In our modern, more health-conscious age, it’s a wonder biscuits and gravy still live in the “breakfast” category. I am not a lumberjack or a sawmill worker—two professions the cheap, calorie-packed meal was built to fuel in late-19th century Southern Appalachia—and chances are you aren’t either. Yet here we are, willingly seeking out a meal that so often lands in our stomachs like a cruise missile before noon.
But when biscuits and gravy is done right, it’s about as close to perfect as breakfast gets: soft, crumbly, pull-apart biscuits smothered in a roux made from the pan drippings of pork sausage. It tastes like home, wherever that may be. Its old-fashioned simplicity leaves no room for pretense, which is exactly why it will always have a place on the menu and in our stomachs.
A few changes have come since our last list several years ago. The late KCK brunch spot Mockingbird Lounge, with its exceptional blazing-red chorizo gravy, is sorely missed, but there are some new spots doing the sawmill biscuit dish justice. (If you’re vegan, know that The Littlest Bake Shop off Troost serves a heaping helping alongside some excellent home-fried potatoes.) Below, you’ll find versions that come spiced with the Georgian seasoning, ajika, served in a croissant or smothered diner-style. Either way, they’re all damn good. Godspeed—and bring your Tums.
Niecie’s
6441 Troost Ave., KCMO, nieciesrestaurant.com
My personal favorite in town, Niecie’s biscuits and gravy dish is unmatched. There’s no denying the sausage drippings worked into every ladle of rich gravy. On the surface, it looks like any other plate of biscuits and gravy, sometimes sprinkled with bacon bits, but the flavor is clearly from the soul, not something measured out from a standardized recipe.
Black Dog Coffeehouse
12815 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, bdcoffeehouse.com
Other gravies may lean on rich sausage or a deep roux, but Black Dog stands out with an herb-forward version that’s a welcome change of pace, especially when mixed with Wiener Kitchen’s bacon breakfast sausage and ladled over soft buttermilk biscuits from Ibis Bakery.
Blackhole Bakery
5531 Troost Ave., KCMO, blackholebakery.com
This is the lone departure from the traditional plate of biscuits and gravy, and you’ll be glad to know about it. Instead of biscuits, Blackhole splits one of its buttery croissants in half and fills it with excellent sausage gravy. If you’re hoping to avoid that aforementioned cruise-missile-in-your-stomach feeling, the flaky croissant is a lighter alternative—and makes the whole thing taste even butterier.
Dagwood’s Cafe
1117 Southwest Blvd., KCK & 6204 Raytown Trafficway, Raytown, dagwoodscafe.com
Staying true to its good ol’ American diner roots, Dagwood’s serves its biscuits and gravy the way they should be: smothered, unfussy and best enjoyed with a side of crispy hash browns while sitting in a worn booth. It’s the way Uncle Sam would’ve wanted it.
Fox and Bull Baking Co.
10510 Grandview Road, KCMO, foxandbullkc.com
With a pastry case full of some of the best baked goods in the metro, it can be hard to prioritize a plate of biscuits and gravy here. My recommendation? Sit down for breakfast, then grab the blueberry Pop-Tart for the road. The biscuits and gravy are lighter than what you’ll find at most spots, with a freshness that never feels heavy. The biscuits, made with locally milled Marion Milling flour, bring a subtle nutty depth that sets the whole dish apart.
Hemma Hemma
7122 Wornall Road, KCMO & 1100 Main St., KCMO, hemmahemma.com
Anytime Hemma Hemma owner and chef Ashley Bare riffs on a classic, you know you’re in for a treat. Her brunch menu includes pancakes made with Yoli Tortilleria’s yellow corn masa while dinner features tacos stuffed with pork dumplings. The biscuits and gravy are no exception thanks to a sausage gravy infused with ajika, a Georgian chile paste, then topped with fried eggs and chile flakes. If you like your breakfast with a little heat, head to the Waldo location or the restaurant’s downtown Lightwell dinette on the weekends.
District Biskuits
504 Armour Road, North KC & 1664 E. 63rd St., KCMO, districtbiskuits.com
Owner-chef Guroux has spent years perfecting some of the best buttermilk biscuits in Kansas City. While they shine as the foundation for fried egg sandwiches and hefty burgers, they’re arguably at their best beneath a generous ladle of gravy. District’s version swaps the traditional pork gravy for chicken, then levels it up with red pepper, caramelized onions and chives. It’s one of the city’s best takes on the classic.
Room 39
1719 W 39th St., KCMO, rm39.com
Room 39 keeps things simple with house-made biscuits and a savory gravy that hits all the right notes. You can choose between sausage or mushroom, but if you can sweet-talk your server into a half-and-half, you’ll get the best of both worlds. Want to turn it up another notch? Ask for the house-made hot sauce or salsa, both made by the kitchen staff.
