Ingrams June 2023

BEST OF BUSINESS KANSAS CITY 2023

photo by George Mullinix

Jack Stack Barbecue

Minsky’s

WINING AND DINING

BEST BAKERY Is it the dazzling array of cheesecake interpretations? The suite of sweets in the pastry case? The entrees and sandwiches? Well, they all come together to make McCLAIN’S BAKERY a reader favorite and, on weekends especially, a prized table for morning diners at four lo cations, and soon, in North Kansas City and south Johnson County. DOLCE BAKERY , boasting “every batch from scratch” with its array of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more in Prairie Village, turns out the Silver . Bronze goes to HEIRLOOM BAKERY & HEARTH in Brookside, with breakfast and lunch on a menu that changes daily. BEST BARBECUE Remember the golden era of boxing with Ali, Frazier, Norton, and Foreman? That’s the barbecue scene in Kansas City today, where true heavyweights battle for reader affection. The latest round produced a Gold for Q39 , with locations in Midtown and near Corporate Woods in Overland Park. The chicken wings and onion straws will get you going, but the real attraction is in the beef and pork—ribs, burnt ends, etc.—or salmon and salads. Silver goes to JOE’S KAN SAS CITY , home of the Z-Man and Rocket Pig, serving in KCK, Olathe, and Leawood. FIORELLA’S JACK STACK BARBECUE , now with six locations and a killer crown rib entree, snags Bronze . BEST BREWERY The pride of Kansas City craft brewing—the one that started it all back in 1989—may have grown into a semi-national brand and Belgian ownership, but goodness, how people here embrace BOULEVARD BREWING CO. In a landslide vote, it nabs Gold here, an outcome no doubt influenced by a diverse, something for-every-taste product line. Irish Reds, Belgian IPAs, and Imperial Stouts make for a beer-lovers paradise. MARTIN CITY BREW ING CO. flexes some of the same entrepreneurial traits and draws Silver for its efforts. Waldo-based KC BIER CO. pours out Bronze with its array of dunkel, hefeweizen, lager, and pils varieties.

BEST BURGER There are just two locations, and they’re just blocks from each other in the central business district. Maybe that hyper-local exclusivity is what makes TOWN TOPIC a readers’ Gold selection in this cat- egory. Quick and tasty—two imperatives for a workday lunch— define this brand, as does the phrase “no frills, just great burgers.” Taking things to another experiential level as a national enterprise, Silver winner FIVE GUYS pulls you in for the burger, then makes you a fan for life with some amazing fries at 15 easily accessible loca tions. TAY’S BURGER SHACK in North KC with locally sourced burgers, hand-cut fries, and patio seating, plates up the Bronze . BEST BUSINESS BREAKFAST Only one time in the previous 26 years this award been issued has it gone to someone other than FIRST WATCH . Well, make that only once in 27, as readers again deliver a resounding vote for Gold here. With nine locations offering breakfast, brunch, or lunch, it’s easy to see how this iconic establishment has amassed a broad following. Silver yielded a tie between two other masters of morning fare, THE CLASSIC CUP on the Country Club Plaza and THE BIG BISCUIT , with 14 locations that make your next omelet a neighborhood fixture. Bronze honors go to EGGTC. , serving up gourmet breakfast from South Plaza and Shawnee locations. BEST BUSINESS LUNCH The workhorse of business meals is lunch, where focus and food come together in the hopes of mutually beneficial outcomes. Readers say they find the happiest fusion of the two at GRAND STREET CAFÉ , the iconic eatery on the Plaza, and in Lenexa. From chops and pasta to salads, sandwiches, and desserts, it has all the ingredients for a productive discussion. Somewhat heart ier fare earns Silver for THE CAPITAL GRILLE and its array of steaks and other entrees. The Bronze is shared this year with two great restaurants, Rockhill Grill and Trezo Mare .

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Ingrams.com

Best of Business Kansas City 2023