At last count, more than 40 Kansas City-area restaurants have been featured on various shows on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. Kansas City is famous for barbecue, so naturally many of those restaurants made the list. The Big Four—Jack Stack, Gates, Joe’s KC and Arthur Bryant’s—get plenty of press and publicity. But what about some of the smaller, lesser-known joints?
B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ has been featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (hereafter Triple D) and Drinking Made Easy and the Travel Channel’s No Reservations. It boasts daily live blues and an over 60-year-old pit in which they smoke all their meat. B.B.’s is definitely no-frills barbecue. Everything is served on paper, Styrofoam or plastic. Their traditional sauce is spicy and good, as are the pit beans, smoked turkey and burnt ends. You might also want to try Guy Fieri’s favorite, the barbecue sundae ... a three-layer pulled pork, pit beans and coleslaw concoction served in a mason jar. At B.B.’s, the waitstaff is very casual, and the restaurant has family-style seating inside and outside on the front deck. The super laid-back atmosphere and hole-in-the-wall vibe are refreshing. So, prepare to relax and enjoy the food at the place “where barbecue meets the blues.”
Woodyard Bar-B-Que, also featured on Triple D and No Reservations as well as the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, is unlike any place I’ve ever been. It’s an old house converted into a restaurant—of sorts—with an outdoor smoker, rustic decor (deer head included), a random assortment of indoor and outdoor seating (think plush velvet couches and picnic tables) and a backyard pavilion. Also in the back is a working lumberyard from which they sell oak, pecan, hickory and other woods to area pitmasters. Upon arriving at Woodyard, you step into what was probably a living room at one time to place your order and pay. Then the staff delivers your food to your table. Be sure to try the Carolina sandwich (pulled pork topped with coleslaw) and the burnt end chili. Also, the barbecue beans are some of the best I’ve ever had.
Of course, it’s not just barbecue that Kansas City does well. A number of other restaurants have earned attention on TV shows.
Succotash (featured on Triple D) can only be described as a neighborhood dive. It’s a place where the staff sports piercings, tattoos and colorful hair, and political leanings are front and center. The atmosphere is loud, crowded and slightly chaotic, but the food is good, with hefty portions and reasonable prices. Be sure to try the “cake & a smile,” the eight-layer citrus cake or—if you are really hungry—the Stuart. They also serve excellent coffee from local roasters Oddly Correct.
Another of Fieri’s favorites, as featured on Triple D, is Cupini’s, a little taste of Italy hiding in Westport. When you enter, you order and pay for your meal in what looks like a deli. Then you find a seat in the next room over, where they serve you your food. The place is old and small, has creaky floors, and seems to just be thrown together. But that’s what makes this place so charming. Both the pasta and pizza are very good choices, and you can tell they make everything fresh in-house. Cupini’s also has a great assortment of desserts, including cheesecake and cannoli. Don’t miss the cute courtyard-like alleyway with bistro tables. Woodyard
Blue Koi, another Triple D feature, is a Chinese food establishment on 39th Street run by the same family that owns Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill. This place blew me away. They have a full bar and lots of tantalizing dishes. Their specialty is noodles and dumplings, and—oh my—they are both delicious! Comfort food at its best! They are also vegetarian- and vegan-friendly and don’t use any MSG in their food. The service here is amazing, with all the staff being extremely friendly, gracious and accommodating. The atmosphere is comfortable and pleasant, and I loved the open kitchen. Plus, how can you not like a place that has “awesome sauce” on the menu? Check them out in Leawood as well, if you are in the area.Hannah Berry is a local writer with a penchant for delicious dining and fun photos!