Monarch Coffee, 3550 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
Kansas City is the perfect weekend getaway. With an abundance of cultural experiences, fine dining, shopping, and elegant lodging – you can make a long weekend feel like a luxury getaway. Here’s where The Primal Gourmet duo eats, shops, and sleeps in KC.
WHERE TO SLEEP:
‘The Charlie Parker’ Airbnb
One of our favorite places to stay on a trip to Kansas City, and easily one of the best Airbnb’s around. The elegantly renovated residence was recently discovered via census report to be famous jazz musician, Charlie Parker’s, childhood home in Kansas City. Not one detail has been overlooked in this stylish and comfortable Airbnb. To top it off, it’s centrally located to many of the city’s great museums, shopping, and dining.
CULTURE TRIP:
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO
Walk the gardens, see everything from Monet to Picasso to Giacometti. And before you leave, grab an espresso at the newly-opened Quay Coffee located just above the museum store in the Bloch Building.
The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden, 4800 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO
Explore this truly stunning (and free) outdoor botanic garden and witness everything from citrus, ornate orchids, magnolia, fountains, and possibly even a cat or two sleeping in the sun. It’s a perfect stop after a trip to the Nelson-Atkins.
Gezer Park, 13251 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS
Quite unexpected in the suburb of Leawood, Gezer Park is fully of breathtaking landscaping, water features, and most surprising – grape vines.
The American Jazz Museum, 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO
If there’s a theme to your trip, you should be sure to visit the American Jazz Museum, if nothing more than to pay homage to the enormous Charlie Parker statue situated on the grounds of the museum.
WHERE TO SHOP:
The Better Cheddar, 604 West 48th St, Kansas City, MO
Shop specialty meats and cheeses, grab some european dark chocolate, ask for their sandwich menu and take a picnic down to the river and watch the gondolas – if the weather is right.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum Store
Browse an extensive array of unique items, including specialty objects surrounding current exhibits. It’s a great place to pick up a souvenir.
Urban Mining Homewares, 3111 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO
Plan to get lost in here for a couple of hours. Everything from antiques, oddities, hardware, and vinyl records. It’s a favorite place to pick up a unique souvenir from our trip, such as Charlie Parker on vinyl.
Dean and Deluca, 4700 W 119th St, Leawood, KS
Find speciality meats and cheeses, spices and cooking supplies, coffee (the only place in town we know of that sells boxes of La Colombe coffee), or visit the deli counter and build yourself a picnic and take it to nearby Gezer Park and lunch by the vines.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:
Port Fonda, 4141 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO
While I’m quite certain everything on the menu must be good, I’m here to tell you about their house-made pork rinds. Get them while they’re hot – literally – for brunch on Saturday morning.
Monarch Coffee
This newly opened coffee shop boasts stylish decor and excellent coffee, and it’s an easy walk from the Charlie Parker Airbnb. And I’ll be honest, I practically live in their super soft sweatshirts.
Ca Va, 4149 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO
This place is a must-stop for happy hour. Everything from black activated charcoal cocktails, duck fat kettle corn, and caviar on house-made chips.
The Rieger + Manifesto, 1924 Main St, Kansas City, MO
The Rieger has become a favorite place for a truly romantic dining experience. Situated within the historic Rieger Hotel, the menu is inventive and yet comforting. The waitstaff is truly enlightened and attentive, and the atomosphere is unforgettable. Manifesto, the downstairs speakeasy and former watering hole of Al Capone, is the perfect place for an after dinner drink.
Oddly Correct, 3940 Main St, Kansas City, MO
While Kansas City is full of expertly crafted coffee, Oddly Correct still stands as my favorite. Grab an espresso and hit the Urban Mining Homewares across the street.
Messenger Coffee + Ibis Bakery, 1624 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
The newly opened Messenger Coffee + Ibis Bakery is a three-story coffee masterpiece. Dine on each level, even the rooftop. It’s an experience all in itself. Grab a coffee and take in the sights, sounds, and smells. And if fresh baked bread is your thing, you have arrived. Ibis Bakery is a sight to behold.
