Experiencing Italy in Kansas City
To Italians, food is love.
All of the beautiful foods you are familiar with come with a chance to connect with the people that mean the most to you. No matter the region, you will rarely find any Italian carrying a to-go cup of coffee or grabbing a quick bite to eat. Food is meant to be savored at a table with passionate conversation and deep connection. When you enjoy Italian food at a table, you show love to those who labored over it. So, the next time you are looking for great Italian food, experience it the way you would in Italy. Sit at the table for a while, enjoy wine, connect with people, never eat just one course, and always, always, always, eat pasta first.
Farina | 19 West 19th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
The food and atmosphere at Farina complement each other so well. Simple, clean, elegant. This is one of the best food experiences I’ve ever had in our city. It’s evident that Michael Smith wanted to honor the Italian culture. What I love is that he honors some of the traditional Italian pasta dishes - Bolognese, Carbonara, Amatriciana, and Cacio e Pepe - all born in different regions of Italy. No matter which way you go, you won’t be disappointed by the elegance of Farina. Even if you can’t stay a while, you should at least have a seat at the oyster bar and enjoy an Aperol spritz.
Lazia | Crossroads Hotel | 2101 Central Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
Lazia has the elegance of Farina with an eclectic flair all its own. Regardless, they still do one hell of a job honoring traditional Italian culture. I don’t know that you will find another restaurant that offers Cichetti, a traditional Venetian lunch choice. The small bites can be eaten with their house-made rosemary focaccia, a light and airy bread that originated in the Ligurian region of Italy. If you’ve been to the tourist hot spot, the Cinque Terre, you know focaccia. Their menu is also separated into primi (first) and secondi (second) because like I said before, if you want to eat like an Italian, always eat your pasta first.
Anthony’s on Grand | 701 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64106
If you want to get a feel for what it’s like to sit at a nonna’s traditional Sicilian table, visit Anthony’s on Grand. They call it the “Italian jewel on Grand.” Just the fact that it's been run by the Spino family for over 40 years makes it a gem that you must visit. Its traditional atmosphere has a warmth about it that makes you feel like a member of the family. This is the place I like to go when I want a taste of my childhood - Sunday sugo (red sauce), stuffed artichokes, chicken spiedini (Garozzo’s is not the only place you can find it), and cannoli.
DiCapo’s (Italian Gardens) | 901 E. 19th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Growing up in the Italian neighborhoods of the historic Northeast meant that special occasions (birthdays, bridal showers, wedding rehearsals) were often celebrated at Italian Gardens. From 1933 to 2003, the building at 1110 Baltimore Avenue was home to one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Kansas City. While the DiCapo family had to close the restaurant doors, their legacy still remains in Kansas City food culture and is making a bit of a comeback. They have a brick-and-mortar on 19th street that offers their pizza, spaghetti, and Italian beef sandwiches. However, the DiCapos may be even more well known today for their Italian cookies. It’s not an Italian-American wedding without a cookie table with trays full of every traditional Italian cookie that you can imagine. Everyone has their favorite. I would be so excited to wake up to a bag on the kitchen counter with cookies from a wedding the night before. I would dig for my favorite - the thumbprints, snowballs, and tri-color cookies. Trays of their cookies can be ordered online.
Oddly enough, as I write this, I get news that there is a new spot in Parlor opening that will be offering Italian Gardens pizza. What an exciting time for KC being able to experience a classic that’s making a comeback after all these years.
Ragusa’s | follow them online to find the food truck!
Small, lively, and passionate is how you’ll find the Ragusa’s team. Laurie and her team are committed to preparing only the highest quality and most authentic Sicilian crepes for Kansas Citians, this way they won’t have to cross oceans to get a true taste of Italy! Read their story here.
