Kansas City’s dining landscape goes beyond barbecue, and others are finally taking notice. For the third year in a row, the prestigious James Beard Foundation has nominated Colby Garrelts of Bluestem for its “Best Chef: Midwest” award. Other local chefs receiving buzz this spring include “chocolate innovator” Christopher Elbow, who was featured in the pages of February’s Food & Wine. The editors fell in love with his No. 6 Dark Rocks creation, naming it their favorite chocolate bar in America. Having already received praise from USA Today, media darling Justus Drugstore continues to impress. The family-drugstore-turned-elegant-eatery scored a feature story inside the March issue of The New York Times Magazine. The writer praised the restaurant’s creative cuisine—which runs the gamut from Foie Gras pan-seared with wild crabapples to Akaushi brisket braised in homemade root beer.

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Photo Credit: Photos Courtesy of the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association.