It’s a Friday night; my husband is out of town on business—again (sigh). There are three who are 3 and under to feed and I have absolutely no energy to cook. What’s a mom to do? Well, I can’t lie--this mom was tempted to get out the fish sticks and green beans for the umpteenth time in a row, until I thought of a more appetizing alternative (literally)—Stone Canyon Pizza. If you are lucky enough to live near one of these restaurants, go. If you don’t, they’re worth the drive. There are two locations, one in downtown Parkville, one in Gladstone and one in Zona Rosa.
Friend Lauren Leonard has been frequenting Stone Canyon Pizza in Parkville for more than 10 years. Recalling her praises for the family friendly restaurant, I decided to see if she was game for dinner. So it was Lauren, friend Natalie and I that found ourselves and our boisterous combined broods of six on the second floor of Stone Canyon Pizza. It was an impromptu ladies night out if you will.
Although busy at 6:00 on a Friday night, the folks at Stone Canyon were able to get us seated almost immediately. Situated in the heart of downtown Parkville, the two-story restaurant has a sweet ambiance that caters to all ages. Servers Crystal Moore and Heather Meyer were at the ready with crayons, coloring pages and menus for our hungry kids ages 17 months to 14 years. I was pleased to see that on the second floor the tables were spaced a bit farther apart than usual—an added plus when you are dining with children (especially loud ones).
If you think Stone Canyon’s ambiance is inviting, wait until you get your hands on a menu. My girls and I opted for the garden primavera pizza, but pizza is but only one of many scrumptious choices. There are a wide variety of salads and just as many other entrees if you or one of your party happens to crave something other than pizza. Lauren and oldest daughter Addison ordered the French dip sandwich and the younger girls decided on chicken finger baskets. At Stone Canyon Pizza, the fun doesn’t end with good food and good service. Every Friday night, 6:30-8:30, Stone Canyon in Parkville hosts Devin Henderson, of Magic Entertainment. Henderson performed several magic tricks at our table, one of which involved bending a fork like it was a Bendaroo. Henderson was even able to keep the undivided attention of my 3-year-old for longer than a millisecond—now that’s what I call magic! On Sundays Stone Canyon Pizza also features a family meal deal: two medium single topping pizzas for $14.95 or a large specialty pizza with four side salads for $24.95 (excludes shrimp).
A take out box, six full little bellies and three relaxed adults later, all my ladies and I thanked Crystal and Heather for their hospitality and packed it up. This family gives Stone Canyon Pizza six out of six smiling baby faces.
Erin Davis resides in the Northland and is a freelance writer and chaser of twins and a toddler.