Ingrams June 2023

Wining & Dining (continued)

BEST PIZZA New York and Chicago talk a big game, but neither of them has MINSKY’S . And the legendary pizza enterprise, with 18 lo cations reaching all the way to Lawrence, is the hands-down Gold winner—again. The secret? Taking the commonplace and elevating it to gourmet with 18 pie styles on the menu, along with salads, sand wiches, burgers, and more. While nobody has come close to dethroning the champ, WALDO PIZZA has established a strong following, as well, and boxes up the Silver . A new kid on the voting block— BUFFA LO STATE PIZZA —snares the Bronze . HEALTHIEST MENU Plaza-based TRUE FOOD KITCHEN walks off with the Gold here for mastery of sea sonal selections along with year-round staples that include steak, chicken, pasta, pizza, salads, and more, including tuna tartare, which you can’t get just anywhere. THE MIXX , on the Plaza and in Overland Park, will start you off with a robust roster of soups and salads, backing those up with sandwiches, wraps, and quinoa bowls, all good for Silver . ENJOY PURE FOOD + DRINK racks up the Bronze for a menu

metro-area locations, this employee-own- ed company has purchasing power that comes from 285 stores across an eight state area, and most locations are full service stores with delis, floral, specialty bakery, and butcher counters. Silver goes to a brand— PRICE CHOPPER —but in this region, that can stand for four com panies flying the PC flag, including our two Bronze winners—Cosentino’s Food Services’ COSENTINO’S MARKET , and Balls Foods HEN HOUSE stores. BEST HAPPY HOUR You do the business lunch and dinner with clients and prospects; happy hour is all about getting together with the crew from the office or family and friends. There to put the happy in that hour—or more—is our Gold winner, HOULIHAN’S . Once an after-work anchor on the Plaza, it has moved out to Leawood, Overland Park, and Lee’s Summit, but the camaraderie, cocktails, carafes, and brews—specially priced, along with reduced-cost appetiz ers—still help mark the end of a week or workday. GRAM & DUN ties with TAVERN IN THE VILLAGE for Silver , with CAFÉ TRIO dishing Bronze .

that includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free offerings, including family-style dining. BEST OUTDOOR DINING Sure, winters here seem eternal, but when springs summer, and fall call for outdoor din ing, Ingram’s readers say the patio at TREZO MARE is the place to be. Lunch, dinner, or just drinks to savor a summer’s eve set the Gold standard at this Briarcliff Village respite in the Northland. Silver goes south to the Pla za, where GRAM & DUN masters the craft of pairing food and libation—including that hard-to-find cherry cider. Bagging the Bronze is RYE , the passion of James Beard-winning chef Colby Garrelts and his wife, Megan. BEST PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS For all the fabulous steak venues in a town built on beef, we remain at our core barbe cue lovers, and we like to show that off to visitors. Proof? This entire category is swept by pitmasters. Start off with FIORELLA’S JACK STACK BARBECUE , which takes ’cue to a classier level, but still dishes out some of the city’s best hickory-infused beef, pork, chicken, and salmon, along with killer sides. JOE’S KANSAS CITY

THANK YOU, KANSAS CITY!

for letting our family serve your family for 100 years!

At Balls Food Stores we know that our teammates are the heart of our business. Their love for the communities they serve, their commitment to a sustainable environment and their pride in being part of the local food ecosystem makes them the very best part of Balls Food Stores.

henhouse.com | Our Family Serving Your Family Since 1923

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Best of Business Kansas City 2023

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