Recent Stories by Joyce Smith
His family-fried waffle spot is open for cheat day (but not breakfast); How Dennis Alazzeh played chicken with restaurant trends and won
Kansas City-battered Chick-In Waffle is expanding into Johnson County; its owner — a son from within Jerusalem Cafe’s founding family — gives the classic American chicken-and-waffle combo a global twist with flavors like Asian chili, tikka masala, and queso After slogging away in his father’s restaurants while in school, Dennis Alazzeh swore off the industry…
Crown prime location: How two KC foodies are creating Museum of BBQ in one of the world’s barbecue capitals
A new museum — showcasing Kansas City as a barbecue capital of the world, as well as how meat takes on its famous flavors — is set to open in spring 2025 the Crown Center Shops, led by two veterans of the local food scene, and complete with barbecue baked beans ball pit. The aptly…
New owner plans Vietnamese redux with modernized experience at Northland bánh mi spot
Quick service. Customization. Simple menu. Meals made-to-order in front of the customer. Chipotle was built on this service model. Now Peter Nguyen wants to bring it to his new Vietnamese restaurant, and even use that system to start a franchise of his own. In August, Nguyen purchased the former Bun Mee Phan restaurant at 4011…
Brookside couple envisions upscale neighborhood escape in former Michael Forbes spot
A couple who first met as servers at a restaurant on the Country Club Plaza are setting the table for a new venture in Brookside: an “elevated” neighborhood bistro and bottle shop that’s expected to open in early 2025. After a light remodeling, Hannah Koenig and Avery Bailey plan to open CRU in late January…
Historic Troost space getting restocked; long-vacant Safeway next on Screenland’s grocery list
A one-story, long-empty, red brick building on Troost is now on the National Register of Historic Places — and set for new uses that reflect the modern-first vision behind its original construction. Redevelopers from Screenland Real Estate Services said the space at 3740 Troost Ave. was one of the first — if not the first…
This beloved family chicken chain is dropping its first new location in decades; Go for its G-Sauce in 2025
Kansas City’s longtime favorite Go Chicken Go is expanding to the Northland — its first new location in nearly 25 years. The hometown staple — a family-owned, third generation business based in Overland Park — is taking over the former Taco Bueno freestanding building at 380 N.E. Vivion Road, for an early 2025 opening. The new…
Fresh pour at former Ça Va space: Popular chef takes over Westport hotspot with crisp new Champagne concept
Westport Champagne bar and bistro Ça Va closed in March for a quick rebrand. Six months later, a new name, owner and concept are bubbling in the space — with plans to reopen by the holidays. Chef Amante Domingo — perhaps best known for his Midtown restaurant The Russell — is taking over the spot…
Swifts endorsement: KC couple opens Cadillac of Cajun restaurants along streetcar line
Richard and Sheila Swift started small: selling their Cajun cuisine out of an existing bar and grill in Kansas City, Kansas, in late 2022. Within a few months they had a loyal following. Still, they wanted their own operation. So they paused and spent a month planning their next step. They formed an LLC, splurged…
Award-winning chef fights eviction from 2000 Vine space; attorney calls legal action ‘last resort’
Efforts to resolve a dispute over The Prospect KC’s cafe, grocery and culinary training space at 2000 Vine Street have been fruitless, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant, noting she still hopes to “achieve an equitable and reasonable resolution.” 2000 Vine Street LLC and its owner Timothy Duggan have filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of…
KC’s remaining shopping malls face an economic crossroads (and starkly different futures)
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. Country Club Plaza, Oak Park Mall, Independence Center hit with similar challenges The…