Bridget Jones’ Takeout Diary: The Best Spots in KC for Dining at Home
Love Actually, eat deliciously: KC’s top 90’s rom-com inspired takeout spots.
With a long stretch of grey days ahead until it’s truly spring here in KC, we deserve something to celebrate. Enter takeout season– or takeaway, depending on whether I’ve started my annual pilgrimage to devour every British romantic comedy from ’99-’06. Ordering in just hits differently this time of year, especially when Hugh Grant is charming his way on screen in the background. I’ve gathered a list of the best takeout dishes in the city (broken down by course) inspired by the coziness and nostalgia of rom-coms. It’s a surefire remedy for those stubborn winter blues. After all, I’m just a girl, standing in front of a big bowl of ramen, asking it to cure my seasonal depression.
APPS
WESTIDE LOCAL
On the bluffs just west of downtown, Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood often gets left out of KC’s best food roundups. But Westside Local is a quintessential KC spot due in part to its commitment to quality, seasonal ingredients from right here in our community. Between the Victorian architecture, unmatched view of the downtown skyline, and the quaint brick façade, the restaurant gives off major main character vibes. Start off your cozy evening by ordering the elote tots with local Hemme Bros. cheddar and queso fresco or the sausage and pretzel board with Farm-To-Market jalapeno cheddar pretzel, spicy pickles, and beer mustard.
Bella napoli
This Brookside staple never disappoints when I’m in the mood to chow down on Italian fare. Do yourself a favor and get a double order of arancini – you’ll want to live inside this creamy, cheesy little ball of coziness. Or check out their list of wood-fired pizzas. I will always argue that tomato pies deserve to live on the menu’s main course section, so order the Margarita, splurge for the mozzarella imported from Napoli for less than the cost of a latte and thank me later.
MAINS
BLUE KOI
When Blue Koi’s 39th Street location closed earlier this year, KC’s collective heart broke with the China Moon-sized hole (IKYK) this beloved Chinese spot left in Midtown. We still have the Mission Farms location, which delivers the same sensual textures and flavors we know and love from the original location. Try out one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, Ants on a Tree. It’s a jumble of shiny, transparent bean noodles swirled with bits of chopped carrots, crunchy sautéed cabbage and minced pork. The chili pepper wontons and pan-fried dumplings are hearty enough to star as your main dish, too.
Photo courtesy of KC Craft Ramen
CRAFT RAMEN
This new Overland Park joint is run by a literal ramen consultant (a job I thought only existed in HGTV shows with absurd renovation budgets), and everything is made in-house, even the noodles. To me, soup season should be celebrated year-round, but there’s something about ramen on a cold winter night. Dive into their spicy miso ramen loaded with tender pork, seasoned bamboo shoots, black mushrooms, corn, and a soft-boiled egg finished with a spicy oil. Make your mouth happy and take home a kombucha imported from Japan.
POT PIE
This cozy, unpretentious Westport bistro serves, you guessed it, cozy, unpretentious pot pies. The origin of pot pies dates to the Roman Empire, but the English revived the ancient custom of meat pies in the 16th century, and Americans caught on to the trend in the early 1800s as settlers who came to America moved westward. All this to say, the meat pie has been around for ages, and PotPie’s classic interpretation of chicken and vegetables captures the dish’s nostalgic energy and flavors.
waldo thai
Is there anything that screams comfy night in more than sprawling out on the couch with a bottle of wine, a classic rom-com, and sampling an enormous spread of Thai food the size of which might even impress Lorelai Gilmore herself? No, there isn’t. This is your cue to run to this city’s best northern Thai cuisine in the heart of Waldo (it’s a James Beard semifinalist for a reason). Try the Moo Toun Hed Horm with braised five-spiced pork belly, shiitake and cilantro, or the Gaeng Fuk Torng, a coconut pumpkin curry with braised brisket, Thai basil and pepper.
DESSERTS
TAILLEUR
Sure, there’s the Powerpuff Girls and the Jonas Brothers. But I’m hard-pressed to name a more iconic trio than the dessert trio at Tailleur. This old-style European café serves decadent treats like the carrot cake, which has twenty-four ingredients—hence the 24 Karrot moniker—and is topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Add a warm bread pudding and the winter crisp to round out the sweetest end to your perfect night in.
Photo by Kate Wilkerson
CAFE PROVENCE
This award-winning, family-run country-chic bistro has some of the best desserts in Kansas City. But don’t take my word for it. The restaurant landed on OpenTable’s Top 100 Best Neighborhood Gems in America in 2021, among other accolades. Treat yourself to the Tarte Tatin (caramelized apple tart, crème fraîche ice cream, caramel sauce) or the maple syrup crème brûlée. It’s the perfect sugary-sweet end to an evening of saccharine, romantic movies.
