KC Sipps: Three restaurant openings, plus a weekend full of Pride and First Friday food events

Art by Cassondra Jones

Looking for delicious plans? Whether you want to impress a date, show your fam the best of KC, or just get out of the house, we’ve got you covered… all while supporting (mostly) local. 

Here is your weekly roundup of the best food and drink offerings around Kansas City. Cheers!

Something new

Fresh menus and hours: Green Dirt on Oak, the recently opened farm-to-table spot in Crossroads, now serves brunch and lunch in its downstairs daytime cafe. The midtown instant-classic Tailleur now also offers brunch each day of the week except Sundays. And last but never, ever least, Waldo’s Hemma Hemma has converted its hot-line restaurant setup into a traditional cafe. The hot line has been converted into kitchen-view seating, and dine-in service begins Friday, June 7. 

Opening

39th Street Brewery: In the Volker neighborhood, 39th Street Brewery is throwing a grand opening on June 8 from 1 – 10 p.m. The debut will feature nine craft beers on tap, new roll-up windows for fresh air, and an overall renovated space. 

The Drunken Worm: Another spot on West 39th Street is back in biz. The Drunken Worm has reopened under new management, but brought back nearly everything customers have been missing–including the chef who developed the original menu. They will celebrate with a grand opening on June 10.

Entity Lounge & Entity Coffee: At College & Switzer in Overland Park, Entity has opened its day-to-night lounge. Entity Coffee is open 6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., giving it time to transform into Entity Lounge at 4 p.m. every day. The night menu features wine, beer, and craft cocktails ranging from $15-30. Coffee and espresso-based drinks make up the day menu, with a few food options like croissants and protein balls.

Pride features

Area restaurants and bars are using their business to support local causes and resources for our LGBTQIA+ community. Here’s how to join in:

Donutology in Westport is donating $10 from every box of Pride mini-donuts sold throughout the month to PRIDE Haven KC Shelter. Gaels Public House on Troost has a true rainbow cocktail menu, and $1 from each drink this month goes to KC Pride Community Alliance.

Color and creativity are also on the menu at Goat & Rabbit on West 39th, where a portion of the proceeds from the Pride cocktail menu benefit KC Center for Inclusion. $1 from each bubble tea sold at all Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop locations will also be donated to KC Center for Inclusion.

June 6

Old Shawnee Days: Kick off the summer with Old Shawnee Days. The annual event has been celebrating the season with free live music, kids activities, and more since 1968. The festival runs from June 6 – 9 in downtown Shawnee. Enjoy a baking contest, food trucks, and a free performance by The Phil Collins Experience on the main stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday. 

June 7

National Donut Day: It is my professional opinion that you should treat yourself to a donut today. Our bustling metro has many a fine donut shop, but I’ll narrow it down to two recommendations. Donut King and Mr. D’s Donuts. The northern option, Donut King offers yeast-raised donuts as late as 10 p.m. And in Shawnee and Lenexa, Mr. D’s Donuts has the very best blueberry cake donuts. Mr. D’s also has yeast donuts and mochi donuts. 

Independence Square: Wine, Brew, & Spirits Too! has returned to Independence Square. Kicking off at 5 p.m., participants 21+ can enjoy sampling at shopping at the pop-up Wine Garden. Participating businesses include 3 Trails Brewing, The Sentinel Room, Rochester Brewing & Roaster, Headquarters Winery, Rally Gin, Holladay Distillery, and many more. Tickets start at $25 and include live music.

First Friday: The city comes alive on First Fridays, and here are some food- and drink-related ideas for you to build your evening around! The brand-new Vye Cocktail Lounge is opening its rooftop space for cocktails from 4 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. and no reservations are required. 

For a non-alcoholic option, Café Corazon will be highlighting its Amor Matcha Y Rosa drink and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Rightfully Sewn Seamstress Training Program. Just down Southwest Boulevard, Lilly’s Cantina will have a DJ accompanying their dine-in menu, plus delicious vendors from 5:30 – 10 p.m., such as Aguitas KC, Berries By Noemy, K’s Baked Goods, and more.

In East Crossroads, HiTides is hosting some stellar KC vendors, including the delish Devoured Pizza and Chivos Food Truck both from 6 – 10 p.m. Kin Seltzer is hosting the first of their Kinnect First Friday Happy Hours at Border Brewing Co from 5 – 7 p.m. The free event includes drink samples and professional networking, aka a great kickoff to your First Friday adventures! 

June 8

KC Pride Parade: Though KC Pridefest runs through the whole weekend, the iconic parade kicks off at Westport Rd & Broadway Blvd at 11 a.m. and heads south. After the parade, the fun continues at Theis Park through 10 p.m. In addition to live performances and educational sessions, food trucks and vendors are there to sustain you through the day. Festival admission is $5. Bring the whole fam back on Sunday for a family-friendly lineup of entertainment.

KC Wine Works: Celebrate National Rosé Day with a visit to this Crossroads wine stop. Pop in between 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and take home a glassware flamingo with the purchase of your delicious Rosé Wine Slushie. 

The Bourgeois Pig: From 2 p.m. – 12 a.m. is throwing a block party to celebrate its 30th anniversary! The downtown Lawrence staple stop will feature live music from local faves like Frogpond, Lyxe, and more, plus food trucks for even more delicious fun.

The Black Pantry: Frosted by Catherine will pop up at The Black Pantry in Martini Corner from 1 – 4 p.m. Rose Champagne Cupcakes, Mini Cakes, and Mini Strawberry Sweet Rolls will be a highlight of the Rosé Day event. The Black Pantry will have bottles of rosé to pair with the sweet treats–ideal for a grab-and-go picnic. In fact, I heard that the roses are in bloom at Loose Park.

Plan ahead

Boulevardia: The good-vibes-only music festival from Boulevard Brewing Co., Visit Missouri, Crown Center, and more returns June 14 – 15. The food-focused event, Boulevardia Taps & Tastes, is held at Crown Center on June 15 and brings together around 60 food and drink vendors. Tickets for the sampling event start at $85, and I recommend making a beeline for Radius Brewing from Emporia, KS, Holladay Distillery, and then Lula Southern Cookhouse. P.S., not only will Hanson be performing at Boulevardia, but they will also be at Taps & Tastes handing out samples of their brand new, unreleased Hanson Brothers Beer. 

The Mercury Room: On June 21, celebrate the Summer Solstice amongst the stars in Crossroads. The Mercury Room’s penthouse views and sparkling ambiance make for a stellar setting for the 21+ party. $160 tickets include unlimited signature cocktails from a specialty solstice menu, small bites, and music from DJ Casio McCombs.