KC Sipps: Feastly festivals, frozen cocktail flights, and more restaurant news

KC Sipps logo by Theodore 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: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce awarded two icons in the beverage space with specialty titles in a ceremony on Tuesday. Vine Street Brewing was named Emerging Small Business of the Year, and Café Corazón was awarded the Small Business Equity Award. Congrats!

Pot Pie in Westport will be closed this Saturday through July 7 while the kitchen floor is replaced.

Opening

Le Champion: Le Champion in Westport will hold a soft opening this Saturday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. This spot intends to be a slow hangout spot, with a focus on coffee in the morning and champagne in the evenings. Chef Amante Domingo is behind Le Champion, who you may recognize from Noka and The Russell.

June 20

KC Black Owned: From 5 – 8 p.m., KC Black Owned and Mac Properties are hosting the Juneteenth Jamboree Midtown Makers Market just off Broadway Blvd. in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The free market features a variety of vendors, DJ Q, plus food and drink available from Urban, Sweet Peaches, and Vine Street Brewing.

June 21

Flavors of Central Tour: Celebrate the flavor of Central Avenue in KCK with The Flavors of Central Tour. This self-guided tour features traditional Mexican dishes, drinks, and sweets from over 40 local restaurants. Tickets are $45. Check in at Bethany Park between 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. and come hungry!

Fullproof Donuts: Popping up at Blip Roasters in West Bottoms, Fullproof Donuts will offer its filled sourdough donuts from 10 a.m. to sell out. This week’s flavors haven’t been announced yet, but recent donuts include ube custard, savory caramelized onion and cheddar, chocolate with peanut butter, and more decadent treats. 

Frost: As a Pitch reader, you’ve likely heard of Make Music Day. Frost, the frozen cocktail bar in Westport, is joining in the merriment. From 12 – 11 p.m., local musicians will entertain nearly non-stop as guests sip frozen flights, local beer, and fruity mocktails.

Tacos & Tequila Festival: Tacos & Tequila returns to Legends Field. I couldn’t attend last year, and Pitch photographer Tarik Sykes’ photos gave me major fomo. This year, the event features Nelly, Timbaland, and, of course, tacos. Tickets start at $100. The day includes concerts, food & drink competitions, a chihuahua beauty pageant, and more. 

Plan ahead

Bar Medici: Bar Medici is bringing in Jax Vineyards for a wine dinner on June 24. The five-course meal includes dishes like oysters and caviar, ribeye, and agnolotti, plus wine pairings from Honor Chervin of the California winery. A $120 deposit is required to hold your seat in the intimate Italian Crossroads restaurant.

Just Food: The Douglas County food bank that directly serves between 300-600 families daily, is hosting a fundraising gala on June 26. A Night Out West will be held at The Oread and features live music from KC’s Lorna Kay, cigar rolling, two-step dance instruction, live and silent auctions, in addition to dinner service. Tickets start at $125, and after attending last year’s event, I’m happy to say that this is a gala full of surprises and truly feels worth it! (In addition to it being for a great cause.)