New West Plaza Bodega from Blackhole Bakery keeps iconic pastries, expands coffee and seating
West Plaza Bodega and Blackhole Bakery owner Jason Provo // Photo by Jordan Baranowski
As highlighted in my perfect day of eating, Blackhole Bakery is one of the top spots for pastries in Kansas City.
Their combination of classic baking techniques with innovative, unapologetically bombastic flavors is tough to top. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy the talents of the Blackhole Bakery team, the new West Plaza Bodega—located at 1702 W 45th Street, a couple streets east of State Line—might be just what you need to help you push through the chilly season.
Even though West Plaza Bodega shares some DNA with Blackhole Bakery, owner Jason Provo says that the plan was always to have the new spot stand on its own. “Blackhole evolved over time into what our team, neighborhood, and customers dictated,” he says. “The vibe and type of service at West Plaza Bodega is different, but there will be a lot of core elements that people have come to expect from us.”
Blackhole pastries // Photo by Jordan Baranowski
The most notable difference is the overall footprint of the store. Blackhole Bakery customers are no strangers to lining up outside, snaking in through the door, and filling a box of goodies to take on their way. West Plaza Bodega, as the name implies, has more of its space dedicated to locally-sourced goods and grab-and-go items. There are also tables inside, with food runners and full coffee service.
For Provo, the West Plaza Bodega is a chance for him to indulge in some of his passions beyond delicious baked goods. One of his early jobs was at Dean & DeLuca, and he loved working in a spot with specialized or hard-to-find grocery items. He says, “We want people to be able to pop in and find locally-made goods or items like oils or condiments from unique sellers and makers.” Local goods include products from Popculture Gourmet Popcorn, Local Pig, and Marion Milling, and the shelves also have specialty groceries like Graza Olive Oil, Sqirl Jams, and Ayoh Sauces.
Another passion for Provo is coffee, and this new location finally gives him a chance to scratch that itch. “Of course, Blackhole Bakery would be a perfect spot for us to serve coffee,” he says. “The logistics of it have kept it out of reach for us. West Plaza Bodega is going all-in with a full coffee bar, a selection of specialty drinks, and even our own espresso blend.”
Photo by Tarik Sykes
With a firmer footing in the world of coffee, this new location will also pay dividends for Blackhole Bakery. While the same level of coffee service won’t take hold at the location on Troost, Provo plans on bringing a much wider range of coffee options to his flagship bakery. The coffee selection for both locations is created in partnership with Maps Coffee.
The food selection at West Plaza Bodega will also vary quite a bit from Blackhole Bakery, though some of the main differences are still in the preheating stage. “The most noteworthy items at West Plaza Bodega will be our made-to-order sandwiches,” Provo says. “Our shokupan (Japanese milk bread) is a great combo with the big, classic flavors in our breakfast sandwiches, and we’re tweaking our focaccia recipe to make it a thinner, more ideal vehicle for lunch sandwiches. It’s the same great flavor, but it’s able to hold its shape a bit better against a packed sandwich.”
The general manager of the West Plaza Bodega is Sarah Breiby, who brings over her talents and flavor bona fides from previous experience at Local Pig and Kansas City Canning Co. “Sarah is a KC food legend,” Provo says. “Her ability to pair and nuance unique flavors is really special, and she has crafted a really special menu for us.”
The doors of West Plaza Bodega are in the early soft-opening phase, so some of the more ambitious menu items aren’t quite ready for the spotlight yet. For now, Provo and his team are working on ensuring coffee service is running smoothly and they have a good supply of baked goods on hand. For sandwiches, he tells us, “Stay tuned. We’ll have more info on that soon.”
Photo by Tarik Sykes
Since West Plaza Bodega is located right in the middle of a neighborhood, Provo looks forward to a chance to evolve and adapt the space to what customers need. Maybe that’s increasing or decreasing the types of goods they carry. Maybe that’s reducing the amount of table space and ramping up the grab-and-go salads, dips, and sauces.
However West Plaza Bodega evolves, it’s already off to a strong start. Provo and his team completely transformed the space and launched with a good combination of tried-and-true baked goods and a strong coffee game to support their concept, and they plan to bring in bigger and bolder items to help make their space unique.
West Plaza Bodega is located at 1702 W 45th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. Hours are not yet finalized, but it is expected to be open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast and lunch starting next week.
