and allowed my daughter and him to tag along with me as I went to eat and sip my way through Kansas City yet again. The first stop: a cafe that has recently taken a spot in my list of top five favorite cafes in Kansas City. Cafe Cà Phê.

To be fully transparent, I chose Cafe Cà Phê because I knew he’d feel like he belonged. For many in our queer and minority communities, finding safe spaces to exist without stares or judgment can be difficult. Yes, even in 2024. Thankfully, Cafe Cà Phê takes creating an inclusive space seriously and I wanted to show him that places like this exist. 

On top of that, the drinks and snacks are to die for!

My daughter and I now make weekly excuses to drive from the northland to Cafe Cà Phê, so we’re familiar with the menu. As self-dubbed experts, we suggested that her bestie try The Mind ($7.75) iced with the Coconut Mushroom Cold Foam (+$1) on top. We figured he’d like its blend of Vietnamese espresso, honey, Chagaccino Mushroom Blend, and oat milk since it creates a deliciously smooth and sweet drink. The cold foam would just be a really tasty reward for getting to the bottom of the cup. 

They also snagged the Ube Crinkle and Buko Pandan cookies which were moist with a subtle taste of sugar, but still paired well with the already sweet drinks. 

For my drink, I went with my newest obsession The Spirit ($7.50). The mix of honey, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and coconut milk is Cafe Cà Phê’s take on golden milk and can be ordered iced or hot, with or without espresso. I decided on the hot, coffee-free version and sipped to my heart’s content. 

While we sat to enjoy our drinks and treats, I thought to myself life should always feel like this. It should always feel like we’re in places that welcome us with people who are willing to hold space for us when we need it. And we should always, always, be able to feel those things while sipping and nibbling on something delicious.

Cafe Cà Phê is at 916 E 5th St, Kansas City, MO 64106, plus a weekend coffee cart inside 12th Street Post at 1501 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO 64101.

Q39 // Photo By Tiffany Watts

Q39

Next on our list of places to visit was the well-known Q39. Now this restaurant has been highly recommended by other chicken wing lovers, so I had to make my way there. 

When I sat down, I shared with the server that we were there for the wings. She said, “Actually, they’re the best wings on the planet.” My face must have shown that her comment felt like a bit of a reach so she pointed to the title of the wings on the menu, which read: Best Wings on the Planet.

After finally getting it and laughing to myself, I requested an order of their Crispy Fries ($5.50) and two orders of the Best Wings on the Planet ($13 each). One order of jumbo wings tossed in their Chipotle BBQ sauce and one order of naked jumbo wings. 

First to arrive at the table were our crispy fries, which were, in fact, crispy. They hit the spot as an appetizer. A few minutes later our wings were served along with a few of their most popular BBQ sauces and a buffalo sauce in case the naked wings were a little too naked. 

The first bite of the naked chicken wing was satisfyingly crunchy and juicy. I was surprised by how flavorful the breading was. I expected the naked wings to be, well, naked with very little seasoning. I’ve noticed that a lot of restaurants use the sauce to give their wings flavor, but these wings start with flavor before the sauce is even added and I fully support that method. 

Excited to taste the second order of wings, I was thrilled to find that the Chipotle BBQ wings still had that exceptional crunch and juiciness in the first bite. Instead of softening the chicken, the sauce just added a punch of twang and spice that took the flavor up a few notches. 

Before we cleaned our plates we clinked our wings as if to cheers to our second-best choice of the day and finished eating up the last of our food. The jury is still out on whether they’re the best wings on the world, but I can say with certainty that I was honored to help make at least one person feel a little less alone in the world.

Q39 has two locations at 11051 Antioch Rd. Overland Park KS 66210 and 1000 W 39th St. Kansas City, MO 64111.