Wild Rose Bistro takes root inside a familiar Waldo space

Wild Rose Bistro. // Courtesy Wild Rose Bistro

When new ownership takes over a beloved institution, there’s a bit of a balancing act to go through. You obviously want to make it your own, but any change that’s too dramatic may break what was already successful. Bryan and Hailey Sparks faced that exact dilemma when they purchased Waldo’s The Classic Cookie. Their solution? A second concept, called Wild Rose Bistro, within the same space.

“We never even dreamed of changing The Classic Cookie very much,” Bryan says. “It’s such a defined, straightforward spot that we knew we’d only mess it up. But, looking around the Waldo and Brookside area, we also knew we could bring something that’s sorely missing from this neighborhood.”

Sparks and his wife noted that Waldo and Brookside have some of the best bar and grill food in the city, but they wanted to highlight brighter, fresher, locally-sourced ingredients. That’s how Wild Rose Bistro came to life.

Here’s how it works: The Classic Cookie still operates for their standard hours, open for breakfast and lunch on Wednesday through Sunday. Thursday through Saturday, the same building opens at 4:30 for dinner as Wild Rose Bistro, offering fresh, evolving plates within the cozy and inviting space.

Bryan and Hailey brought in Chef Jade Zivalic, who most recently wore the coat at MOD Restaurant & Social in Bentonville, AR, to help develop the menu and work as Wild Rose Bistro’s head chef. For inspiration, Bryan says they adopted the philosophy of Chef Alain Ducasse—think globally, act locally. “We wanted to allow our menu room to evolve and to avoid constraints,” he says. “At the same time, it was extremely important to us to use as many locally-sourced ingredients as we could.”

Wild Rose Bistro. // Courtesy Wild Rose Bistro

This means the Wild Rose Bistro menu features slight alterations each week, depending on what the bounty from local farmers has on offer. Certain items, like the whole duck cassoulet, will remain on the menu for the entire season—and possibly beyond. The beans served with this dish are soaked and cooked in duck stock, and you’ll get both a perfectly cooked duck breast alongside duck confit. Finally, it’s topped with a savory granola, adding just the right amount of textural balance to the rich, delicious dish.

Another dish Sparks is particularly proud of is Wild Rose Bistro’s bread service. “Our sourdough rolls are all cooked in-house, and we serve them alongside a rotating combination of compound butters,” he says. You might get a black sesame butter, flavored with nori and miso, a combination sweet/spicy butter, and a standard—and plenty delicious—salted butter.

Other menu items at Wild Rose Bistro are based off seasonal produce. During melon season, you’ll sometimes find a watermelon and scallop crudo, but the following week might offer up a grilled watermelon and halloumi cheese.

Of course, a fine dining experience just isn’t the same without a glass of wine. Sparks says they’re currently working on their liquor license, but they didn’t want to delay opening and miss the beautiful fall weather while they wait for it. That doesn’t mean you’re left high and dry when eating here, though. Until they get their license, Wild Rose Bistro has a BYOB policy. They’ve even struck up a partnership with the nearby Underdog Wine Co. If you show your Wild Rose Bistro reservation as you check out, you’ll receive 20% off. That’s the kind of bottle service we like.

Of course, with Wild Rose Bistro opening its doors fairly recently, Sparks expects things to evolve. “One element that we love about Waldo is that people here are very vocal and passionate about the things they like. Wild Rose Bistro is still developing its voice, and we will pivot if we see a good opportunity.”

If you ever spent time at The Classic Cookie, you know it’s a small space. Walk-ins at Wild Rose Bistro are welcome, but we recommend making a reservation—not only will you get to choose between patio, standard or counter seating, but you’ll also get that sweet Underdog Wine Co. discount.

Wild Rose Bistro is located at 409 W Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64114, in the same space as The Classic Cookie. It is open from 4:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It is closed Sunday through Wednesday.