What is in season in Kansas City. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

  • Missouri morels: Wild morel mushrooms forage through Missouri's Ozark hills in April and early May. Brookside and City Market vendors carry them in tiny batches at high prices.
  • Asparagus and spring greens: Local asparagus arrives mid-April through May at Overland Park and Brookside markets. Spring lettuces, ramps and radishes set the menu at Rye Plaza and Novel.
  • Strawberries: Missouri and Kansas berry farms have a short, intense season from mid-May through early June. Markets hold strawberry days; Heirloom Bakery features them in pastry.

Summer

  • Missouri tomatoes: July through September is peak Missouri tomato season at the City Market. Heirloom varieties from Smithville and Pleasant Hill anchor the produce stalls.
  • Sweet corn: Sweet corn arrives mid-July and runs through August. The Overland Park Farmers Market features bi-color and white varieties; Rye Plaza features corn dishes.
  • Stone fruit: Peaches from Lafayette County, Missouri start in early July; the late-season Cresthaven and Glohaven varieties run through September across all the regional markets.
  • Burnt ends festival weather: Outdoor BBQ events peak July through September. American Royal preliminaries and First Friday in the Crossroads run the calendar.

Autumn

  • Apples and cider: Missouri and Kansas apple orchards bring crisp varieties to markets September through November. Louisburg Cider Mill (1972) is the regional cider anchor.
  • Persimmons: Native American persimmons drop in late September through October. Pleasant Hill orchards carry small batches at Brookside and Overland Park markets.
  • American Royal World Series of Barbecue: The world's largest BBQ competition runs late September into early October at the Kansas Speedway. The Open Contest closes the run on Sunday.

Winter

  • Country ham and smoked sausage: Missouri country ham producers release the year's aged hams from October through December. Krizman's Sausage in Strawberry Hill runs its biggest sales through winter.
  • Povitica season: Strawberry Hill Baking Company runs the Croatian sweet bread programme heaviest from November through Christmas, with the gift-shipping calendar set well ahead.
  • KC Restaurant Week: Mid-January runs the city's biggest dining event, with over 250 restaurants on prix-fixe menus. Fine-dining tasting menus book first.

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