by Jenny Vergara

For those night owls who are looking for a place to get a drink or maybe a bite while they finish some last-minute business, Kansas City has some late night spots that welcome you, your laptop and your team to the table.

These are great places to hit after the client dinner or after your conference concludes for a quick nightcap while you finish answering e-mails or jotting down your notes before hitting the hay.

You are just taking care of business, Kansas City style.


Il Lazzarone

Open Monday-Saturday until 1:30 a.m., and Sunday until midnight

Owner Eric Borger opened Il Lazzarone, his second outpost for authentic Neapolitan pizza, in spring 2015 in the River Market with a plan to attract those who live, work and party downtown. With his 6,000-pound Acunto Mario Forni wood-fired pizza oven blazing until late into the night and craft cocktail bartenders waiting to serve you at the bar, which is located in the back of the space, all you have to do is get yourself here. Il Lazzarone has friendly and knowledgeable staff that can direct you easily to your new favorite Italian wine or local brew. For the stiffer stuff, ask for the barrel-aged nigroni, a classic cocktail that only gets better with time. Order the classic Margherita pizza, which Il Lazzarone has been famously certified by the Italian authorities to make. It is a study in simplicity with its chewy wood-fired crust, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil.  Want a pie to-go? Come through the back door and order at the bar, they will have it ready for you before you finish your drink.

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen

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Open Monday-Saturday until 1:30 a.m., and Sunday until midnight

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen, located just across the highway from the Convention Center and the Power & Light District feels worlds away from the crowds and the noise. Here is where the grownups come to eat, drink and socialize as jazz plays quietly in the background. Sit at the bar for a more socialization or grab a small table and work away. Barry Tunnell, the GM and Wine Director, has more depth of wine knowledge than it is safe for one person to have. Tap him for a wine recommendation and then chase the tasting path he lays out for you. Executive Chef Brian Aaron is in the kitchen, and serving everything from bar snacks to full-blown entrees until midnight. Late night, get the Crispy Slow Braised Pork Cheeks with creamy polenta and housemade kimchi or the Tannin eight-ounce Wagyu Burger with smoked cheddar, grilled tomato and crispy bacon on an onion bun.

 

Westport Café & Bar

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Open Monday-Saturday until 1:30 a.m., and Sunday until midnight

I won’t lie—this is probably not the place to hit if you are looking for peace and quiet. The secret is out about this late night haunt. Westport Café & Bar is the kind of place where it gets louder and busier as the night wears on. But if you are hungry, or ready to mingle with your team in a lively environment, then this is your after-hours place to land. You might be able to scroll through your emails before the waitress brings you a craft cocktail, or glass of wine or local beer from the bar, but work will have to wait once your food arrives. Owned by two chefs Aaron Confessori and Richard Wiles, this place offers a straightforward French-style bistro menu. Get the Pea Ravioli with lemon and parmesan and a salad, or go big and get the Steak Béarnaise, house butter and pommes frites. Go on, treat yourself. You deserve it. 

The Belfry

Open Monday-Saturday until midnight

Celebrity Chef Celina Tio, displays her passion for three things at The Belfry—her love of beer, bourbon and quality bar food. Open until midnight, The Belfry is a small, but cozy hangout just a stone’s throw from the Convention Center that would be the perfect place to have a glass of local beer while you punch through the last of your to-do list for the day. Her list of whiskey, bourbon and scotch is formidable and worth exploring, as well. She offers a serviceable bar menu that changes based on her whims and what’s in season. Looking for a place off the beaten path to escape, you just found it.

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