Besides the farmers market itself, the River Market area has plenty to offer for a fun date day. You can shop, eat and play all within just a few blocks!
Planters Seed Company was founded in 1924 by a German immigrant as a Commission House. It sold farm and garden seed to farmers bringing their produce to the City Market. Since 1928, they have been located in the building at 513 Walnut St. in Kansas City, Mo., which was constructed in the early 1870s. The building still has the original wood floors and seed drawers. A visit there is like taking a step back in time. In addition to seeds, they also sell bulk spices, coffee and tea—plus other food products, hardware store wares, garden supplies and kitchen stuff. This 100-year-old store is definitely a fun and interesting place to look around!
Opera House Coffee & Food Emporium is a unique eatery in the River Market. It’s a coffee shop, bakery, cafe and bar, all under one roof. The coffee shop is the first thing you see when you walk in. They serve fresh brewed coffee, iced coffee and various specialty coffee drinks as well as pastries. Farther back is the full bar, where you can order wine, beer and cocktails. Even farther back is the cafe and bakery. All the baked goods are made in-house every morning, including a delicacy called depravity cake! Their cafe offers delicious paninis, salads, burgers, sandwiches and breakfast. Opera House is one of the few non-chain places in KC where breakfast is offered all day. That’s a huge plus in our book! If you pay them a visit, be sure to take some time to look at all the interesting furniture, antiques and other kitschy items that litter the floors and walls. If you look closely, you’ll notice each table sports its own unique bookend to hold up the menus.
Double Tap is a virtual reality arcade and sports bar in the River Market. Recently we did an escape room of sorts there … it was fun and different. The premise around Survival, the one we did, is that you and some friends are headed for vacation when your plane crashes on an uninhabited island. The experience is divided up by day, and each day comes with tasks to be completed, like satisfying your hunger and collecting sticks. I had never done a virtual reality thing, so it took me awhile to get comfortable with the headset and hand controls—and that’s even after completing a demo first. My husband was an old pro. As it turned out, we only made it about halfway through the challenge before time expired. We may have done better if we’d had a couple more people with us. In total, there are nine escape rooms that can accommodate two to five players, and they vary in difficulty from easy to hard. They give you 50 minutes to escape. Double Tap also has more than 50 VR video games, classic arcade games and board games, plus food, a full bar and TVs.
Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives in the Northland with her husband. They love to explore Kansas City and try new restaurants and activities. Check out her Facebook page, Out & About in KC.
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City Market
Open daily and featuring an eclectic mix of dining, shopping, entertainment, and attractions in a unique open-air setting, the City Market offers visitors a variety of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, specialty groceries, flowers, and gift items.
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Double Tap KC
Here at DoubleTap, we're all about three things: the hottest VR titles, delicious drinks, and community. Come grab a drink, food and experience VR in a whole new light.
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