Meatloaf might be the most comforting of all cold-weather foods. Add homemade cream gravy, and suddenly this humble loaf might even be flirting with fine dining. Well, maybe not exactly fine dining. At Kelly’s Family Diner in Wichita, Kansas, the famous meatloaf and gravy might just help coin a new term, though: fine diner-ing.
Kelly’s Family Diner is the kind of place that makes a plate of meatloaf feel like a reasonable reason to drive across town. The Wichita diner serves thick slices of meatloaf with potatoes, a vegetable, soup or salad, and a dinner roll. For anyone searching for the best diners in Kansas, this is a stop worth putting on the list.
Why Kelly’s Family Diner Is One of the Best Comfort Food Restaurants in Kansas
Kelly and Dewaine Wilson opened the diner in the former Mike’s Steak House space, and the family brought serious restaurant experience with them. Dewaine worked as a cook at the Beacon for 15 years; Kelly worked as a waitress there and later as a cashier at Don’s Restaurant; and their daughter Laura joined the family business.
The Wilsons gave the restaurant a complete makeover, replacing everything from the ceiling tiles to the carpet and booths. The result is a no-frills, small-town comfort food restaurant in Kansas rather than a carefully manufactured retro set. Some of the comfort food restaurants around the country that diners swear by earn their reputation through food and regulars, not because someone bought a jukebox for decorative purposes.
Kelly’s Family Diner also became known for its community spirit. When the business was struggling, Wichita residents responded in a big way, filling the restaurant and helping spread the word.
The Meatloaf That Locals Order the Moment It Turns Cold
The meatloaf comes in thick, generous slices, the kind that’ll warm you up when the temperature drops. This is serious meatloaf, y’all. Add a pile of real mashed potatoes, a vegetable, and a dinner roll, and you have the sort of plate that makes a midday meal feel like an event. Soup or salad comes along for the ride, but the meatloaf is clearly the reason everybody showed up…