Dish & Drink KC: Picnic picks at Sweet Tee’s and The Lunch Box
Sweet Tee’s Goodness Bar and Quiche // Photo by Sarah Sipple
It took one visit, and specifically one little treat, to lock Sweet Tee’s into my memory among the multitude of coffee shop choices in the KC metro. So when it came time for a Sunday morning picnic with my friends in Ottawa, I knew exactly where I would stop on my drive south.
Our friend group, consisting of childhood besties and kindred souls we’ve embraced along the way, meets for coffee in Ottawa, KS every few weeks. Admittedly, I don’t join as often as I’d like simply due to the hour-long drive each way. But we recently lost a member of our group to cancer and our need for connection is heightened.
This time we planned to meet at a park, both to take advantage of a beautiful forecast and make it easier on the members who have kids that would love the playground time. We each selected our own coffee and/or breakfast–and friends brought goodies from Mug Shot (our original hang), Corner Market, and Starbucks.
I opted for Sweet Tee’s in Olathe, mostly as an excuse to order the Goodness Bar. When I plan on a sweet treat like this, House Blend black coffee ($2.50) is my drink of choice. A flavored latte is fine and dandy, but not when it means competing with sweetness: I’ll always prioritize the pastry.
A Spinach Onion & Red Pepper Quiche ($4.50) provided the actual foundation of my breakfast. It was light and airy inside, well-baked for a crispy outside. The pool of hollandaise on top gave it a slight pop of bright flavor. For my gluten-sensitive readers, this dish and the Goodness Bar are gluten-free!
Okay, let’s get to the Good(ness) stuff. The Goodness Bar ($3.50) has elements of multiple decadent desserts rolled into one, all while remaining vegan and gluten-free. The no-bake bar is packed with chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut, with oats being the primary vehicle for the complementary flavors. It is lusciously soft without being too messy. I ate mine with a fork as it melted in the sun, but as long as you have a napkin, treating it as finger food works.
It may seem simple, but Sweet Tee’s does this bar in a way far superior to any no-bake I’ve made or tried at a party. If it looks too peanut buttery for you from the photo, I assure you there is a chocolate layer at the bottom. All in all, this was a comforting and portable breakfast to enjoy with friends. (But too good to share.)
Sweet Tee’s Coffee Shop is at 2063 E Santa Fe St, Olathe, KS 66062, with satellite locations in the Olathe Indian Creek Library and Olathe Downtown Library.
The Lunch Box Chicken Club Sandwich // Photo by Sarah Sipple
The Lunch Box was first recommended to me by my friends at Afterall and West Bottoms Plant Co, and they pitched it as a hole-in-the-wall dive that was reliable. Perfect for a greasy meal craving.
The West Bottom’s restaurant has a breakfast and lunch menu, and serves as a liquor and convenience store. It is open seven days a week starting at 6 a.m.
The breakfast menu offers sandwiches, burritos, and biscuits and gravy. The lunch menu may be more well-known, especially their Giant Tenderloin sandwich. Burgers, hot dogs, subs, and salads round out the lunch menu.
The Lunch Box // Photo by Sarah Sipple
My husband and I stopped by after a tattoo appointment, both in the mood to try something new. However, entering the establishment was the only new thing we did… Instead, we relegated to our old habits–him ordering a burger and fries, and me ordering a chicken sandwich and onion rings.
Specifically, I went with the Chicken Club Sandwich, with the fried chicken option ($8.50). As a standalone sandwich, it was good but not groundbreaking. Certainly better than the Sonic Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which was the first comparison that came to mind. I did, however, show off the chicken strips to Ryan a couple of times, pleased with the quality: thick and even, thoroughly cooked but not dry, and no chewy bits.
The Onion Rings ($3.50) helped to complete the diner food moment. I will order and enjoy any onion ring, but I really, truly enjoy the onion element of an onion ring. If I can’t get ridiculously fat and sweet onions (PrimeTime Grille steals this spotlight) then I want thin breading and softer, maybe greasy, onion straws or rings. The Lunch Box offers the latter in generous, dripping portions.
We drove around West Bottoms looking for a place to post up outside but ended up sitting in our car, windows open, listening to an audiobook. The food was perfectly handheld for a picnic or road trip, though I did have to clean up the grease on my dash.
The Lunch Box is at 1701 W 9th St, Kansas City, MO 64101.
