Kansas Citians’ third-favorite pastime—right after eating barbecue and listening to jazz—is reminding visitors that the city used to be called the “Paris of the Plains.” Never mind that the historic nickname was inspired less by the city’s wide boulevards and sculptural fountains than it was by the unchecked vice that kept the liquor flowing long through Prohibition.
Today, it’s become a slightly glib way to recognize the city as a Heartland cultural center (and there are plenty of things to do while you’re here). Food is a key part of that. Kansas City straddles two states, and while most of the main attractions (and restaurants) are on the Missouri side, Kansas City, Kansas, has a lot to explore, too—including the nearly 60 taquerias and mercados that form the city’s official Taco Trail.
As a culinary region, the Plains Midwest remains comparatively under-explored and un-commodified—to diners’ benefit. Chefs here have fewer dues to pay or boxes to check: the wide-open expanses of the Plains are a blank page anyone can write on. The “essential” restaurants on this list reflect KC’s versatility, from scratch-made Italian sandwiches to Palestinian dishes with regional flair to a distinctive take on the Midwestern pork tenderloin…