Sasha’s Baking Co. begins a weekend bar program, Betty Rae’s Ice Cream teases boozy shakes, and more of this week’s restaurant news

Downtown has yet another elegant space for cocktails. Sasha’s Baking Co. (105 West Ninth Street) is expanding its hours to include bar service from 5 to 11 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. (Its more bakerylike daily hours — 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday — remain the same.) Owners Jackie Kincaid Habiger and Ted Habiger purchased the bakery from original owner Michelle Schepmann this past February, and switching on the night light is among the first indicators of a new direction for the space.

The new bar program, called Aperitif, is being managed by mixologist Andrea Cody, who moved here from New York last month. It centers on cocktails designed by Cody, with five small plates emphasizing the pastry case.

“I’m envisioning a place where people can come in and talk, and have something sweet and have a drink before dinner,” says Cody, who keeps a variety of house-made shrubs and infusions behind the bar and seems prepared to make anything. She tells me she plans to refine the bar’s selections over time to include a range of French wines. Among the drinks on offer opening weekend were the Our Tai, blending house-infused mango rum, almond and spiced grenadine, and a Frenchie, with strawberry Aperol, hibiscus, rosé and Lillet Blanc.

There won’t be cocktails just yet at Betty Rae’s Ice Cream (7140 Wornall), but one can’t rule out Aperol when the summer’s breakout food attraction adds alcohol to its shake options later this month (pending liquor-license approval). Co-owner David Friesen isn’t revealing menu specifics yet, but he says the popular shop’s summer hours may expand, depending on demand for the booze infusions. (For now, it’s open till 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and an hour later Friday and Saturday. ) Krokstrom Klubb and Market (3601 Broadway) is also now selling Betty Rae’s wares.

Pizzeria Locale, the fast-casual wood-fired-pie partnership forged by restaurateurs Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Chipotle Mexican Grill, has opened another site at 6455 West 135th Street in Overland Park. The chain’s first KC location is at 505 West 75th Street in Waldo.

The carbs no longer overfloweth at Chicken Macaroni and Cheese (7025 Prospect). The purveyor of such absurdly big sandwiches as the chick-a-roni (a hoagie with a he-man pile of mac and cheese) and the chicken wafflewich (exactly what it sounds like) has closed its doors for good.

This week’s food events:

Thursday 7.14
James Beard award-winner Michael Smith is celebrating his namesake restaurant’s ninth anniversary tonight. The event starts with a champagne-and-raw bar reception, to be followed by four rich courses including lobster, steak and peach pie. There are, of course, wine pairings. The dinner is $125, not including tax or gratuity. Michael Smith is at 1900 Main; call 816-842-2202 for reservations.

Tonight, Pig & Finch (11570 Ash, Leawood) is hosting a five-course (counting amuse) dinner, this one featuring each of the distilled liquors made by J. Rieger & Company. The food is intensely summery: tempura-fried squash blossoms, sweet summer-corn bisque, onion-ash-seared ahi tuna, roasted lamb, and a watermelon-and-strawberry coupe. The $75 ticket does not include tax or gratuity but comes with three custom cocktails. Call 913-322-7444 for reservations.

Yet another pre-weekend prix fixe: a dinner of prime rib and salmon at Charisse (1006 Walnut). For $45 a person, you get wine and cocktail pairings (including a cocktail centered on the Boulevard and J. Rieger Left for Dead collaboration) complementing the two aforementioned proteins, plus grilled vegetables, escargot and creme brulee. Call 816-474-0000 for reservations.

Saturday 7.16
Learn about botanical syrups and shrubs today at Savory Spice Shop (6245 Brookside Boulevard) when Ardis Englezos demonstrates how to mix cocktails using the creations that she sells under the name Snake Oil KC. These include shrubs available in her clever gin and tea “labs.” The demo runs from 1 to 3 p.m., and no tickets or reservations are required.

Sunday 7.17
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Big Picnic is tonight on the great lawn. And if you think that bringing your own basket is for suckers, you have food-truck options: Air Summer Snow, Bochi, KC BBQ Truck, Monk’s Roast Beef, Poppy’s, Savannah Sweets, Snowie — KC Snow Cone Truck, Taco Republic, Wilma’s Good Food to Go, Purple Carrot Co-op, and Beauty of the Bistro. The event (4 to 7 p.m.) also includes lawn games.

The Sundry tonight holds its second Farmers at the Table dinner, featuring ingredients from Quite Contrary Farmstead, Of the Earth Farm Distillery, Barham Cattle Company & Family Farm, and Karbaumer Farms. Many of the farmers will be on hand to discuss their goods and practices. The menu includes beef tartare, pork rillettes–stuffed chicken thighs, and pie. Tickets ($50) include beer and wine pairings as well as tax, though not gratuity. Call 816-844-7878 or see thesundry.com for tickets.

Wednesday 7.20
Tonight James Beard award-winning chefs Megan and Colby Garrelts of Bluestem are putting on an extravagant six-course dinner, principally featuring Riesling from the Rudi Wiest family of wines. The menu includes Hamachi crudo, foie gras, fried sweetbreads, lemon cappelletti, veal loin and a peach-and-zucchini cake. The dinner is $110 per person and does not include tax or gratuity. Call 816-561-1101 for reservations.