Drinking Coffee in Kansas City: XR Cafe at Crossroads Hotel
We’ve revived the series that helped launch Explore–
we take our coffee seriously, over here!
Photos by Meredith Schneider
XR Cafe is a gorgeous, sophisticated bar concept in the center of the first floor of the Crossroads Hotel. Situated cozily just south of Southwest Boulevard on the Missouri side, you can almost mistake the insanely tall, heavy, wooden doors of the lobby for a warehouse. Many people, indeed, walk right past it because it was a warehouse.
In fact, the Crossroads Hotel takes up the footprint of two buildings that were once Tom Pendergast’s offices and a Pabst Brewery warehouse.
The Cafe is situated just to the left of check in, in the center of the grand lobby area. It is warmly lit and has, all at once, a haphazard ballroom and steampunk-meets-high-end-cigar-club feel to it. The exposed ceilings are elevated with chandeliers and soft lighting, surrounded by plush velvet barstools and gold metal details.
In XR Cafe, it’s like you are stepping back in time. Knowing that this building came to fruition in 1911 and that it maintains much of its original charm makes this feel like a wholesome experience before you even step foot into the curated, carpeted space.
A number of full couches sit throughout the lobby, as well as benches, various tables, trunks, and chairs to bring optimum, coordinated, eclectic comfort to diners.
Several large windows provide all of the light for the lobby area, and you are basked in warmth if you find a cozy chair by one. A few plants are scattered across the space, giving the comfortable feel of a den or living room to the space.
Waitresses will visit you at your seats to make ordering convenient as you dine with friends, work on a project, or simply sit and enjoy the sights and sounds around you.
XR Cafe is open from 7 am to 11 am every day for breakfast, so you don’t have to wait until the weekend for a fantastic brunch. I dined on the Hong Kong French Toast, which is filled with sweetened, condensed milk and served with black tea sugar and miso honey butter under a sweet vanilla drizzle. It is a joyful mix of sweet and salty.
For coffee, Ye Olde Colde Brew is a smooth staple, though the Sparkling Hibiscus Matcha is a great source of energy delivered in a slightly sour, fruity delight of a beverage.
XR Cafe is open for regular dining from 11 am to 10 pm, with bar cocktail hours from 10 am until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 1 am on weekends. The menu boasts a hefty mix of handcrafted sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and appetizers like the irresistible Crab Rangoon Dip.
Order some fresh, house-baked cookies to enjoy with your Paloma or Old Fashioned. Their Low ABV & Spritz menu includes a tasty Aperol Spritz, Not Your Momma’s Lemonade, True American, and hilariously named Wear Those Capris, Son. Non-alcoholic beverages include the Pelican Island Tea, Seadoos and Sea Don’ts, and Pineapple Dreams.
