One of the perks of having family in Kansas City is the opportunity to visit often and occasionally sneak out (leaving the kids with grandparents of course), have a “date” with my wonderful hubby and enjoy the awesome restaurants in the Kansas City area!  A perfect example is one of our favorites…The Westside Local.

We recently had the chance to not only enjoy an incredible lunch at The Westside Local, but also sit down with the passionate restaurant house manager, Matt Short.  Located in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City, The Westside Local opened in 2009.  Owned by Brandon Strick, this local restaurant is a true treasure when it comes to great service and local, fresh, delicious food!

For lunch, we enjoyed a Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger made with cannellini beans, sweet potato, red peppers, jalapeño, quinoa, Emmentaler cheese, dwarf sugar pea shoots and maple tahini vinaigrette dressing, served on a local Farm-to-Market toasted bun — it was out of this world!

But the part of the lunch I can’t stop thinking about was the outstanding kale salad!  This one blew us away…kale with shaved Brussels sprouts, slivered almonds, grated parmesan, fried shallots, brown sugar bacon and maple tahini vinaigrette…holy cow!  So simple, yet so delicious!

The Westside Local has a lunch and dinner menu that include other excellent options such as a build your own starter plate (your choice of local cheeses, local meats, homemade pickles, plus several other options…I highly recommend the tasty kale hummus), a Grilled Cheese made with local cheese and local sourdough bread (plus tomato fennel soup for dipping!), Jerk Cartinas Tacos (with a habanero-avocado hot sauce), Pork Chops, Trout (with roasted beet risotto), Root Vegetable “Tartare,” and the Windhaven Burger named after a local farm that provides the beef.  And these are just a few of the options!

They also offer a Blunch on Sundays (because it is more lunch than breakfast and served from 11 AM to 3 PM).  This Blunch includes some of their current menu items plus tantalizing breakfast options such as Sourdough French Toast, Breakfast Sammy, Veggie Hash, and various types of omelets…and cocktails, too, of course!

Matt was nice enough to share more details about The Westside Local and their philosophy…

What is The Westside Local’s philosophy on REAL food?

Fresh and local!  This is important to us for the quality of our food, but also it’s very important for us to support the local Kansas City community and buy as much local as we can.  We also grow some of our ingredients on-site in our garden.  It is great to to be able to show people exactly where the ingredients for their meal came from.

What are the things you consider when putting together your menu?

High quality is crucial and, with our small kitchen, we have to consider what high quality menu items we can provide in a reasonable amount of time.  Staying focused on local quality ingredients allows us to change our menu four times a year to take full advantage of seasonal ingredients.  Frequently, we offer specials on specific items provided from local farms such as mushrooms or various limited types of greens, tomatoes or other produce or meats.

We also try to provide good variety.  For example, if someone is vegan, they can order the sweet potato quinoa burger topped with hummus instead of cheese.  We have some more expensive items on the menu like short rib, but also have items like burgers and mac & cheese for people looking for something more casual.  We also offer a burger that is grass-fed only, as well one that is grass and grain fed, which has a little more marbling.  While we offer a lot of variety, the quality and freshness of the ingredients are consistent at all price points.  Our drink selection offers a great variety as well.

Where do you get your ingredients?

As much local as possible!  We work with several local farms including Wind Haven Farms, Wakarusa Farms, City Bitty Farms, Eden Eatin’ Berry Farm, Shatto Milk Company, Reyna’s Bakery, among many others.  These farms, along with our on-site garden and greenhouse, allow us to provide for the majority of our menu items with local ingredients, which we are extremely proud of!

What inspires and motivates you?

The incredible support from our community and neighborhood!  We do local events and collaborate with other businesses in the neighborhood such as Blue Bird Bistro and Boulevard Brewing Company.  We are grateful for the community support — the best part is we all work together to support each other and provide some great offerings for our customers!

How do you see the Kansas City food culture changing?

We are encouraged by the evolving food culture of KC…and the Midwest.  We are so proud to be here!  I personally am proud to be a part of a business with a strong philosophy of supporting local REAL food and employees that share the same passion.  When I drop a plate off at a table, I am proud of that dish and its quality.

Besides The Westside Local, where do you like to eat in Kansas City?

Oh WOW!  So many incredible choices…Le Fou Frog, Tannin Wine Bar, Blue Bird Bistro, Mildred’s Coffee, Voltair…just to name a few!

What do you want people to know about The Westside Local that they may not already know?

We offer variety and knowledge and we are here for anyone!  Whether you are looking for a delicious fine dining experience, or a great beer and mouthwatering burger, we are here — please come see us!

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So, if you are in KC and looking for a great meal, especially one made of high-quality, local, in-season ingredients, we encourage you to seek out The Westside Local.

If you’re there during the growing season, make sure to ask for a tour of the garden and, if the weather cooperates, enjoy your meal on their patio!

Thank you, Brandon and Matt and The Westside Local team, for supporting REAL food and providing such a great restaurant for the KC market!