mizzouatheart "Homegrown Foodie"

This is my new favorite restaurant in KC. Located in an artsy Westside neighborhood, Lill’s on 17th is the kind of place you go to spend the evening in good conversation and a leisurely meal. Located in a two-story house on a hill, you enter a black iron gate and climb the stairs to a beautiful brick patio with about six or seven tables with clean white tablecloths and pretty flowers.
Our server was absolutely incredible. We started with white wine for Doug and sangria for me. The sangria was a special that night and was filled with limes and oranges in red wine. Very refreshing. Our favorite appetizer: the bacon-blue cheese filled mushrooms, but we were pleasantly surprised by the bacon-wrapped dates, their signature item. The house salads were especially lovely with a homemade dijon vinagrette. Doug’s filet was perfectly cooked. I enjoyed the cheese tray but was slightly disappointed in the empanadas. All in all, this place is a jewel and a must-visit in KC.

I cannot recommend Extra Virgin enough. Located in the Crossroads District, it is a more casual eatery from Michael Smith and located right next door to his flagship restaurant. The concept is tapas from the basic to the exotic and the menu changes seasonally. I have made three visits in the past several weeks and was never disappointed.

BIG TIP: most of their tapas are half-price from 11am-6pm so this is a fantastic value for lunch.

The decor is earthy and warm with some beautiful ironwork in an olive pattern. The servers are knowledgeable and bring your food out in stages so you enjoy the meal at a nice pace. There are way too many great dishes, but I have greatly enjoyed the cabrito tacos, the ahi tuna tacos, pane con tomate, chicken with chorizo and figs, lemony salad with goat cheese, watermelon and tomato salad, shrimp gratin, and turkish lamb meatballs. The wild boar and baked mussels were okay but not my favorites. There is truly something for everyone on the menu here, from the picky eater to the foodie extraordinaire. Try it today!!!!

Waldo Pizza is a KC institution. You could go there every day in a year and order a different kind of pizza given the wide selection of crusts, sauces and toppings. Crust choices in include traditional, thin and honey wheat and the sauces include traditional and spicy tomato and barbecue. The toppings are too numerous to list (probably thirty in all) but some notables include KC’s own Scimeca’s meatballs and Italian sausage, blue cheese, several kinds of peppers, fresh and sundried tomatoes, and for the eater of novelties, Spam. I have not seen anyone order it, but it is on the menu!

When my family comes to visit KC, Waldo Pizza is a favorite. We often select the lunchtime buffet which includes a small but tasty salad bar, pizza, pasta, and dessert pizza. The salad bar often features seasonal ingredients like blueberries and also has some local fave dressings like the Westport parmesan peppercorn. The pizza selection includes choices for vegetarians and carnivores alike and the pasta always is creative with plenty of sauce and add-ins.

One of the best things about this place, aside from being a great place to watch a ball game or hold a post-election celebration, is that it is so family-friendly. There are always young children every time I visit and the owners strive to make it a place where all are comfortable and enjoy their meal. We love Waldo Pizza!

Waldo Pizza is a Waldo institution. It is a place dedicated to making families feel welcome and it succeeds! While a bit cramped in terms of space, we always feel comfortable here and the food is always great. As someone who likes a lot of variety in my food, this place is over-the-top! Not only do they offer the requisite choice of crust styles, but they offer numerous sauce options including BBQ and a spicy red sauce that is fantastic. The topping list is extensive and includes premium ingredients such as Scimeca’s Italian sausage and lowbrow (humorous?) ones like Spam. (Has anyone really ordered that?) Waldo Pizza has been profiled on the Food Network but is not a stuffy kind of place. They have a great lunch buffet although the salad bar leaves a bit to be desired. The garlic cheese bread is a good call for an appetizer. For you Upromise savers, they contribute to the program and you can buy coupons on Restaurant.com as well!

Blue Bird Bistro is the perfect spot for vegetarians and those who are trying to be more conscious of how the way they eat impacts the earth. They obtain their food from local sources and thus the dishes are a celebration of our rich local agriculture, including pecans, eggs, and sustainably-raised chicken and bison. My favorite dish is the polenta appetizer, which is good for a light lunch if you order it in the entree version as well. Check out their pizza special of the day as it is usually good. And it is a great place to meet for breakfast. The service at lunch has been horribly slow all the times I’ve been there but I just plan for a longer lunch when I’m headed there. Worth the wait!

This is my favorite place to eat outside in KC. I have visited this restaurant several times with girlfriends and it is the perfect place for a long dinner with plenty of wine and conversation. This is not a place to go when you are in a hurry, but why would you want to rush such a great place? I am impressed with the wine recommendations from the servers and the food is classic French fare such as mussels with pommes frites, crepes and quiche. One of my favorites is the frisee salad with bacon and a fried egg!!!! They also have a great stacked salad with avocado and smoked salmon. The variety of soups rotates and the specials are always worth checking out. Enjoy!

This is a fast-casual dining concept with premium and varied ingredients for salads, soups, pastas, and sandwiches. They have a great menu selection but also allow you to build your own salad and sandwich creations. It is a great healthy gourmet alternative and pleases a variety of palates. They also offer a great array of bottled sodas and fabulous assortment of cupcakes and other sweets. The modern decor is sophisticated, clean and bright.

The major problem with this place is the very disorganized line for ordering. It seems that no matter the time of day I am always in a long line despite apparent efforts by management to improve the system. They also do not have much room for waiting for your dishes as you bump into people getting their sodas and tableware. But the food is worth the wait and you can always do what we do—call in and pick up!

The perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant. We eat in or pick up frequently. The menu is heavy on pastas with cream-based sauces but also has some red choices. The big thing to know is that every weeknight from 4-6 they offer their appetizers at half-price. Get the large appetizer platter for $9—amazing! The wine list is extensive and has lots of Italian selections. The pizzas are all wonderful and it is hard to pick a favorite dish here.

This is the perfect place to meet for breakfast in KC. The menu is extensive and has choices to suit any taste. The coffee is good and the space is warm and inviting. You can grab coffee at the bar in the waiting area and watch TV or read the paper. It’s also a popular weekend breakfast location so be prepared to wait a bit. Absolutely worth the wait, though! The food is consistently good! I’ve been there many times and will visit often! My one major food criticism is that the breakfast potatoes that come with many dishes are often soggy and bland.

Succotash is a funky place in the River Market with fabulous food. The furniture is all mismatched and vintage and the overall feel of the restaurant is casual and eclectic.

I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried on their menu from salads to sandwiches to pancakes. The service is somewhat slow but I’ve found that it is a place to enjoy lingering.

Also plenty of great options for vegetarians!