Dish & Drink KC: Jazz brunch at The Phoenix and more sustainable sips at Sway Coffee Roasters

Crab Cake Florentine Benny at The Phoenix with O’Brien potatoes. // Photo by Lauren Textor

Sunday brunch at The Phoenix

As a young woman in my 20s, one of my true pleasures in life is getting dressed up with my friends to go to brunch. There’s nowhere better to gossip with the girls than over chilled glasses of mimosas at a favorite brunch spot. 

The Phoenix isn’t just for young college grads to catch up, though—it’s for everyone. This weekend alone, I spotted an older woman in a fur coat, a table of white-haired men sipping Irish coffees, and a quartet of mid-20s boys in streetwear within 10 feet of our table. The Sunday jazz brunch attracts music lovers from all over the city. 

Vocalist Millie Edwards knows how to work a crowd. As we walked in the door, Edwards caught my eye mid-note and gestured toward a free table, smiling. On Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Edwards and vocalist/pianist Dan Sturdevant entertain diners with their most beloved songs. This past weekend, they dueted Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” as a special birthday request. I got chills while listening to Edwards belt “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Roberta Flack. 

Country Fried Steak at The Phoenix. // Photo by Lauren Textor

As for the menu… I’ve been told everything is delicious, but so far I have only managed to fully devour the Crab Cake Florentine Benny ($16). 

When I visited The Phoenix with my boyfriend a few months ago, I coerced him into forking over some of his Country Fried Steak ($16), which is ladled with sausage gravy and accompanied by sides of crispy O’Brien potatoes and buttery Texas toast. He ordered his eggs over medium. It’s a heavy meal, so don’t force it. The sooner you accept that you’ll likely have leftovers, the more room you’ll have for drinks. 

This weekend, I successfully convinced everyone at my table to order the crab cake benedict. It didn’t take much. It’s not easy to find good crab cakes in the Midwest, so you have to take advantage where you can. 

The entrance to The Phoenix. // Photo by Lauren Textor

They’re gorgeous. Even now, when I look at the picture of them, I feel like I’m looking at the Instagram of a girl whose skin I want to crawl into. They’re my Suki Waterhouse. 

The Crab Cake Florentine Benny is poached eggs, steamed spinach, gloriously non-greasy bacon, and house-made hollandaise atop a breaded crab cake. Like the Country Fried Steak, this dish is served with a side of O’Brien potatoes, which I used to mop up the runny yolk. 

Since The Phoenix is so busy at brunch especially, you’ll likely be waiting for your food for a while. It’s worth the wait—mostly because it gives you a chance to get tipsy. The crab cakes taste even better when you’re a little drunk off a pitcher of mimosas and your friends’ relationship drama. 

A glass of mimosa (brut or rosé) is $9. But a pitcher of mimosa is $15. Math has never been my favorite subject, but that’s only $6 more for 4-6 extra servings, depending on how generous you are with filling your glass. I prefer the rosé for its sweetness, but I will happily down either. 

I cannot recommend The Phoenix highly enough if you love jazz, architecture, and good food. The brick building is part of the Garment District, which is on the National Historic Registry—as it should be! While you’re there, snap a photo of the stained glass emblazoned with the name “Valerius,” after the building’s 1905 owner Frank Valerius. 

The Phoenix is located at 302 West 8th St., Kansas City, MO 64105. Its live music calendar is posted here. 

Chai with pumpkin and butternut squash syrup at Sway Coffee Roasters. // Photo by Lauren Textor

A more sustainable cuppa at Sway Coffee Roasters 

If you’ve been in KC for a while, then you’ve probably been to at least one of the McLain’s Bakery + Markets locations. Those same founders have brought us Sway Coffee Roasters. 

It hasn’t yet caught fire like McLain’s, but maybe that’s a good thing (for us, anyway). It’s a quieter space to hang out, but it has the same good vibes. 

Many Kansas Citians pride themselves on patronizing local businesses. I do, too. When I spend money, I want to know that it’s worth it, but I also want to be assured of transparent sourcing, ethical business models, and reusable/recyclable practices. So far, I’m impressed by the effort that Sway has made. 

The house brew is purchased through a direct trade model from the Juan Ana coffee mill in Guatamala. Essentially, this means that the farmers receive more of the profits since there’s no need for an importer and their fees. 

Lately, I’ve been astounded by the lack of reusable cups and mugs for dine-in drinks. Even some of my favorite spots are lacking in this area. I was pleasantly surprised that my drink at Sway came in a reusable mug because it’s become so uncommon. 

Sway’s menu is pretty compact, but they do have a list of seasonal syrups at the register. I ordered a chai with two pumps of syrup: butternut squash and pumpkin. It wasn’t fancy, nor was the blue ceramic mug that it came in, but it was flavorful and comforting. The barista was more than happy to assist me in scaling the sweetness profile of the drink as desired.

Sway has a small parking lot out front, but you may find yourself needing to park on an adjacent street. Inside, the modest space has a few plants, several small tables, a couch, and a sectioned-off roasting station where you can watch the magic happen for yourself. 

Sway Coffee Roasters is located at 2700 W. 43rd Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103.