KC Seafood: Local Flavor and International Tastes

Mesquite-grilled arctic char. Sizzling salmon served on a bed of grains. Seared tuna with gingered rice. All represent the boundless variety that Kansas City offers diners in traditional seafood restaurant settings. Count on Bristol Seafood Grill in both the Power & Light District and Leawood for fresh selections flown in daily from all over the world. Settle in at Pierpont’s at Union Station, a longtime favorite among Kansas Citians thanks to classy ambiance, tremendous architecture and amazing fare.

Other well-known establishments can be found at the Country Club Plaza, including Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks and The Capital Grille.

KC’s recent influx of transcontinental cuisine brings new tastes from familiar places. Take Jarocho Pescados Y Mariscos, for example. The KCK/South KC establishment dishes out traditional coastal Mexican meals totally unlike any you’ve seen at a Tex-Mex restaurant. Try Black Garlic Restaurant & Rum Bar for a flavorful fusion of Ethiopian, Eritrean and Caribbean delicacies, including jerk shrimp and snapper boukannen (a whole roasted fish).

Trezo Mare in the Northland features Italian specialties both creative and classic while Aixois in Brookside provides a French take on trout, salmon and more. Head to the Crossroads Arts District for modern German seafood recipes at Affäre, among other tastes.

Starters or full meal, sometimes shellfish speak to you in ways that other seafood may not. Not to worry: a handful of Kansas City restaurants specialize in oysters, crabs, caviar and more. Locals gather at Earl’s Premier, a Brookside oyster bar known for fresh oysters paired with cold drinks.

If you’re dreaming of a different coast, head to West 39^th Street for Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, a Big Easy-style restaurant with Cajun and creole shrimp, crawfish and oysters (Rockefeller, Lafayette or Bienville). Switch things up with brunch at Westport Café, a cozy French bistro featuring mussels and oysters grilled or otherwise before you dig into your Croque Madame or shrimp and polenta.

At Anton’sin the Crossroads, fresh tilapia is raised in the taproom’s basement thanks to their aquaponics system, which allows the team to control what the fish eat.