Dish & Drink KC: Boba at Fat Bee Cafe and Black Cows at Mugs-Up Root Beer Drive-In

Brown Sugar Boba Latte at Fat Bee Cafe. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Photogenic Brown Sugar Boba Lattes at Fat Bee Cafe

During my freshman and sophomore years of college, the boba craze hit me hard. It was my go-to pick-me-up after a difficult lecture or hours of essay writing. I spent a lot of time (and money) at Bruú on the Plaza because it’s an easy walk from UMKC’s Volker campus. Gradually, I weaned myself off it because it was draining my checking account. But now the beast is back.

Fat Bee Cafe’s neon. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Last week, my younger cousin and I decided to get dessert after dinner. Originally, she was set on Andy’s, but the long line convinced us to look elsewhere. After a quick search on Google Maps, I saw that Fat Bee Cafe was nearby and open. 

My cousin can’t have boba, but she shares my passion for milk tea, and I’m now worried that Fat Bee has us both hooked. 

She ordered the Creme Brulee Latte ($5.95), while I ordered the Brown Sugar Boba Latte ($5.95). Both were cold, creamy, sweet, and addictive. My brown sugar boba balls were suitably chewy and complemented the milk and black tea with their toffee-like flavor. 

The tall plastic cups also contain a serving that’s proportionate to price, which is unfortunately difficult to find at most boba establishments in the city.

Up for trying something a little different? The Vietnamese boba cafe offers frosty options like Matcha Slushy, Taro Ube Freeze, Pinky Lychee, and Honeydew Star. Next up on my list of flavors to try is the Oreo Milk Tea and Strawberry Matcha Latte. 

The Instagram quality of food and drink is something that has unfortunately become very important to me. It’s literally part of my job to take pictures of my meals, and my friends never stop making fun of me for it. But it’s not hard to take quality photos at Fat Bee— you could even get some decent headshots here. There’s natural and overhead lighting, cute neon signs, and plastic plants scattered around. The light, fresh color scheme helps, too. 

Fat Bee Cafe has locations at 6936 W 135th St., Overland Park, KS 66223, 13223 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Shawnee, KS 66216, 4307 Chouteau Trafficway, Kansas City, MO 64117, 1111 Main St. #165, Kansas City, MO 64105, and 880 NW Blue Pkwy., Lee’s Summit, MO 64086. It began with a single location in Overland Park and is now expanding into a franchise. 

Mugs-Up Root Beer Drive-In sign. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Fried everything at Mugs-Up Root Beer Drive-In  

I’ve only visited Mugs-Up a handful of times, but for me, it is synonymous with summer, drive-in movies, and root beer. 

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I went to see a double feature of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Blue Beetle at the Twin Drive-In in Independence, MO. I knew immediately that we had to visit Mugs-Up first. 

Mugs-Up is a retro relic from the 1950s. It’s a drive-in joint similar to Sonic but with loads more style. A bright red neon sign welcomes you to the lot, where you can pull into a stall and wait for a carhop to take your order. It’s open rain or shine, Tuesday through Saturday, and it’s just the greatest. 

My boyfriend’s not from the U.S. He’s from Celbridge, Ireland, which is about half an hour outside Dublin. And it’s safe to say he’s never been anywhere like this before. 

He actually moaned when he first bit into one of their fried mushrooms. He rolled his eyes over to me in the face that he only makes when something is too delicious for words. A bag of these juicy, breaded mushrooms is $2.95. It’s almost too good to be true. 

A singular onion ring from Mugs-Up Drive-In. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Next came the onion rings ($2.75). 

One of the first stories I remember making up as a little girl was about the ghost of the onion rings I had eaten for dinner. I loved them so much that they floated their way into my imagination. I haven’t thought about that memory in years, but these crispy vegetables brought it all back. 

I’m happy to report that my boyfriend’s first-ever corn dog ($1.95) was a success. Personally, I am not a fan of corn dogs due to their 99¢ Sonic days, but I have to admit that this one was pretty good. It’s just as juicy and quality as all the meat that Mugs-Up serves.

I was also coerced into taking a bite of the deep-fried burrito ($2.20) he ordered. Though I was initially skeptical, it took all of my willpower not to finish it off. It’s so simple but so, so good. Just a bunch of seasoned meat packed into a tortilla and deep-fried—the American dream. 

And, of course, we couldn’t go to Mugs-Up without ordering two Black Cows ($1.50 for a small, $2.50 for a medium, $3.00 for a large, or $3.75 for a quart). This rootbeer float rocks my world every time. It’s so much root-ier than any other version I’ve ever had, with much less emphasis on the vanilla, and it works. 

I’m devoted to Mugs-Up because it embodies what I want America to be: a charming, affordable place where you’re free to clog your arteries. After writing this article, I can’t wait to get my next fix.

Mugs-Up Root Beer Drive-In is located at 700 E 23rd St. S., Independence, MO.