Kansas City Restaurant Week is back for 2026 with staples and surprises in store

Meat Mitch Barbecue. // Courtesy of Visit KC and Pilsen Photo Co-op

Amid a wave of restaurant closures in Kansas City’s dining scene, the 17th annual KC Restaurant Week is a welcome return. 

A total of 64 restaurants closed in 2025, according to reporting from The Kansas City Star. While the reasons behind these closures vary, a pattern emerges of growing economic disparities among consumers, increasing costs in rent and tariffs for business owners, and immigration raids on kitchens—including a 2025 raid in Liberty, MO that led to 11 unlawful arrests and a case in federal court. 

No better time than Restaurant Week, then, to support local businesses across the city. And after dabbling in a small sample of what’s to come, we at The Pitch are delighted to report that, between KC institutions and culinary newcomers, there will be much worth celebrating. 

From Jan. 9 to Jan. 18, diners can visit their favorite spots or experiment with a steal. Restaurants will offer multicourse meals with price tiers at $20, $40, $50, and $65. 

This year, there are over 250 participating locations, from the Northland to Olathe. 

“Restaurant Week isn’t just about the Kansas City, Missouri restaurant scene; it’s about the entire metro,” says Makenzie Wolters, a representative from Visit KC. “It’s also about making sure that so many diverse cuisines are represented. You can really travel the world without ever leaving, because we have so many international cuisines right here in the metro.” 

For Ian Hulon of Zero Zero Handmade Pasta, it’s about making the small Westside pasta joint as accessible as possible, especially when it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of the city’s vast dining scene.

V’s Italiano. // Courtesy of Visit KC and Pilsen Photo Co-op

“We’re still a relatively new restaurant when it all shakes out, but we know that we can put a really good product on the plate, and we’re excited for people to try it,” Hulon says.

Meanwhile, Cocktail Creator and Storyteller John Phelps—he’s developed the latter title as a bartender over the years—is putting forward a lineup of featured cocktails at the Belfry Collective’s Ground Control, a first-timer location for a group of Restaurant Week veterans. 

“Experimentation is a big part of what I do,” Phelps says, “so for Restaurant Week in particular, we want to make sure that we’re providing something that is new and novel for people, but also something that is welcoming and making them want to come back.” 

KCRW isn’t just good for business, either. Over the past 16 years, it’s raised over $4.2 million for local charities. This year, 10% of all proceeds will go to the Visit KC Foundation, the Greater KC Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and 2026’s featured charity, reStart KC. 

The organization offers emergency shelter services, youth programs, and other means toward a stable and dignified exit from unhousedlessness. Now in its 45th year, reStart is expanding with a new shelter location and the construction of its first set of rent-controlled duplexes. 

You can find more information and make reservations on the KCRW app, available on the App Store and Google Play Store.