Minor Hub? Major Grub!
There is a movement to name the new Kansas City International Airport for Kansas City’s original “Barbecue King”, Henry Perry. Check out my guest column in The Kansas City Star to learn more about Perry, and the reasoning behind the proposal. To sign the petition, click HERE.
Walking into the airport, I couldn’t help but think, “Is this really in my city?” but thanks to a focus on “sense of place” there’s no question that this airport is all KC. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Published April 20, 2023
Less than two months ago, Kanas City’s new airport opened to much fanfare. Locally and nationally, there has been a ton of coverage, and well-deserved praise, to go around. And still, in light of all the attention, there are still some key parts to the story that may have been missed.
Here’s a recap of the parts that you probably know. The largest infrastructure project in the city’s history was completed ahead of time and under budget! The opening of a new terminal has already paid dividends as KC hosted the Big XII Men’s Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional. It will be a wonderful gateway to the city as we prepare to play host to the 2023 NFL Draft next week. We have all likely heard about how this will help the city attract major events in the future. It was already a key piece of Kansas City becoming the smallest media market to be named a host city for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup! The infusion of local art and modern updates, and how they all serve to showcase KC, has been a recurring story.
“It’s a sense of place,” Sherrie Medina explained. Sherrie is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Vantage Airport Group. Vantage Airport Group partnered with Jason Parson, Parson + Associates, Charles Hopkins, RMD Holdings LLC, Outstanding Hospitality Management Concessions Group (OHM), and The Marshall Retail Group to develop the concessions program within the new airport. Medina continued, “People need to have a sense of the place they are [when inside the airport].”
That was no easy task as the remote location of Kansas City International Airport meant that this had to be done against the almost-rural backdrop of Platte County. There is no viewing distinctive landmarks as you descend into KCI and no taking in the skyline while you look out the windows from your gate. In this regard, creating a sense of “sense of place” was a challenge that Vantage Airport Group, OHM, and others would have to tackle through, among other things, their concession offerings.
Speaking of concessions, one major part of the conversation that has been missed is the food. Ok, so of course, locals have heard that there are dozens of dining options available in the airport. In fact, the presence of over fifty shops and restaurants has been the thing that has drawn the most fire from critics of the new terminal. “I don’t go to the airport to eat!” or “I don’t go to the airport to shop!” has been a common complaint among the trolling community.
“I have never seen an airport like this anywhere else.”
Of course, such criticism misses the mark. For one, it ignores the large geographic footprint that our airport serves. Some people drive from HOURS away to fly out of our airport. Such flyers are more likely than locals to show up well in-advance of their departure. Once in the terminal, there are amenities that these travelers need. When I flew to New Orleans in December, I would have killed to have a bar where I could watch the USA play the Netherlands in the World Cup! Such unfounded complaints also ignore the ever-present reality of flight delays that could cause a person to spend much longer at the airport than they originally intended. Of course, it disregards altogether the concept of layovers.
Kansas City is less than four hours in flight time from any major airport in the continental United States (and some international ones!). In theory, given our central location, a person should be able to book a nonstop flight from Kansas City to any major American city! KC should be a perfect place for layovers. The outdated set-up, and lack of dining options in our old terminals are a major reason that has not been the case.
In that regard, the new terminal is already paying dividends. In the short time that our new airport has been open, Southwest Airlines has announced the introduction of multiple non-stop routes from Kansas City. Hopefully they will continue to do so, and other airlines will follow suit. Having an airport that travelers feel comfortable spending time in creates the possibility that some day, KC won’t be such a minor hub.
One, somewhat unintentional consequence, has been that Kansas City didn’t just get a new airport, we’ve acquired a one million square foot food hall! Given the degree to which Vantage and OHM dedicated themselves to showcasing some of KC’s most iconic flavors, it’s not just about the number of options. It’s about the diversity of local offerings! Lovell Holloway is the General Manager for Vantage Airport Group. He told me, “We never expected to have people asking how they could come eat here without booking a flight but when you think about it, we have brought a lot of new [dining options] into the Northland all at once.” In other words, the curiosity is warranted. It seems the “I don’t go to the airport to eat!” faction may be a shrinking contingent.
I am a person who loves to explore, locally and beyond. Anytime that I travel somewhere, I not only want to experience the sights and sounds of a place, but the tastes and smells. On multiple occasions, I have asked, and been asked, the best places to eat or drink in a certain place. However I have never once asked, or been asked, the best places to eat in an airport. I would have never thought to ask it! Recently, that has started to change.
Luckily, Holloway, and a few other members of Vantage Airport Group, were gracious enough to invite me to Kansas City International Airport and escort me on a private tasting tour, to help me be able to answer that question for others. To be frank, the wealth of dining options and variety of culinary genres can be quite overwhelming! The days of only having a Starbucks, faux barbeque joint, and a grab-and-go station are long gone! After a day of taking in the sights and the tastes of the new terminal, these are the must-try spots that I discovered.
Made for KC Barbecue Experience: Smoke ‘n Magic
Concourse B Node - Near Gate B52
Being a Missouri company, OHM understood that the concessions in Kansas City’s airport needed to include a barbeque option that would distinctively capture the essence of Kansas City. OHM’s core belief of “local means local” necessitated it! With KC being home to the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, as well as a number of award-winning BBQ joints born from the competition circuit, OHM aimed to celebrate that tradition with a unique restaurant concept. Thus, the Made for KC Barbecue Experience was born. Last summer, OHM teamed up with the Kansas City Barbeque Society to throw the first-ever “Made for KC BBQ Championship”. The inaugural winners were the competition team of Bre Via and Brad Colter, known as Black Magic. In addition to a $25,000 grand prize, Via and Colter won the opportunity to be featured in the Made for KC Barbecue Experience during the airport’s first year of operation.
For Via and Coulter, their Smoke ‘n Magic concept on Concourse B is the team’s first foray into having a brick and mortar location. For them, the opportunity has been “life-changing”. Much of their line-up boasts familiar Kansas City ‘que favorites, but with a definite Texas twist. Bre Via is particularly proud of their pair of signature rubs. The team chooses to serve almost all of their meats dry (the lone exception being their ribs which are lightly glazed with sauce) because they want their seasonings to be at the forefront. As Via explains, “The meat needs to speak for itself.” Aside from their meats, their pair of rubs feature heavily in a number of their side dishes as well. For instance, their cheesy corn is garnished with the chicken rub and their crinkle cut fries are tossed in the rib rub. While Via told me, as a Texas native, she was not one for sauce for a long time, she admits that, “The [Smoke ‘n Magic Level Up “spicy-type” sauce] has replaced ketchup in my house forever. I love it on the fries!” And I have to confess, I definitely agree.
So, What Do I Get? If you have a morning flight, don’t miss your chance to get your hands on Smoke ‘n Magic’s barbeque breakfast burrito! While pulled pork is strongly recommended, both meat choices are great options. Speaking of the pulled pork, for lunchtime fare - give the Pulled Pork Sandwich a try. Tender, smoky pulled pork is piled high on a toasted potato roll and topped with their vinegary coleslaw. The Smoke ‘n Magic coleslaw is some of KC’s best. If you’re going the platter route, consider pulled pork with either the brisket or burnt ends. Other sides worth nothing are the Smoke-Kissed Cheesy corn which is a special take on KC’s most iconic barbeque side. The use of the chicken rub and the small bite of jalapeno really set it apart. Also consider an order of their perfectly fried crinkle-style fries. And as Via recommended, the Level Up sauce is the perfect dip!
HOURS: Sunday - Saturday 6:00am - 10:00pm
Website: bbqspot.com/pages/smoke-n-magic-brad-bre-colter
Immediately, I became a little obsessed with the Made for KC Barbecue Experience. First of all, the concept is so Kansas City! On that note, any traveler should probably prioritize a visit to Smoke ‘n Magic because by this time in 2024? They could be gone. Going forward, the restaurant space will continue to rotate between the winners of the annual championship. (Learn more about the Made for KC BBQ Championship HERE) I love how Stockyards Brewing is the brewery paired up with the concept. A fantastic local brewer that is housed in the old Livestock Exchange (a key reason we became such a barbeque haven) in the West Bottoms just blocks away from the original home of the American Royal World Series of Barbecue? It’s just too perfect!
Speaking of the American Royal, the decorations on the wall celebrate their history and that tradition. Even better? The American Royal lent two decorated fiberglass cows from the famed 2001 Cow Parade (a key inspiration for the more familiar Parade of Hearts) to the space to really put the look over the top.
As I looked at this space and checked out the various menus at each restaurant in the terminal, one thing really jumped out to me - the prices! Having been to many of the restaurants’ original locations (and in the case of Smoke ‘n Magic just knowing what barbeque dishes typically cost) I was amazed that there was not a jaw-dropping increase between the airport concessions and stand-alone restaurants. When I brought this up, Holloway remarked, “People dont’ want to feel like they’re being gouged and we don’t want to gouge them.” He then mentioned that there was an agreement with the city that set the maximum mark-up over the “street price” at a rather paltry 15 percent. For a lot of travelers, this affordability may be what excites them most about the new terminal’s offerings.
Meat Mitch
Concourse A Node - Near Gate A10
Most Kansas Citians’ familiarity with Meat Mitch is likely due to the award-winning “WHOMP!” sauces and recipes that have featured for years at Westport’s Char Bar. In 2022, Mitch Benjamin launched a new restaurant in Leawood under the Meat Mitch brand to instant acclaim. The fast-casual bar and restaurant features competition-style barbeque favorites, barbeque specialty sandwiches, and a number of barbeque-inspired entrées and sides that are unlike anything else found in KC. Drawing inspiration from all barbeque regions of the United States, Meat Mitch also features what is, quite possibly, the greatest diversity of house-made sauces in the metro. Among their offerings are the mustard-based “Yellow Brick Road” and the Alabama-type “White Sauce”, both styles of which are rarely found in KC. With the opening of the new terminal, Meat Mitch saw an opportunity for a second location that boasts an all-star highlight reel of some of their most popular dishes. While it would be easy to assume, given the sad state of barbeque restaurants in other city’s airports, that this is just a branding opportunity; that would be a mistake. All meats are prepared and smoked on-site. This is a second Meat Mitch restaurant location in every sense of the words.
So, What Do I Get? If you are traveling with a companion, the Cheesy Hog Fries are an absolute winner! The mix of classic seasoned curly fries (tossed lightly with honey), pulled pork, smoked bacon, pepperjack fun-do (think pepperjack cream cheese) sauce, cheddar cheese, and pickled jalapenos is such an amazing shareable. It’s simply so massive that you will need at least two people to tackle it. The pepperjack fun-do also features on the Naked & Afraid sandwich alongside beef burnt ends and rope sausage. While there is a lot of fantastic barbeque on the menu (and there is no wrong answer on the meats!), my best piece of advice is “don’t sleep on the burgers!” Both the Royal Double and The Smash & Grab feature double-stacked smashed brisket patties on a toasted bun with their own tasty variations. I highly doubt you can find a better burger in the airport. In fact, I would be hard-pressed to find a much better burger anywhere!
HOURS: Sunday - Saturday 6:00am - 10:00pm
Website: www.meatmitch.com
While sampling the full breadth of what Meat Mitch has to offer, Holloway saw an opportunity to express one of the many things that are so special about the concession offerings in Kansas City’s terminal, compared to others. Most notably, that 80% of the dining options are locally-operated. Among those operators and concepts are women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, and veteran-owned businesses.
Specifically citing Mitch Benjamin’s hands-on approach, Holloway told me, “Mitch is heavily involved in the operation of this space.” Holloway went on to explain that for many of the operators, there is a commitment to making sure that these restaurants are putting out a product that represents their brand because at the end of the day, these are stand-alone locations of these franchises. In regard to the barbeque, Holloway pointed out the multiple smokers at Kansas City International explaining that, “Most airports don’t have multiple smokers on-site but most airports aren’t in Kansas City either.”
Having personally enjoyed Meat Mitch’s fares at both Char Bar and the Leawood restaurant, I found myself amazed that there is no drop-off in the quality, or presentation, of the product. Brisket, burnt ends, sausage, and even a full slab of ribs received full marks. Between Meat Mitch and Smoke ‘n Magic, it was quickly very clear that even a traveler on a layover can have an authentic Kansas City barbeque experience without ever leaving their needed concourse.
Taste of Brazil - City Market Food Hall
Concourse B Node - Near Gate B57
It is hard to believe that Taste of Brazil has been a City Market mainstay for nearly a decade. It seems like just yesterday that Marco Rabello and Christian Maciel injected a necessary dose of culinary diversity into the KC scene with the opening of their restaurant. Taste of Brazil, which is about as truth-in-advertising as a name can get, offers a variety of authentic and popular Brazilian favorites. Aside from the City Market location, they also operate an incredibly popular food truck offering an abbreviated version of their menu. It would only make sense that one of the most popular spots in the actual City Market would then choose to be a part of the City Market Food Hall in the new terminal. Offering six of their most popular dishes, the airport location brings the bold, flavorful, comfort food classics of Brazil to the heart of Kansas City International Airport. As Kansas City moves towards being a truly global city, Taste of Brazil continues to be one of many local restaurants that shows our culinary scene is already there.
So, What Do I Get? Can you even go to Taste of Brazil without ordering the Pao de Queijo (cheese bread)?! The gluten-free discs of doughy, cheese-filled goodness are just too much to resist! How something so soft has such a toasted cheese flavor; I will never know. I could eat this stuff all day! Both sandwiches on the menu are a strong option but personally, I prefer the Carne Louca. Built on a perfectly crusty French baguette, the mix of shredded beef, garlic, onions, bell pepper, and olives with cheese is essentially a Philly Cheesesteak with a much-welcome South American flair. But that which I love most is definitely the Coxinha. The pair of fried dough balls stuffed with shredded chicken and cream cheese, served with a side of their punchy, tangy chimichurri sauce, is truly a guilty pleasure. It is hard to imagine a more comforting snack.
HOURS: Sunday - Saturday 6:00am - 11:00pm
Website: www.tasteofbrazilkc.com
“People need to have a sense of the place they are [when inside the airport].”
As a River Market resident, it is hard for me not to feel at home in the City Market Food Hall. They did their best to incorporate the look of a farmer’s market into the collection of well-known Kansas City brands and favorites. The food hall has a great collection of wonderful spots each offering a highlight reel of what their flagships do best but, for me, Taste of Brazil stands above the rest. As I tasted the different entrées, a recurring theme of my day was that I could not detect a discernible difference between the Taste of Brazil in the airport and what I have enjoyed in their restaurant. In my initial conversations with Sherrie Medina, she had mentioned the importance of “sense of place” and travelers having a sense of where they are at. And yet, as the day progressed, and as I experienced all of the amazing, local flavors that our new terminal has to offer, I felt that Vantage had actually accomplished “taste of place”. This airport is packed to the brim with the KC flavors I know and love!
Lovell Holloway and I had a conversation about how much pride the local operators took in these locations. We discussed the notion that a traveler may choose to eat at a place like Pigwich or Buffalo State Pizza Co. When they do that, it may be the only exposure they ever have to that fare so, once again, it is important for it to be “authentic to the brands on the street” as Holloway likes to say. As Medina had promised, “It’s a real taste of Kansas City.”
That’s not to say that “sense of place” hasn’t been accomplished, because it absolutely has. There are so many different styles and types of builds that it was kind of overwhelming to see them all in one place. Each shop and restaurant has their own distinct style and vibe. Over and over again on this tour I remember thinking, “Is this really in my city?!” As I explored, it was so easy to forget that I was inside of an airport at times, but there was no escaping that I was in KC.
As amazing as all the art, build-outs, and food offerings are, the most “sense of place” thing about our new airport might simply be the people. Holloway almost beamed talking about the overall sense of excitement in the terminal and how it seems to extend to every single store and restaurant operator and every type of employee in the airport. “There’s a spirit and a hospitality here that I haven’t seen anywhere else,” Holloway told me. “Everyone is trying to genuinely show Kansas City more.”
A warm Midwest welcome and hundreds of Kansas Citians eager to showcase the best of their city to any audience; what could possibly give any traveler a better sense of Kansas City than that!?
Brown & Loe
Concourse B Node - Near Gate B51
Since 2016, Brown & Loe has offered sophisticated continental fare and elevated comfort food favorites from a historic building adjacent to the City Market’s famed entry arch. Brown & Loe boasts an expansive list of wine, cocktail, and draft beer offerings, in addition to brunch, lunch, and dinner service. In opening a second location, adjacent to the airport’s City Market Food Hall, Brown & Loe aims to bring that same experience to the new terminal. And they accomplish exactly that!
The airport location mimics the look and feel of the original, down to the outer brown brick façade. A strong bar program accompanies a sizeable menu of starters, soups, salads, sandwiches, and hearty dinners, plated in the same style as the original restaurant. A diner could easily forget they are inside an airport while dining in this upscale space; that is, if it weren’t for the large, floor-to-ceiling glass windows with a tarmac view.
So, What Do I Get? It is almost impossible for me to narrow this menu down but goodness, I will try. It’s very rare that I would make any kind of seafood recommendation in the Midwest, especially in a concession setting, but the calamari is so picturesque! And it tastes even better than it looks. So fresh, and flaky, with a lovely collection of dipping sauces to go with it. The Arugula salad is one of the best salads in the city. It’s so perfectly balanced in terms of tastes and textures. The dressing distribution is flawless. The richness of the goat cheese, sweetness of the chewy Turkish apricot, and the savory toasted nut mix would almost be too much, if they weren’t so perfectly pacified by the almost peperry profile, and slight bitterness, of the greens. It’s just remarkable. If you’re feeling a sandwich, The Betty Club is a well-built classic sandwich. If you’re looking for something a bit heftier, it’s all about the meatloaf. Honestly, Brown & Loe’s meatloaf may be the best in the city. Served on a bed of fresh green beans loaded with bacon pieces and idyllic goat cheese mashed potatoes, the large seared slab of meat is so tender and well-seasoned. It’s robust, but not heavy. Topped with a surprisingly light, but flavorful, gravy and crispy French onions, this is comfort food as it was always meant to be.
HOURS: Sunday - Saturday 6:00am - 10:00pm
Website: www.brownandloe.com
As we waited for the food to arrive, Lisa Alpert (who not only joined us on the tasting but had made the entire experience possible) could not pass up a chance to share her obsession with one particular Brown & Loe entrée. “They have the best meatloaf in Kansas City! I love it.” Given that ringing endorsement, it became the thing I was most excited about when I saw it among the offerings being brought to our table. Even more exciting, after a few bites, was knowing the hype was well-earned. As I enjoyed some of the best meatloaf I have ever had, I mentally made a note that I would have a new go-to at Brown & Loe’s flagship restaurant in the City Market.
Turning my attention to The Betty Club sandwich, I reached for a fry and joked, “I’m pretty sure this is the fifth different style of French fry I’ve had today!” This sparked a conversation that beckoned back to the commitment of the local operators to the product in the airport. “We’re intentional about being authentic to the brands on the street,” Lovell Holloway explained. “Like this, all of these locations here could serve the same French fry. It would be a lot easier and cheaper but it wouldn’t be authentic.”
“Everyone is trying to genuinely show Kansas City more.”
Throughout the whole experience, that seemed to be the underlying theme of the entire terminal - intention. Whether it be the infusion of local artists, or the 39 medallions that were transplanted from the old terminals and placed in the new concourses as an Easter egg of sorts, every detail was carefully planned out. For goodness sake, there’s even a full-service barbershop that also offers nail services and massage! Even something as seemingly minor as the style of French fry served in each restaurant location was carefully measured in order to deliver an experience to visitors that is authentically Kansas City.
After a day of tasting and seeing the best of our new airport, I thanked Lovell, Lisa, and Ava from Vantage for spending the day with me and showing me around. As I walked back to my car, parked in the state-of-the-art parking garage, I knew that I had much to figuratively, and literally, digest.
The display in Node B of alto saxophones that have been re-purposed into bird sculptures is a real eye-catcher. The obvious homage to Kansas City’s own Charlie “Bird” Parker is my favorite display in the new terminal. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Here, we have a glimmering new gateway to the world that puts our city’s best foot forward. It celebrates the absolute best of Kansas City and sends a clear message about who we are. The City of Fountains. The Paris of the Plains. The Inventors of Primetime. The Cradle of Jazz. The Gateway to the Southwest. Cowtown. Royals Nation. Chiefs Kingdom. The Soccer Capital of America. Local artwork and design elements celebrate these traditions. A plethora of thoughtful touches in the terminal honor our past, highlight our present, and point to a very bright future.
Transplanting medallions from the old terminals is one of several thoughtful touches in the new airport. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Famed food writer Calvin Trillin wrote in a 1974 edition of The New Yorker that, “I grew up in Kansas City and spent hours of my youth talking about where a person could find the best fried chicken in the world or the best barbecued ribs in the world or the best hamburger in the world - all, by chance, available at that time within the city limits.” I doubt even a Fountain City foodie like Trillin could have ever imagined that all of these things, and more, would ever exist within one building; and that that building would be our airport!
From a culinary standpoint, KCI’s local offerings ensure that all who pass through know that they are in the World Capital of BBQ. The notion that barbeque is a key part of our city’s identity is quite apparent, but so is the fact that our city’s dining scene is, as Trillin once laid out, SO MUCH MORE than that.
Holloway reminds me, “I have never seen an airport like this anywhere else. When you’re here, you just feel like this is Kansas City.”
Regardless of that, there is always going to be dissent. There’s always going to be critics. As someone who dedicates a lot of text to critiquing, I will let you in on a little secret: ANYBODY can be a critic. What is much harder is to have a grand vision and then will it into existence. I am not certain that anyone else could have pulled off what Vantage and OHM did! They successfully replicated, and then transported the heart of Kansas City into the Northland.
When I’m in this terminal, it is hard to believe that this sprawling food hall is an airport. Yet, there is no doubt that it is Kansas City’s airport. I cannot imagine any other airport having a greater sense of sense of place, or taste of place, than this! Yes, there are one or two things (like the baggage carousels) that I will miss about the old KCI, but to dwell on those would be to miss out on the numerous things we have gained as a city.
Now that I truly understand all of this, I no longer feel a need to explain flight delays, layovers, traveler needs, potential for increased routes, the remote nature of our city’s airport, or the large geographic footprint that it serves to those critical of KCI.
Instead, when I see or hear someone ignorantly declare, “I don’t go to the airport to eat!”, there’s really only one response:
“Are you so sure about that?”
A very special thank you to the Vantage Airport Group and Outstanding Hospitality Management (OHM) for, not only making my tasting tour possible, but for everything you have done to make our new airport an entryway to this city that every Kansas Citian can be proud of!
All food sampled during the aforementioned tour was provided free-of-charge and free of editorial constraint.
Have you been to the new airport? What did you get to eat? What places do you or do you not recommend? As always, tell me in the comments!
