Mildred’s Is on a Roll
The family-owned breakfast and lunch spot Mildred’s, a KC favorite for the past 30 years, continues to expand. A third location in the South Plaza’s former Mission Taco Joint (5060 Main St., KCMO) was just added.
The third location maintains Mildred’s usual comfy, cozy coffee bar eatery vibes and will have the same delicious items, plus a few new ones.
However, there are a few exciting new elements at the South Plaza site.
The new space is the biggest of Mildred’s restaurants and features two stories. The mezzanine includes plenty of extra seating with power outlets for those looking for a private space to work. Near the register, a designated pick-up area with cubbies houses takeout orders.
One of the most exciting new elements is the coffee bar’s La Marzocco espresso machine, which is the first of its kind in KC. The machine is a collaboration between La Marzocco and Mahlkönig, the brand of the built-in coffee grinder. The machine features new technology with a “smart” system. The espresso machine and grinder communicate via WiFi to share detailed data about the espresso extraction and make adjustments to the grind throughout the day to ensure the espresso coffee tastes great every time.
For those of us with parking anxiety, there’s a dedicated parking garage to the north of Mildred’s. Bring your parking ticket inside and a Mildred’s employee will validate it.
Ethiopian Hot Spot
At this new Northland spot, customers can have a traditional Ethiopian breakfast all day, along with traditional entrees, appetizers and desserts.
Native Ethiopians and Northlanders Obse Lamesa and Lalise Terefe combined forces, making their dream of owning an Ethiopian restaurant a reality.
The duo remodeled a space in the former Northland Kmart complex and named it J&K Ethiopian Restaurant (7104 N.W. Prairie View Road, KCMO)—the initials of their oldest daughters’ first names.
They also serve traditional Ethiopian coffee and tea, fresh ginger tea and birz (made with fermented honey), along with desserts such as baklava.
Lucky Penny
Owning her own restaurant had long been a dream of Wan Phen “Penny” Mufuka. Now she has five.
The newest one, simply known as Penny’s in the Village, is now open in the The Shops of Prairie Village (4160 W. 71st St., Prairie Village).
Mufuka, 57, immigrated from Thailand in 1994 and worked for area restaurants—moving up the ranks from busing tables to being a chef. She married Doug Mufuka in 2013, and together they opened Thai House (9938 Holmes Road, KCMO).
But Penny’s dream also included a rooftop bar and outdoor patio. So next, they opened Bamboo Penny’s in Park Place (5270 W. 116th Place, Leawood) in 2021 with both a rooftop bar and patio. After that came Aqua Penny’s (11652 Ash St., Leawood).
A few more restaurants later and now there’s Penny’s in the Village, which will specialize in Thai street food and shared plates to make it a community gathering place.
Being Neighborly
Two couples living in the Marlborough neighborhood of south Kansas City are combining their passions: coffee and helping children aging out of foster care.
Pastor Justin Roberts and his wife Samantha Roberts are joining forces with pastor Jordan Weaver and his wife Samantha Weaver to open Neighbors Coffee and Hospitality together. This shop will not only be a community hub serving freshly brewed coffee but will also provide services to foster care children entering adulthood.
The Roberts, who adopted their son Zeke out of foster care, have seen firsthand the many issues that face teenagers as they leave the system—homelessness, lack of employment opportunities and more.
The Weavers, who have worked in specialty coffee for more than three years, often shared with the Roberts how much they love the coffee industry community. It’s about “how much we enjoy people and enjoy serving,” Sam Weaver says.
The nonprofit will roast its own beans for its coffee drinks, serve pastries from a local bakery and sell locally made ceramic mugs. When the physical location opens, the partners will offer apprenticeships to youth aging out of the foster care system, teaching them life skills.
The program will include helping the youth create resumes, coaching them for job interviews and passing on good business practices from customer service to shop upkeep. Participants will be paid minimum wage during the six-month apprenticeship. Then, based on their goals and the needs of the shop, their employment there could continue, or the Neighbors Coffee partners will help them find jobs.
The shop is under construction (8135 The Paseo, KCMO) and is set for a planned spring opening.
Isn’t It Grand
Locally owned coffee shops are few and far between in Grandview. That’s why ASE Coffee, the city’s newest swanky coffee shop and bar, is a breath of fresh air.
Located off 71 Highway and Highgrove Road, ASE (1800 Highgrove Road, Grandview) is in the same building as the chiropractic office of the shop’s owner, Nate Thomas.
The ASE coffee shop is spacious—about 3,500 square feet—with deep-green painted walls, a high ceiling and a stage for live music. Customers are greeted by a large marble coffee bar with brews by Peregrine Coffee Roasters. Pastries from Fox and Bull Baking Co. (another Grandview gem) are also available.
ASE is building its bar program. Christian Moscoso, director of operations at The Monarch Bar, and Stephen Montez, The Monarch Bar’s general manager, have helped Thompson create several cocktails, like a cold brew martini and spiced peach margarita.
