Le Champion brings knockout flavors, morning and night, to Westport

Courtesy of Le Champion

Owning, operating, and acting as the head chef at a single restaurant is a big ask for anyone. The pressure is turned up even higher when stepping into the space of a much-beloved former occupant. Lucky for us, Westport’s newly-opened Le Champion—located at 4149 Pennsylvania Avenue, in the former home of Ça Va—is being guided by a steady hand: Amante Domingo.

For Domingo, chef and owner of The Russell, Noka, and Le Champion, operating multiple restaurants is like keeping track of children. “They’re all capable of operating on their own,” he says. “But if someone is bleeding or crying, that’s the one I make my top priority.” Noka and The Russell have both proven resilient—and delicious—over the years, so opening and getting Le Champion up to his demanding standards is Domingo’s newest challenge.

Le Champion opened its doors in June of this year, and it offers a unique, hybrid style of restaurant. In the morning and throughout the day, it’s a coffee shop, with a selection of baked goods, breakfast burritos, and coffee options featuring a unique bean blend created just down the way at Broadway Roasting Company.

As the sign above the bar indicates, “Club rules: 5 o’clock laptops down and music up!” Although there isn’t technically a true changeover, that’s when Le Champion transforms from a coffee shop to a wine bar. At that time, you can expect to see more snacks and shareables, along with an intriguing wine and cocktail menu on the scene.

Courtesy of Le Champion

Domingo, who loved Ça Va and wanted to keep much of its spirit alive with Le Champion, says the combination of coffee and wine was both a natural and practical fit. “Pastries go great with coffee or wine alike. People like a good cocktail during the day. For me, offering both options was a way to appeal to the people who live and work in Westport during the day, or who come out for dates, happy hour, or dinner in the evening,” he says.

If you’ve been to either of Domingo’s other restaurants, you know they both feature a unique style, and Le Champion is no different. Drawing inspiration from classic Americana sports culture, Le Champion looks straight out of a Gatsby-era polo trophy room. The look and feel is an approachable, tongue-in-cheek approach to luxury that’s easy to admire and enjoy. Trophies, rackets, lockers, pennants, and photos adorn the space, old baseball games and tennis matches play on the TVs, and the menu items have plenty of old-timey sports references. 

Courtesy of Le Champion

“We want the space to be luxe, but approachable,” Domingo says. “Le Champion is a place where you can come have a few drinks and laughs with your friends, but it’s also a place where you can celebrate a bridal shower.”

With a food menu full of snacks and shareables—lobster rolls, truffle fries, filet sliders, all in addition to the previously mentioned breakfast burritos and pastries—it’s easy to find something at Le Champion to satisfy your hunger. Playful cocktails, a chef-driven approach to coffee drinks, and a list of about a dozen wines by the glass all mean that Le Champion is a place where you can always find “one more drink” before going on your way.

“For the wine list, we’re approaching our selection with an eye for easy-to-drink glasses that will be a good fit whether you’re on the patio or spending time inside,” Domingo says. “Pretentiousness has no place here—we want people to be able to have fun and enjoy themselves, no matter who they’re with, when they’re here, or why they’re here.”

All of these elements seem to add up to a spot that will be able to adapt as Westport continues to evolve. With both The Russell and Noka, Domingo has shown he has the know-how to roll with the punches. “The Russell made it through COVID shutdowns. With Noka, I really had to step back and take stock in our staff and customers to help it become what it is today,” he says. “If you listen—really listen—to your customers, your team, and what your space is telling you, that’s how you take something good and make it incredible.”

With that mentality, it sounds like Le Champion has a good chance at living up to its name. It is open now from 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Wednesday through Saturday, and Domingo expects a Sunday brunch service to get added to the mix in the near future.

Le Champion is at 4149 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO 64111.