Okay, Kansas City — it’s time. The nominations are in, and now it’s time to cast your final vote for the Best of KC 2026.
You nominated your favorites, and we narrowed it down to the top five in each category. Some categories had ties, so you’ll see more than five nominees. Several had fewer entries, so those lists are a little shorter.
But our readers did not disappoint. The list is packed with the tried-and-true places we’ve all known and loved — along with a few hidden gems you might be discovering for the first time.
The perfect taco spot; the hairstylist you trust with your life; or that bar where “just one drink” never actually means just one drink.
These are the local heroes, neighborhood staples and can’t-live-without favorites. And now it’s your chance to show them some love.
Cast your vote across hundreds of categories — from food and drink to shopping, services, arts and everything in between. If it’s part of your KC routine, it probably belongs on this list.
Take a look at last year’s winners here.
Voting is for the Best of KC 2026 open March 9 through March 29, and winners will be announced June 1.
Because nobody knows Kansas City like Kansas City does.
