Kansas City’s food scene is in flux—here’s the latest

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This month’s newsfeed of comings and goings is focused on the coronavirus.

Curbside Enthusiasm

As restaurants and bars are forced to shut down dining rooms due to the coronavirus outbreak, many are opting to offer takeout and delivery options. To help both restaurants and consumers, Danielle Lehman, founder of the Open Belly podcast, has launched Curbside KC, a comprehensive list of all Kansas City restaurants offering delivery, takeout and curbside pickup options. There are plenty of fine dining establishments among the five-hundred-plus names on the list, including Hereford House, Pierpont’s at Union Station, The Restaurant at 1900 and Fox and Pearl, the latter two of which are offering frozen and family meals as well as lunch and dinner entrees.

Wine Down

Leslie Goellner, Antler Room’s co-owner, general manager and wine director, is offering wine and beer by the bottle, case or flight—all at retail pricing. This initiative, called Leslie’s Bottle Shop, is being offered in addition to Antler Room’s special curbside pick-up food menu. Goellner has devised some competitively priced bottle flights, like three bottles of sparkling (natural, classic and “unexpected”) for sixty dollars and a “millennial” flight (three natural wines for forty-five dollars) that are available for curbside pick-up or one-at-a-time shopping at the restaurant. Selling product with so little markup doesn’t do much to help with lost revenue, but “it’s not about profit right now,” Goellner says. “We’re just trying to go through inventory and make people happy during this terrible time.”

Cooking for a Cause

Instead of offering a take-out menu, The Rieger (1924 Main St., KCMO) is running what they are dubbing Crossroads Community Kitchen. From 4-6 pm daily, single-person meals will be available for pickup at the restaurant or curbside on a pay-as-you’re-able basis. “They are free, and are intended to go to those in our community and especially those in the most need,” says Kyle Gardner, The Rieger’s general manager. All proceeds from these meals will go to The Rieger’s hourly staff. They are also accepting monetary donations, which will be dispersed among the staff, and food and pantry items, gloves, sanitizers, soap and to-go supplies for use in the Crossroads Community Kitchen.

Drive-Brew Beers

With taprooms being forced to close, several local breweries have opted for drive-up beer sales. Call ahead to place an order for curbside delivery with Raytown’s Crane Brewing (816-743-4132), or order crowlers online with Alma Mader Brewing and select the “curbside” option. City Barrel is offering curbside beer and food orders (Crossroads, 816-298-7008). Bier Station (Waldo, 816-548-3870), Border Brewing Co. (Crossroads, 816-315-6807), Strange Days Brewing (River Market, 816-469-5321), Limitless Brewing (Lenexa, 913-526-3258), Sandhills Brewing (Mission, 785-424-4663), Transport Brewery (Shawnee, 732-998-5899) and Grains and Taps (Lee’s Summit, text 816-866-5827) are all offering pick-up options for advanced orders.

Get Spiritual

Local wineries and liquor stores are also welcoming pick-up orders. Order Missouri wines online for curbside pick-up with KC Wineworks. To order pick-up from Amigoni Urban Winery, text 913-302-0011. Mike’s Wine and Spirits is also offering non-contact delivery for all orders, which can be placed through the company website or app.

Home Bar

As social gathering hubs, bars are acutely feeling the pains of social distancing. Some have come up with creative solutions to stabilize payroll. J. Rieger and Co. Distillery is offering cocktail kits for pick-up. Choose from ten different Monogram Lounge cocktails, all made with Rieger spirits—each thirty-dollar kit includes enough product for six beverages with garnishes and clear ice. Order kits, full bottles of Rieger spirits, a la carte sandwiches and other dry goods online at j-rieger-co.myshopify.com. Monarch Bar is offering bottled and sealed portions of all its craft cocktails for thirty-five dollars (roughly five cocktails per bottle). Cocktails are available for pick-up or delivery.

Door-to-Door Coffee

Wild Way Coffee launched a pick-up and delivery service. Order half gallons of iced lattes, iced chai tea lattes or cold brew online (nineteen dollars to twenty-six dollars) and schedule for pick-up or delivery. “We can deliver straight to people’s homes,” says Christine Clutton, co-owner. “This is how I’m going to keep my baristas busy: We’re going to drive around town and drop off cold brews at people’s doors. I’m really pleasantly surprised by how people have already responded. We’re going to get through this together.”

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