Kansas City is home to hundreds of standout restaurants and bars. From Taiwanese street food to modern German cuisine, Midwestern comfort food to non-alcoholic cocktails, the Kansas City area’s dining scene has a flavor for every palette.
Several of the region’s best eateries have even been nominated or won James Beard Awards, often referred to as the Oscars of the restaurant world. Here are over 15 to explore.
The American Restaurant
Perched atop Kansas City’s Crown Center, The American Restauranthas a long history with the James Beard Awards.
In 1992, The American’s former Executive Chef Rex Hale was a finalist for the James Beard Awards’ Best Chef in the Midwest, and in 1996, master sommelier Doug Frost was named a finalist for the Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional award when he worked at The American.
After being finalists in 1997 and 1998, former executive chefs Michael Smith and Debbie Gold won the 1999 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest while they ran the kitchen at The American Restaurant.
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It was the first time someone from Kansas City had won a James Beard Award, but it wouldn’t be the last. Again in 2007, then-executive chef Celina Tio won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest while working at the restaurant.
In 2014 and 2015, The American’s Nick Wesemann was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards’ Outstanding Pastry Chef.
The American itself was the nominated for Outstanding Restaurant in 2008 and 2010, plus Outstanding Service in 2009. And in 2018, The American was also just the third recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s Design Icon Award, which celebrates landmark examples of great restaurant design.
The American Restaurant now operates as a private dining space, offering limited guest chef events and hosting private events, weddings and corporate gatherings.
But if you want to catch these James Beard Award-winning chefs in action these days, you can still find them in Kansas City kitchens. Michael Smith is the executive chef at Farina and owner of Extra Virgin, and Celina Tio owns the Belfry, all located in the Crossroads Arts District.
Yoli Tortilleria
Yoli Tortilleria co-founder Marissa Gencarelli was a 2022 semifinalist for Outstanding Baker. One year later, the Westside treasure was catapulted into the spotlight when it won the 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Bakery. Yoli Tortilleria was the first tortilla bakery to earn the prestigious award.
Yoli has also launched a lunchtime menu and offers grab-and-go items for hungry diners in the Westside. You can find Yoli products at local grocery stores, the Overland Park Famers Market, and at CPKC Stadium during KC Current matches.
The Town Company
The Town Company, the chic restaurant inside the restored Hotel Kansas City, is led by not one but two James Beard Award nominees.
Executive Chef Johnny Leach has been a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Executive Pastry Chef Helen Jo Leach was also a semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2025. The husband-and-wife duo create seasonally rotating menus fueled by partnerships with local farmers and makers.
Drastic Measures & Wild Child
These Shawnee, Kansas, cocktail bars are making headlines in more ways than one.
Drastic Measures was a 2023 finalist and a 2024 semifinalist for Outstanding Bar. The speakeasy-like bar features a rotating cocktail menu and has a philanthropic heart, giving thousands to local charities each year.
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In 2025, co-owner Jay Sanders was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service for his work at sister bar Wild Child, which focuses on low-ABV and non-alcoholic drinks.
Corvino Supper Club
Chef Michael Corvino has scooped up several James Beard Award nominations for his work at his restaurant Corvino Supper Club.
In 2018, he was named a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest. From 2019-2020, he moved on to become a finalist for the same award. Again in 2023, Corvino was named a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest.
Diners at this Crossroads Art District restaurant can enjoy modern, American dishes and live music. Don’t miss the seaweed donuts, which event The New York Times called “a required order.”
The Antler Room
The Antler Room co-owner and chef Nick Goellner has been a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest three times now: 2019, 2020 and 2023.
Tucked away in the charming Union Hill neighborhood, Antler Room guests can sample small plates from a rotating menu and grab a drink off the international wine list or curated cocktail menu for an intimate date night or special occasion.
JJ’s Restaurant
JJ’s Restaurantwas named as a semifinalist in 2025 for the James Beard Awards’ Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
This fine dining restaurant just west of the Country Club Plaza has an extensive menu of wine, beer and cocktails. JJ’s wine cellar stores more than 1,500 different wines.
The Restaurant at 1900
This Johnson County restaurant has earned multiple James Beard nominations in recent years.
Chef Linda Duerr has been a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2019, 2020 and 2025. The Restaurant at 1900was also a 2023 semifinalist for the Outstanding Hospitality award.
The menu features modern, American cuisine with influences from Duerr’s native New England, as well as Italian and French fare.
Chewology
Chewology chef Katie Liu-Sung was a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2024 and 2025.
The Westport restaurant serves Taiwanese street food, partnering with local food and drink vendors to bring its menu to life. Diners will find dishes like dumplings, noodles and bao buns along with a full cocktail bar.
Room 39
Chef and owner Ted Habiger is a three-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2008, 2012 and 2014.
At Room 39, Habiger is focused on serving farm-driven food, and his menu changes frequently depending on what local farmers have available. In addition to its West 39th Street location, KC Current fans can also find Room 39 at CPKC Stadium.
The Campground
The Campground’s former chef Jeff Workman was named a 2024 semifinalist for Emerging Chef of the Year.
He joined served for several years as executive sous chef at Corvino Supper Club before taking over the kitchen at The Campground. With a cozy atmosphere and a contemporary yet comforting menu, this West Bottoms restaurant feels like a woodsy retreat.
Workman is currently the executive chef at Tailleur on Main, located in Midtown.
Affare
Crossroads Arts District staple Affarehas been making James Beard headlines for over a decade.
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In 2013, co-owner and executive chef Martin Heuser was named as a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest. Over a decade later, Affare was named as a 2024 semifinalist for the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program award. Heuser’s wife and fellow co-owner Katrin is the restaurant’s sommelier.
Affare features modern German cuisine with farm fresh ingredients as the Heusers are natives of Germany who moved to Kansas City in 2007.
Westport Cafe
In 2024, Westport Cafe executive chef Romain Monnoyeur was named a James Beard Awards semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest.
Located in the heart of Westport, this French-inspired bistro brings European flavors to the Midwest with a modern twist. Monnoyeur’s seasonally inspired menu is a treasure trove of delights, including several different preparations of mussels, seared tuna Niçoise, a French omelet, steak frites and trout meunière.
Story
Co-owner and executive chef Carl Thorne-Thomsen has twice been a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest, first in 2013 and again in 2022.
At his Johnson County restaurant, Story, Thorne-Thomsen features seasonal American cuisine such as braised beef short ribs, Alaskan halibut and wagyu beef burgers.
Fox & Pearl
At Fox and Pearl in Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood, smoke is a subtle and beloved character. Chef Vaughn Good uses a live fire hearth and a smoker to build layers of flavor.
He also works directly with local farmers to source ingredients for his dishes, which blend his Midwestern and Southern roots with his French culinary background.
His technique and menu are so impressive they caught the eye of the James Beard Awards. In 2020, he was a semifinalist for the Best Chef in the Midwest.
The Monarch Bar
This chic cocktail bar on the Country Club Plaza earned itself a semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Bar Program in 2019.
At the Monarch Bar, every drink is meant to be an experience, and the menu reflects that as it rotates with special themes each season. Even the beer, wine and non-alcoholic menus are updated frequently based on current offerings.
Rye
Husband-and-wife duo Colby and Megan Garrelts have a strong history with the James Beard Awards, most recently with their Midwestern comfort food restaurant Rye.
Colby Garrelts was a finalist for Best Chef in the Midwest from 2007 to 2012 while leading the kitchen at the couple’s former restaurant Bluestem in the Westside. In 2013, the won the award, becoming the Kansas City area’s third James Beard Award winner.
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Meanwhile, Megan Garrelts was named a 2008 semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef for her work at Bluestem.
And again from 2017 to 2020, Megan Garrelts was a semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, this time for her recipes at their restaurant Rye. In 2019, Colby Garrelts was also a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef.
Although Bluestem is no longer open, Rye has two locations in the Kansas City area, one in Johnson County and one on the Country Club Plaza.
Waldo Thai
Waldo Thai’s former co-owner and executive chef Pam Liberda was a 2023 semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest.
A native of Northern Thailand, Liberda is focused on creating authentic Thai dishes from her home country while working with local farmers and other immigrant-owned businesses in the area.
Waldo Thai is now under new local ownership, but Pam Liberda had input in choosing her successor in the kitchen. She and her husband still own Buck Tui BBQ in Overland Park and MuNi in the River Market.
