Simply put, we love Westside Local. And we’ll hedge our bets that you will too. Westside Local was actually one of the restaurants that first inspired us to begin blogging about local Kansas City restaurants. We fell in love with Westside because they pretty much nail most of the things we look for in a dining experience – they have a locally sourced, fresh and creative menu, a fantastic wine selection and an impressive array of craft beers, gorgeous food presentation and a relaxed but sophisticated atmosphere.

And Westside Local is nestled in – you guessed it – Westside. A neighborhood we believe ranks among Kansas City’s best-kept secrets. Westside sources their food locally, keeping their menu fresh and surprising with seasonal changes. Their commitment to locally sourced ingredients is evident. They have a small garden on their property where many of their vegetables, herbs, and spices are grown. They source their meat from The Local Pig and other local butchers who are all committed to selling humanely raised, local meats.

The ambiance is lovely and is often compared to being rather Portlandia-esque, however I think they do a great job of keeping things classy and comfortable.

When we visited recently for a late lunch, we ordered their build-your-own cheese platter, which paired perfectly with their wine selections as a great starter. We tried the manchego, brie, gruyere and gorgonzola cheeses with fresh fruit, roasted garlic and parmesan-salt crackers. Delicious.

Build-your-own cheese plate at Westside Local

or lunch, I ordered the Kale salad which came topped with shaved brussel sprouts, slivered almonds, grated parmesan cheese, fried shallots, brown sugar bacon, and a maple-tahini vinaigrette. It’s almost unfair to call it a salad because it reached so far beyond the flavor and satisfaction of a typical salad. Maybe that was due to the bacon. Whatever the case, it melted in my mouth and me wish I could eat it everyday.

Kale Salad with bacon from the Local Pig at Westside Local

It must have been a salad day because Bethany ordered the Spinach salad, which I think she also found to be surprisingly satisfying. Blake ordered the Summit burger, which was the juiciest ½ pound hormone-free rib-eye that you will ever taste. He ordered it with arugula and Swiss cheese on top and a farm to market bun. YUM.

Summit Burger, Spinach Salad, Kale Salad at Westside Local

We tried a Rosemary Pear Cobbler for dessert and it was shockingly good, not too sweet but it certainly hit the spot.

Although this trip was for a late lunch, we’ve tried different dinner entrée items on other visits and been incredibly pleased with all of them. We would highly recommend Westside for lunch or dinner. However, if you are thinking about going for dinner on a weekend night I recommend putting in a reservation. The restaurant stays very full on the weekends but don’t let this deter you. Somehow amidst the crowded patrons, noise stays very much at bay and the atmosphere is always relaxing.

One last thing to love about Westside is their great outdoor patio space and they offer private dining option both indoor and outdoor. All around, Westside Local is a happy pillar of Kansas City’s farm-to-market offerings and is sure to please.

Details

Address:
1663 Summit Street
Kansas City, MO 64108

Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 11 AM - 9 PM
Friday, Saturday: 11 AM - 10 PM
Sunday: Brunch 11 AM - 3 PM
Regular Menu 5 PM - 9 PM
Mondays: closed
Tuesday-Saturday: limited menu 3-5 PM

Website: http://thewestsidelocal.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WestsideLocal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Westside-Local/120405620475