Openings & Closings, Pitch

Big Rip Brewing Co. opens to the world Sunday

Jonathan Bender — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:04:00 -0500

The Big Rip Brewing Co. is set to let it rip Sunday. The two-man microbrewery in North Kansas City (216 East Ninth Avenue) will be serving up samples to the participants in the Tour de Brew bike race as part of the official open of their Tap Room.…

Pan-Asian buffets: You just can't have too many of them

Charles Ferruzza — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:04:00 -0500

The old Fuddrucker's location at 8725 Metcalf, last occupied by the short-lived Royal Buffet (it lasted about five months), is getting a new tenant: another Asian buffet! According to the hand-lettered signs taped to the window of the venue, the "grand opening" of the new Pacific Buffet will be this Wednesday.…

Red Door Grill opens its doors in Leawood today

Jonathan Bender — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:40:00 -0500

It's opening afternoon for chef Debbie Gold and the Red Door Grill. Gold left the American Restaurant last month to join Red Door Restaurants, a new local restaurant group that intends to open several neighborhood-focused eateries.…

Bruegger's Bagels has closed in Overland Park

Jonathan Bender — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:59:00 -0500

Shed a few schmears. Bruegger's Bagels (13713 Metcalf) has closed in Overland Park.…

Millie's Cafe brings back Polish, Croatian food to KCK

Charles Ferruzza — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:48:00 -0500

Stephanie Springer's vivid red lipstick is the same shade of red painted on the woodwork inside her new restaurant at 553 Central in Kansas City, Kansas. The unassuming frame building, which was occupied by Sophie's Deli for nearly three decades, has been given a new life this week as Millie's Cafe & Catering.…

Tilted Kilt is the latest breastaurant to set its sights on KC

Jonathan Bender — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:00:28 -0500

Kansas City is apparently the new Tampa Bay. Or at least that's the thought of whoever is in charge of the concepts putting together wings, female servers and men in ill-fitting suits.…

Swagger has closed its Martin City location

Jonathan Bender — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:40:00 -0500

Martin City has lost some swagger. Actually, all of its Swagger - the burger and beer bar has closed its Martin City location at 13401 Holmes, but it will continue to operate its original place at 8431 Wornall.…

Lutfi's Fried Fish is cookin' on 63rd Street

Charles Ferruzza — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:06:00 -0500

Ten months ago, local fried-fish mogul Lutfi Khalifa opened his flagship restaurant, his biggest venue to date, at 3037 Main. Two months ago, Khalifa moved his East Side location at 5932 Prospect into a shiny storefront in the newly remodeled Pener Plaza shopping development on 63rd Street (1664 East 63rd Street, 816-363-0040).…

Golden Ox will open a Johnson County outpost...again

Charles Ferruzza — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:44:00 -0500

Ten years ago, before veteran restaurateurs Steve Greer and Bill Teel had purchased the iconic Golden Ox in the West Bottoms (1600 Genessee, 816-842-2866), the venue's then-owner, Jerry Rauschelbach, opened a short-lived outpost of Kansas City's oldest steakhouse in the vacant Houston's location at 95th Street and Metcalf. The Pitch reviewed the new restaurant at the time and found it lacking.…

The Big Biscuit is coming to the Northland in May

Jonathan Bender — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:00:03 -0500

There will soon be some new biscuits and gravy in town, Northlanders. The Big Biscuit is busy remodeling the former Chubby's space at 6332 N.W. Barry Road in the hopes of opening by the end of the month.…

Celina Tio opens Collection tonight, despite snow and rain

Charles Ferruzza — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:04:00 -0500

Ignore the bright-yellow Kansas City Cafe sign still hanging on the side of the red-brick building at 1532 Grand.

"That was supposed to come down yesterday," says restaurateur Celina Tio with a sigh.…

Potbelly Sandwich Shop is coming to Overland Park

Jonathan Bender — Thu, 02 May 2013 08:45:00 -0500

Potbelly Sandwich Shop has picked a second Kansas City area location. The franchise, which is like Google Fiber for Chicagoans, has received approval from the city of Overland Park to build a 2,134-square-foot restaurant at 6751 College Boulevard (near the southwest corner of College and Glenwood).…

Kansas City SmokeShack BBQ has things smoking on Swift

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:44:00 -0500

Those craving barbecue for lunch have a new option in Kansas City SmokeShack BBQ. Glenn Yeager and his son Josh opened their new joint earlier this month at 900 Swift in North Kansas City.…

Burger Stand's Robert Krause is ready for his next restaurant

Charles Ferruzza — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:11:00 -0500

Chef and restaurateur Robert Krause, the Lawrence entrepreneur best-known for the namesake bistro he once operated out of his home and two more conventional restaurants (the wildly popular Burger Stand at the Casbah, and the short-lived Esquina on Massachusetts Street), operates like a Broadway producer. He likes assembling the details of a new project - the concept, the staging, the cast and the crew.…

Elements officially reopens for the summer on Friday

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:15:54 -0500

A bar that doesn't demand commitment reopens Friday. Elements, the seasonal outdoor bar and patio located at 14th Street and Walnut (near the base of the H&R Bloch Building) in the Power & Light District is back for its third season Friday, May 3.…

The Magical Meatball Tour has stopped rolling

Jonathan Bender — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:12:00 -0500

The Magical Meatball Tour has stopped rolling. One of the city's first food trucks, funded by a Kickstarter campaign and a series of bakesale-esque meatball events, will not be returning to the Kansas City streets this season.…

Cafe Cedar closes in downtown Parkville, moving nearby - maybe

Charles Ferruzza — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:48:47 -0500

Eleven days ago, Cafe Cedar owner Jehad Selah sent out a tweet to his followers: "Hello everyone, great news, great news, great news, great news. We are so excited about our move...."

There really is "great news," Selah tells Fast Pitch, but he's not ready to talk about it - yet.…

Slice Deli & Bistro has closed in Overland Park

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:18:00 -0500

Another deli has gone to that great big meat slicer in the sky. Slice Deli & Bistro at 12560 Quivira, in Overland Park, has closed.…

T Loft gets brewing on State Line

Jonathan Bender — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:03:00 -0500

A love letter to tea is being written at 8025 State Line. T Loft, a new tea and juice bar, opened earlier this month.…

Chacko's Eatery closes next week

Charles Ferruzza — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:09:00 -0500

If you want a final cinnamon roll (or several) or, perhaps, a few of those tasty cinnamon-and-sugar "downtowner rolls" from Chacko's Eatery, in Mission, tomorrow or next Saturday, you better call in your order by noon today at 913-671-8199. Chacko's co-owner and baker David Finn has been serving those popular pastries only on Saturdays for several years now, and because the combination lunch bistro and bakery closes its door for good April 27, fans of the rolls better get on the horn before it's too late.…

The Corner Restaurant reopens April 30

Charles Ferruzza — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:54:00 -0500

The red brick building at 4059 Broadway, the site of the old Corner Restaurant in Westport, has been empty for more than three years - just long enough for many people to have forgotten it was ever one of the most popular breakfast-and-lunch spots in midtown. I mean, after all, in the years before it finally closed, in 2010, the diner had gotten almost unbearably grimy, the food was mediocre and the service left everything to be desired.…

Taco Republic Truck is set to bring street tacos to the streets

Jonathan Bender — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:07:16 -0500

You may have had walking tacos, but now rolling tacos are cruising around Kansas City. The Taco Republic Truck, the food truck and brand extension from Bread & Butter Concepts (the group behind BRGR, Gram & Dun, Urban Table and the soon-to-open Taco Republic), is now rolling.…

Which Wich is headed to Westport

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:29:00 -0500

If you've ever envisioned yourself as a sandwich artist, then Which Wich may be the place for you. The sandwich chain, which is opening a location at 556 Westport Road (the former Einstein Bros. and Fuji Japanese Steakhouse space), lets customers design their lunch by marking ingredients on a paper bag with a red Sharpie.…

Freebirds opens in Overland Park Thursday

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:10:43 -0500

Pack up your camping gear, it's burrito hunting season. Freebirds World Burrito is opening its Overland Park location at 7552 West 119th Street on Thursday, April 18.…

Pickleman's opening in May at 75th and Wornall

Jonathan Bender — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:45:53 -0500

Missouri graduates should really consider living close to Waldo. Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe will be opening in May at 7442 Wornall in the former Jackson Hewitt space (on the corner of 75th and Wornall across the street from Walgreens).…