Vita’s Place features an inviting rustic bar, delicious pours, and tempting Italian bites

Photo by Maura Grijalva

Picture a brick building, white framing on the windows and door. As you step inside, the room is abuzz with conversation and bathed in warm yellow light. That is Vita’s Place.

Categorizing it as just a bar would be a disservice. The name comes from the owner’s grandmother, “Grandma Vita” and the menu—both wine and food—is inspired by her.

The emphasis here is of course on the wine. I started the night off with a Leitz ‘Dragonstone’, a Riesling that was recommended to me by our excellent server, Jim Tighe. It was $6 for a three-ounce pour. The owner Ryan Sciara says, “We do have some really high-end stuff by the glass, but for the most part, we’re in that $8-12 range and that’s that’s pretty rare.”

Something he ought to know a good bit about, given he is also the owner of Underdog Wine Co.

As for the drink itself, it was a good suggestion on Tighe’s part. I admit the name attracted me, but the taste was surprisingly good. I’m no expert on wine, so I won’t give a fanciful description, but it was a good combination of sweet and dry; I’d recommend it.

My girlfriend wanted something she was more familiar with, so she ordered a drink called Tullia, a Prosecco.

Photo by Maura Grijalva

After we finished the two glasses, we ordered a few dishes to try. Vita’s place is not a restaurant, per se, which is worth noting before going in. Sciara says, “I am digging my heels in that we will remain a wine bar and not a restaurant. We’re never going to have a huge food menu.” Instead, the food is meant to complement the wine.

The food itself is Italian, and it is meant to feel like “a warm, inviting Italian grandmother’s kitchen.” It’s not the stereotypical pasta or lasagna that you see in a lot of chain restaurants, either. Good as those may be, this offers more snack-like foods that enhance the wine-drinking experience.

We ordered ‘Nduja, Ricotta, and Country Pate. The food was lovely and served as a great snack, though if you are looking for a proper meal, I’d recommend getting something beforehand. Think bread and cheese, not steak dinner.

The ‘Nduja was a definite highlight. It adds a nice bit of flavor and was a personal favorite. In my attempt to sample a bit of each section, I tried the Bicicletta. This is where I mention that I haven’t been drinking very long and have no tolerance for any wine that is very bitter or dry.

It’s a Pinot Grigio, Forthave Red, with some soda. I took about five sips of this.

After two, I realized I didn’t like it, and the last three were me being stubborn and wanting to like it.

Given that I liked literally everything else, I’d like to assume this is good for those who like dry wines. I ordered a Kalimotxo as the replacement, which, in all honesty has to be my favorite of the night. It is a Tempranillo, with Mexican Coke and garnished with a lemon.

Both $10 cocktails were served in good-sized glasses and faired well to my sweet tooth. Definitely worth the bargain.

Feeding into my sweet tooth even more was the Burnt Basque Cheesecake with Sour Cherry which was delicious and warm. While it was was not typically what I am used to, with much more of a cake than the usual cream texture, I still found it adequate

Good drinks and food only do so much. If you want to actually compete, you have to go beyond that. That’s where the feel of the place comes in.

The framing and general warmth of the place just gives a nice cozy vibe. Which is no surprise given that is is inspired by and named after Sciara’s grandmother.

In a sweet homage to owner Ryan Sciara’s two daughters, he has Luca ‘Old Vine’ Malbec, and Lola Pinot Noir, which he added to the wine list as a personal touch.

The personal touch really goes a long way, and it seems like Vita’s Place will be a neighborhood asset. It tends to fill up fairly quickly, and reservations can be hard to come by, though Sciara says, “People make a reservation and then the day of they get an email confirmation, and we’ll notice that people will cancel but then right away somebody snags that.”

So while it may seem intimidating to get in, don’t give up hope on getting a table. Of course, if you aren’t needing a table or can’t get a reservation, there is always the bar. “I noticed the first couple of days, the first Wednesday and Thursday that we were open, I noticed that the bar wasn’t filling up,” says Sciara.

This has turned around as he has been posting regularly reminding people that the bar is open seating so they are more competitive now, but no they don’t have reservations.

Vita’s Place is at 5514 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64113.