19 editor picks in Kansas City.
The Kansas City cafe scene blends third-wave coffee roasting with all-day kitchens. Messenger Coffee and Mildred's anchor the Crossroads, The Russell holds down Midtown, and Thou Mayest and Cafe Ca Phe bring distinct identities to the River Market, while Oddly Correct on Troost roasts for the city's coffee obsessives.
19 cafe places in Kansas City we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Kansas City · Cafe across every city.
Order Egg-and-biscuit sandwich for breakfast, or the daily quiche with salad.
The Russell on Main Street in Kansas City's Midtown is Amanda Lopez's all-day cafe and lunch counter, with house-baked biscuits and a strong vegetarian.
Order The breakfast sandwich with the daily soup or quiche.
You Say Tomato in Kansas City's Brookside corridor is a quirky neighbourhood cafe with daily specials, veg-friendly options and a slow-paced breakfast.
Order The Standard Breakfast Sandwich: egg, cheddar, bacon on a butter-toasted brioche.
Mildred's in Kansas City has run breakfast, brunch and lunch since 1994, with the Standard Breakfast Sandwich the city's most-ordered counter item.
Drink Filter coffee, single origin
Messenger Coffee's three-story flagship on Grand Boulevard in Kansas City's Crossroads pairs an in-house roastery with Ibis Bakery downstairs and a rooftop.
Drink Espresso, single origin
Thou Mayest at River Quay on Delaware in Kansas City's River Market acquired the former Quay Coffee in 2019 and pours Thou Mayest's own roasts on the corner.
Drink Vietnamese iced coffee, ube latte
Jackie Nguyen's Cafe Ca Phe on 5th Street in Kansas City's Columbus Park is the city's first Vietnamese coffee shop, with Vietnamese-American specialty.
Drink Direct-trade espresso, filter
PT's Coffee on Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City's Crossroads pours the Topeka-based direct-trade roaster's beans, with a steady espresso programme.
Drink Messenger filter coffee, Ibis toast
Black Dog Coffeehouse in Lenexa has poured Messenger Coffee beans and Ibis Bakery toast since 2003, with a family-friendly counter and the suburb's farmers.
Drink Drip coffee, daily quiche
You Say Tomato in Kansas City's Brookside-Longfellow corner is a quirky neighbourhood cafe with daily specials and a strong veg-friendly menu.
Drink Drip coffee, biscuit sandwich
Amanda Lopez's The Russell on Main Street in Kansas City's Midtown is the all-day cafe and lunch counter, with house-baked biscuits and strong gluten-free.
Drink Espresso, Standard breakfast sandwich
Mildred's Coffeehouse on Wyandotte in Kansas City's Crossroads has run breakfast, brunch and lunch since 1994.
Drink Drip coffee, breakfast hash
Succotash on Holmes Street near Kansas City's Longfellow runs a long-standing breakfast and brunch counter with local and organic ingredients.
Drink Drip coffee, biscuit sandwich
Heirloom Bakery and Hearth in Kansas City's Brookside is Scott and Kate Meinke's destination bakery and breakfast counter, with cheddar-herb biscuits.
Drink Espresso, drip filter
Messenger Coffee's South Plaza cafe in Kansas City brings the Grand Boulevard flagship's roasts to the Plaza corridor, paired with Ibis Bakery's daily breads.
Drink Drip coffee, cake doughnut
McLain's on Gregory Boulevard in Kansas City's Waldo opened in 1945 and runs the city's longest-running independent bakery counter, with old-school cakes.
Vietnam Cafe in Kansas City: a pint-size pho counter on a quiet columbus park block, with the city's most-praised broth and a steady local lunch crowd.
You Say Tomato on Holmes Street near Brookside in Kansas City is a 25-seat morning cafe open Wed to Sat with daily specials that change constantly.
Oddly Correct Coffee on Troost Avenue in midtown Kansas City is a small-batch roastery with precise espresso and house-made buttermilk biscuits, daily.
Try Egg biscuit sandwich
The Russell on Main Street in Kansas City's Midtown serves house-baked biscuit sandwiches under $12 with strong vegan and gluten-free options.
