KC Sipps: A new Black Restaurant Week, foodie festivals, and Thelma’s Kitchen on pause

KC Sipps logo by Teddy Rosen

Life in KC is pretty delicious. In fact, there is often so much going on that it can be hard to decide where to go and what to try.

That’s where I come in. 

I’ve curated this weekly list of events, openings, deals, and celebrations to keep you in-the-know. Cheers!

Something New

News Bites: Visit KCK and local restaurants are putting on KCK Black Restaurant Week to coincide with 913 Day. Starting September 7, participating restaurants will offer $9.13 deals, like five drumsticks and fries from Neighborhood Eats at McNewton’s Community Outreach Center or a large two-topping pizza at Wilson’s Pizza and Grill. Holy Smoke BBQ, Turkey Legg Man, and Jones Bar-B-Q are also among the participants. The deals end September 13.

Opening

Pizza Tascio: I mentioned their Olathe expansion just a matter of weeks ago, and now Pizza Tascio is at it again. The NY-style pizza joint is now open in Mission. On Johnson Drive, Pizza Tascio is now open daily. 

Closing

Unforked: Unforked announced closure of the Crown Center location as of September 1. The Westwood and Overland Park locations remain open. Fox 4 reported that the decision not to renew was due to the uncertainty of potentially reduced foot traffic during a construction phase of a new Royals stadium.

Thelma’s Kitchen: The pay-what-you-can cafe and Thelma’s catering services have been suspended as of September 2. Reconciliation Services, which operates Thelma’s Kitchen, is considering changes. Clients, customers, neighbors, and other related parties are invited to complete a survey about how Thelma’s Kitchen can best serve the community. According to the website, Reconciliation Services will continue providing meals to clients throughout the transition.

September 4

Kansas City Irish Fest: Kicking off today, Kansas City Irish Fest will celebrate all things Irish culture, food, art, and more at Crown Center through September 6. With 17 food vendors, two whiskey tents, and even a whiskey flight experience, it’s best to come hungry and hitch a ride home. A weekend pass is $85 in advance, or about $40 per day when purchased at the event.

September 5

Sway Coffee Roasters: Sway, a Rosedale cafe, turns four this weekend and is celebrating with deals and special offerings. Today they’re pulling out all the stops with free cupcakes for the first 100 customers, a tableside magician, a photo op, a specialty latte, and much more. Then, come back on September 9 when the fall menu launches. I’m torn between trying the brown sugar rosemary latte or the “chaider” with Louisburg Cider and chai… so I think I’ll order both. 

Char Bar: Char Bar’s Hatch Chile Fest heats up the Parkville location from 12 – 6 p.m. Stop by for live chile roasting, hatch-inspired dishes, Mean Mule Distilling tastings, live music, and more. The same fun will happen at the Westport location on September 12, coinciding with the Westport Art Fair. 

KC Wine Co: From 12 – 8 p.m., KC Wine Co and The Pumpkin Patch are going 21+ only for an Oktoberfest celebration. Admission is about $30 and includes beer samples, contests, live music, and access to the mega slide, photo ops, and dozens of other farm attractions. 

September 6

Hillsiders: At Hillsiders in Strawberry Hill, Loretta Jean’s will be popping up in the backyard, starting at 3 p.m. Before opening their own brick-and-mortar in the garment district, Loretta Jean’s is using pop-ups to spread the word about their laid-back approach to local and perhaps nostalgic food and bev. Stop by for grill staples, vegetarian options, and a Labor Day weekend celebration.

Plan Ahead

Kanbe’s Markets: On September 10, Kanbe’s is hosting a special Plate & Pallet dinner experience to honor 10 years of working on food redistribution in Kansas City. This is a high-end dinner set in thier working warehouse, highlighting one part of the journey that food makes before it lands on our plates. Food and beverage partners for this event include prominent professionals like Katie Liu Sung, Jeffrey Workman, Nichole Taylor, Sergio Cazares, and Loren Murrell. Tickets are $200.