Name: If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
Start: 2026-05-01T12:00:00-06:00
End: 2026-05-01T13:00:00-06:00
Location: Union Station

The Best Pizza in KC

By Halley Zitterkopf | February 24, 2025

In February 2025, Halley Zitterkopf, Digital Engagement Manager for KC Parent updated this article to include the latest information on Snoopy Exhibit, birdwatching parks, fish feeding at Family Tree Nursery, and more.

Every day is a great day for pizza! Every member of the KC Parent staff has called Kansas City home for over 25 years-and trust us, we have strong opinions about pizza! ð From family-friendly favorites to must-try specialties and hidden gems, we’ve rounded up our top pizza spots. Get ready to dig in! ð½ï¸

Most Fun:

Pizza West This pizza place in western Shawnee offers pinball, a party room and an excellent buffet that is free for kids under 2 and discounted for older kids!

Best Gourmet:

Minsky’s (Minskys.com) Minsky’s has been serving gourmet pizza in Kansas City in 1976. Minsky’s serves fresh pizzas on hand-rolled dough with generous portions of fresh ingredients.

Best St. Louis Style:

Waldo Pizza (WaldoPizza.net) Waldo Pizza is one of Kansas City’s best loved restaurants. Whether you’re craving traditional hand-tossed pizza, St. Louis style pizza, or even vegan pizza, Waldo’s fresh-baked pizza is delicious and affordable.

Best New York Style:

D’Bronx Deli and Pizzeria (DBronxKC.com) If you love New York Style Pizza, this is the place! You can even buy a pizza to take home after a day of fun at Crown Center or Union Station.

Best Chicago Style:

Rosati’s Pizza (RosatisPizza.com). Rosati’s Pizza was founded in Chicago in 1895 when Fred Rosati opened his first restaurant. They are famous for double-dough deep dish Chicago style pizza and fresh ingredients.

Best Italian Style:

Spin! Neopolitan Pizza (SpinPizza.com) Spin! Neopolitan Pizza is known for gourmet specialty pizza. If you’d love a little bit of Italy right in your own backyard, this is the place. With modern, fun decor, and pizza prepared right before your eyes, Spin is both fun and delish!

Best Kids Buffet:

Pizza Ranch Pizza Ranch is a family-friendly restaurant known for its all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, featuring a variety of specialty pizzas, crispy fried chicken, salad bar, and dessert pizza. A must-try at includes their signature Buffalo Chicken Pizza, the fan-favorite Sweet Chili Chicken Pizza, and their famous Cactus Bread, a warm, cinnamon-sugar dessert pizza.

Kansas City native Halley Zitterkopf, Digital Engagement Manager for KC Parent, is a boy mom and Chiefs fan, who loves finding the “best of” food in her city!

Three Favorite Soup Spots

By KC Parent | November 4, 2024

Olivia Bock updated this article in June 2025 to confirm current operating status of each restaurant.

A warm bowl of soup on a cold day is a perfect winter meal! Treat your family to a delicious steaming bowl from Kansas City’s own eateries where local chefs know how to create tasty, filling and nutritious soups for every palate! Tip: Most of the restaurants below change their soup offerings frequently, with new choices appearing on their menus throughout the week.

Happy Gillis

549 Gillis St., Kansas City, MO, 816.471.3663, HappyGillis.com

Happy Gillis, in Old Columbus Park, was founded by Todd Schulte who started his culinary career in the soup business. His expertise at creating delicious recipes with healthy, all-natural ingredients makes Happy Gillis an absolute must on a KC soup tour.

- Most Popular Soups: White bean soup and tomato soup are both super popular among reviewers. Truly, though, at Happy Gillis, where the soup changes seasonally, you can’t go wrong with any choice!

- Great for Kids Because… Happy Gillis is committed to using all-natural, healthy ingredients, and they offer a super fun vintage atmosphere with white paper and crayons on the tables.

Best Regards Bakery & Café

6759 W. 119th St., Overland Park, 913.782.1505, MakeThemSmile.com

At Best Regards Bakery & Café, everything is made from scratch. In addition to great soups, the grilled cheese is something that has everyone talking.

- Most Popular Soups: It’s hard to choose a favorite, but the San Marzano tomato basil soup and oven roasted potato soup are two that top the list.

- Great for Kids Because… BRB&C uses healthy ingredients and the finest products they can find. They use no corn syrup, no preservatives, no artificial flavors and as little salt and sugar as possible.

McAlister’s Deli

Locations in Shawnee, Independence, Grandview, Liberty, Belton, Lawrence, St. Joe & Lee’s Summit. McAlistersDeli.com

McAlister’s Deli offers a variety of comforting soups, including Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken Tortilla, and Country Potato, as well as seasonal options like Tomato Basil and Chili. These soups are perfect for a quick, warm meal and can be paired with their sandwiches or salads. Each location provides a cozy, family-friendly environment, making it a great stop for a comforting bowl of soup.

- Most Popular Soups: Broccoli Cheddar and Chicken Tortilla

- Great for Kids Because… McAlister’s offers several different kids meals approved by grown-ups. Each come with a side and a drink.

Dream Dinners

By KC Parent | October 26, 2024

It is 5:30, and you are desperately rummaging through your fridge and cupboards trying to come up with something resembling dinner. The kids have to be at their next activity soon, and you finally give up and announce you’ll be hitting the drive-through again.

Sound familiar?

Busy families know how difficult it can be to put a dinner on the table that doesn’t come out of a box or sack. And in those rare instances you manage to cook a healthy meal, you might find it’s a party of one, as everyone else has sports practice, work or other obligations that prevent them from being home at dinnertime.

Jana Day knows the struggle families face when it comes to providing healthy, inexpensive meals and sitting down together at the dinner table. It was her own experience with these struggles that led her to become a franchise owner of Dream Dinners in Overland Park.

Day grew up around the dinner table. Her mom planned menus ahead of time and cooked dinners for the family each night after coming home from her full-time job. After Day became a mom herself, she found that nightly dinners weren’t always so easy.

“I found that as a young mom, I was failing at dinnertime. I would go to the grocery store, spend hundreds of dollars…and I still could not get dinner on the table,” Day says. “We were eating out three or four nights a week. And when we weren’t eating out, we were eating the same things over and over again.”

Enter Dream Dinners. In 2005, Day and her family relocated from Wichita to open the franchise, after much research and an extensive interview process at the company headquarters in Washington. A decade later, the business is thriving.

The goal of the Dream Team—employees of the company—is to take the frustration out of dinner by providing guests with the ingredients and instructions they need to prepare meals, cutting down shopping time, planning and prep work. In just 60-75 minutes at Dream Dinners, guests assemble around 12 meals to take home and put in the freezer. On busy nights, families can cook these dinners in less than 30 minutes. Day says most families need help getting dinner on the table two to three nights a week, so those 12 meals can cover “emergency nights” for a month.

“We help families grow great kids by getting families back around the dinner table,” Day explains. “By helping families get dinner on the table, it allows them to feel like, ‘I am a rock star!’ and that’s really what we’re about.”

Each month, the company offers 17 entrees with a variety of beef, chicken, pork, seafood, pasta, kid-friendly foods and more. Guests can go online to sign up for a session and choose the meals their family will enjoy, then come in to assemble the meals. Each entrée is priced individually, which allows customers to monitor their budgets. At an average of 400-500 calories per serving, the dishes are healthy and affordable. Some side dishes are available, but Day says home cooks often need the most help coming up with main food ideas.

Around 300 guests visit Dream Dinners each month, and about 30 of those are first-timers. Day says most of her regular customers average four or five visits a year, but some come every month. Not surprisingly, the core demographic of guests at Dream Dinners is families with children at home, but there is a small percentage of empty nesters who are trying to get out of the rut of dining out frequently. Single people—or families of one, as Day calls them—are not uncommon either.

Dream Dinners is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and has some big events planned. Throughout the month of December, Top 10 lists, in which guests share their favorite things about Dream Dinners, will be posted on a wall inside the store. Photos of guests, staff and the business over the years also will be posted on the wall. On the agenda, too, is an open house Dec. 12 that will include samples, drawings and meal giveaways.

Day encourages folks who haven’t visited Dream Dinners: “Try us once. We are not a membership business. We do have an amazing loyalty program and an awesome introductory offer. If you’re not completely satisfied, we will work with you. You have nothing to lose.”

To learn more about Dream Dinners and to sign up for a session, go to DreamDinners.com.

Tisha Foley wishes she had a personal chef, but she does cook spaghetti and tacos well, according to her children. The family of four lives in Belton.

Take a Kansas City Wine Tour

By KC Parent | September 16, 2024

The popularity of locally harvested wines expands every year, and both Kansas and Missouri are home to dozens of vineyards and wineries. Many of these wineries are within an hour’s drive of Kansas City, making them a great day trip for tasting the best of the local harvest.

Downtown Kansas City

Amigoni Urban Winery:

1505 Genessee St., Ste. 100, Kansas City, MO. 913.890.3289. Amigoni.com

Tasting Room Hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs from 11am to 6pm, Friday from 11am to 7pm, Saturday from 11am to 6pm and Sunday from Noon to 5pm. Fee charged.

The Amigoni family makes award-winning wines from fruit grown in their vineyards in Centerview, MO. Their urban tasting room is located near Kemper Arena, making it a perfect stop on the way to the American Royal or after a weekend of shopping in the West Bottoms.

North

Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard:

18545 Co. Rd. H, Weston, MO, 402.209.4117. OrchardWeston.com

Tasting Room Hours: Visit OrchardWeston.com for information

Situated on a bluff in Historic Weston, this family-owned farm is a fun getaway in the country. They sell their own wines, wine slushes and delicious hard ciders. Additionally, families enjoy a u-pick orchard with 7,000 trees offering a dozen apple varieties on 15 acres, hayrack rides, apple cannons, rat racers, bouncing pillows, a low ropes course with zip line, a kids corn maze and more!

Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery:

16905 Jowler Creek Rd., Platte City, MO. 816.858.5582. JowlerCreek.com

Tasting Room Hours: M-W Closed, Thursday 12:00PM – 5:00pm, Friday 12:00PM – 9:00pm, Saturday 11:00AM – 9:00pm, and Sunday 11:00AM – 5:00pm. Free tasting.

This winery uses green technologies such as solar power to make wine on the 6-acre sustainable vineyard. Throughout the year, they host live concerts, an Annual Grape Stomp in September, wine tours, craft classes and holiday events.

Pirtle Winery:

502 Spring St., Weston, MO. 816.640.5728. PirtleWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10:00-6:00; Sat., 10:00-7:00; Sun., 11:00-6:00. Winter hours (Jan.-Feb.): Sun.-Thu., 11:00-5:00; Fri. & Sat., 11:00-6:00. Small fee charged.

This family-owned and -operated winery has been serving award-winning wines since 1978. The scenic Weston location is especially popular in the fall. For lunch, enjoy the Vineyards, a four-star restaurant located right next door. Throughout the year, they participate in Weston’s seasonal festivals, offer cork and canvas classes, and more.

Riverwood Winery:

22200 N. 45 Hwy., Rushville, MO. 816.579.9797. RiverwoodWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Wed.-Sat., 11:00-5:00; Sun., Noon-5:00; closed major holidays.

Riverwood produces wines using grapes from their vineyards, as well as grapes and fruits from other local farms. The beautiful vineyards offer great views to enjoy during a picnic and tasting. They host live concerts, yoga classes and more.

Weston Wine Company:

519 Main St., Weston, MO. 816.935.9481. WestonWineCompany.com

Tasting Room Hours: Sun., Noon-5:00; Wed. & Thu., 11:00-6:00; Fri. & Sat., 11:00-7:00; closed Mon. & Tue.

You’ll find much to enjoy at this Weston location that serves delicious local wines at a rural winery. They host pairing classes, mystery game nights, trivia nights, scavenger hunts, festivals and book-themed events.

South

Aubrey Vineyards:

16350 Kenneth, Overland Park, KS. 913.909.2926. AubreyVineyards.com

Tasting Room Hours: Mon. & Fri., 11:00-7:00; sat., 11:-6:00; Sun., 12:00-5:00. Located in southern Johnson County, this is one of the newest wineries on the scene crafting local wines.

Aubrey Vineyards hosts a harvest event in late summer, mixology classes, live music, trivia nights and more.

NightHawk Winery:

16381 W. 343rd St., Paola, KS. 913.849.3415. https://www.nighthawkwines.com/

Tasting Room Hours: Fri. & Sat., 11:00-5:00; Sun., Noon-5:00 (spring-fall).

This rural winery specializes in artisanal, locally produced wines.

Peculiar Winery:

20709 Harper Drive, Peculiar, MO. 816.406.5595 PeculiarWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Monday/Tuesday – Closed, Wednesday/Thursday – 12-7 p.m., Friday/Saturday – 12-8:30 p.m., and Sunday – 12-5 p.m.

This local winery offers wood-fired pizzas, and special events throughout the year including painting classes, live music, food trucks, murder mystery dinners, and more.

Pome on the Range:

2050 Idaho Rd., Williamsburg, Kan., 785.746.5492. PomeOnTheRange.com

Tasting Room Hours: Free wine tasting for adults every day. Visit website for information.

Now under the same ownership as Louisburg Cider Mill, Pome on the Range is a beautiful orchard in Miami County, Kansas. Enjoy the u-pick apple orchard, corn maze, cider donuts, wines, cider, pies and other home goods.

Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery:

29725 Somerset Rd., Paola, KS. 913.294.9646. SomersetRidge.com

Tasting Room Hours: Thursday: 12 ‘ 5 pm, Friday & Saturday: 12 ‘ 6 pm, Sunday: 12 ‘ 5 pm

This family-owned artisanal winery uses locally grown grapes. They also make hard cider. Live concerts, charcuterie and classes offered.

East

Albonée Country Inn & Winery:

2200 S. Crenshaw, Independence, MO. 816.220.2820. AlboneeCountryInn.com

Tasting Room Hours: Sat. & Sun., 11:00-5:00.

A family-owned winery nestled on a hillside in historic Independence overlooking the Little Blue Valley.

Arcadian Moon Vineyards & Winery:

19203 Hazel Dell Rd., Higginsville, MO. 816.633.2150. ArcadianMoon.com

Tasting Room Hours: Sun.-Thu., 11:00-7:00; Fri. & Sat., 11:00-10:00.

This rustic winery is beautifully situated among four lakes on 75 acres, and all of their wines are made on the estate. For lunch, enjoy one of the delicious wood-fired pizzas. They offer live concerts, comedy nights and bingo.

Baltimore Bend Vineyard:

27150 Hwy. 24, Waverly, MO. 660.493.0258. BaltimoreBend.com

Tasting Room Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 11 am to 6 pm; Sunday 1 pm to 6 pm. Fee charged

This scenic winery creates a variety of wines from six grape varieties grown in their vineyards. They offer live concerts throughout the year. They also offer complementary tours of the processing facility during our Spring Release and Holiday Open House.

Belvoir Winery:

1325 Odd Fellows Rd., Liberty, MO. 816.200.1811. BelvoirWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Sun., Noon-6:00; Mon.-Wed., 11:00-4:00; Thu.-Sat., 11:00-8:00.

The winery is housed in a building originally constructed as a children’s home in 1900. The winery now hosts events on the property and serves locally produced wines. They host murder mystery dinners, live concerts, sip and shop, and other events.

Fahrmeier Family Vineyards:

9364 Mitchell Trl., Lexington, MO. 816.633.2150. FahrmeierFamilyVineyards.com

Tasting Room Hours: Thu., 1:00-5:00; Fri. & Sat., 10:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.; Sun., 1:00-5:00.

In 2008, the Fahrmeier family, dedicated to sustainable agriculture, expanded their farm to include vineyards. The converted barn is now the tasting room for the winery. Lexington is a great day trip from Kansas City, with historic sites and attractions to enjoy. Throughout the year, you may enjoy live music and festivals.

Odessa Country Winery:

2466 McNeel Rd., Odessa, MO. 816.633.7843. OdessaCountryWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Sat. & Sun., Noon-6:00.

Events You’ll Find on Their Calendar: Concerts, wine pairing meals and scavenger hunts.

The winery is nestled in a vineyard with a spectacular view and a small pond and pavilion for picnics.

Stonehaus Farms Winery:

24607 NE Colbern Rd., Lee’s Summit, MO. 816.554.8800. StonehausFarms.com

Tasting Room Hours: Jan.-March: Sat. & Sun., Noon-6:00. April-Dec.: Wed. & Fri., Noon-6:00; Thu., Noon-8:00; Sat. & Sun., Noon-6:00.

Founded in 1996, Stonehaus Farms Winery makes local wines in the heart of Lee’s Summit.

Terre Beau Vineyard and Winery:

100 S. Lynn Rd., Dover, MO. 660.259.3010. TerreBeauWinery.com/

Tasting Room Hours: Fri.-Sun., 11:00-6:00.

Terre Beau Winery now occupies a chapel built in 1858 for pioneers and frontiersmen exploring the West.

VanTill Family Farm Winery:

13986 State Hwy. C, Rayville, MO. 816.776.2720. VanTillFarms.com

Tasting Room Hours: Tue.-Thu., 11:00-5:00; Fri. & Sat., 11:00-8:00 (appointment only during months of January and February).

This rural winery offers beautiful views of the vineyards. Enjoy a wine tasting and Patio Pavilion pizza baked in a wood-fired oven while you watch on Fridays and Saturdays.

West

Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery:

18807 158th St., Basehor, KS. 913.724.9463. HolyFieldWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10:00-6:00; Sat., 9:30-6:00; Sun., Noon-6:00; free tastings.

Award-winning locally grown wines are sold at this rural winery. Murder mystery dinners, grape picking, live concerts, cooking classes and more are offered throughout the year.

Prairie Fire Winery:

20250 Hudson Ranch Rd., Paxico, KS. 785.636.5533. PrairieFireWinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Call for hours and reservations.

Located in the beautiful Flint Hills and surrounded by breathtaking beauty, Prairie Fire Winery produces award-winning Kansas wines from Kansas-grown grapes, including the first and only method champenoise sparkling wine in Kansas.

Stone Pillar Vineyard & Winery:

11000 S. Woodland St., Olathe, KS. 913.839.2185. StonePillarVineyard.com

Tasting Room Hours: Wed.-Sun., Noon-6:00; closed Mon. & Tue.

The winery, opened in 2010, specializes in hand-picked Kansas wines. Enjoy a grape stomp and harvest in the fall, live concerts, wine dinners and more.

Wyldewood Cellars Tasting Room:

Multiple locations, including 32633 Grapevine Rd., Paxico, KS. 785.636.8466. WyldewoodCellars.com

Tasting Room Hours: Visit website for information.

Wyldewood Cellars Winery, the largest and most awarded winery in Kansas, developed a world-class wine made from elderberries. They’ve broadened their offerings to more than 40 wines made from fruits, berries and some incredible grape varieties.

KC’s Best Ice Cream Shops

By KC Parent | May 27, 2024

Whether you favor an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that scoops up classic homemade flavors or a newer, trendy shop dishing out gourmet goodies, Kansas City has your summer frozen treat cravings covered!

Note: The numbers correspond to the shop’s location on the map. Franchises are listed more than once so you can find the location near you!

The Most Fun Places to Eat in KC

By Hannah Berry | May 27, 2024

If you like to have a little fun with your food, check out these places in KC that will bring a smile to your face.

One of the newest restaurants in the Kansas City area is Kura Revolving Sushi Bar. The Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant on the Country Club Plaza features sushi that comes to you on a conveyor belt. Each plate of sushi is $3.25, and you can take as many plates as you want. For every 15 sushi plates your table consumes, you will receive a prize. You’ll also find nigiri, appetizers like edamame, and cheesecake for dessert on the conveyor belt. If anything you want doesn’t come by soon enough, you can order it on the monitor at your table, along with drinks, soup and ramen, and it will be delivered via another separate conveyor belt or by your server or a robot. Another fun thing is that the bathrooms have heated toilet seats and bidets. Note: Be sure to download their app so you can use the waitlist. Going as soon as possible after they open for the day is also recommended-otherwise you may have a significant wait.

Sakura Japanese Sushi, with locations in Shawnee and Olathe in Kansas, is a no-frills restaurant offering traditional table service, hibachi and-the most fun part-a sushi train. It’s like Fritz’s for grown-ups! For the sushi part, you sit at a bar around the outside of an oval sushi prep area and wait for the train to come by with something yummy. They have a mix of raw and cooked sushi, and the chefs are great about letting you know what’s what. The sushi comes two pieces per plate, and the plate color indicates the price. It’s generally between $3 and $4 per plate. In addition to sushi, once in a while you’ll see a piece of cheesecake come by. Don’t be shy!

Speaking of Fritz’s, if you have kids in tow, this is definitely the place to go! It’s an old-fashioned diner with burgers and other classic diner food cooked to order. The fun part is that all meals are delivered by train, straight to your table. Their best-known location, open for nearly 25 years now, is at Crown Center in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. But they also have locations on the Kansas side in Shawnee and Kansas City.

If Thai food is more your style, head to Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop. They have locations in the Crossroads in Kansas City, Missouri, and on the Kansas side of the state line in Westwood and Overland Park. The restaurant offers a diverse menu with a little something for everyone, from street food (appetizers) and soup to wok dishes and curries. The lettuce wraps are amazing as is the Lulu’s Sampler, which has spring rolls, crab rangoon and two types of dumplings. As for the fun part of Lulu’s, they have a robot that serves food to the tables and, I have been told, will also bus them. Be sure to specifically ask for the robot, as people still do food service to the tables as well.

If you are looking for a real treat and it is summertime, run-do not walk-directly to Jasper’s Italian Restaurant in South Kansas City, Missouri. For a few months in the summer, you can enjoy the chef’s highly acclaimed mozzarella theater, which is only done when fresh, local, heirloom tomatoes are available. And this mozzarella, made tableside by Jasper, is a real treat! It is so delicious paired with the tomatoes, along with some basil, olive oil and balsamic. And whatever you do, don’t pass up the amazing, multilevel dessert cart. At least 10 things on there are guaranteed to tempt you. You can’t go wrong with any of the choices, of course, but both the coconut cake and strawberry cake are amazing!

If you need some dessert, how about ice cream made with nitrogen? Kansas City has just the place. Foggi Ice Cream, located in Mission, Kansas, offers it made fresh to order. (They also sell boba teas and coffee.) Ice cream made with nitrogen differs from traditional ice cream-it’s very cold and has a different texture, and watching the process of its being made is a lot of fun. You can choose from a create-your-own option with a base of chocolate, vanilla bean, strawberry or salted caramel ice cream, along with two toppings. They also have specialties, like rocky road, strawberry cheesecake, and cookies and cream. Combined with the liquid nitrogen, your base goes from a liquid to a solid in about 45 seconds! For an extra fun time while you are there, Foggi has retro video games, board games and toys for the kids.

Hannah Berry is a local writer and foodie.