Global Ice Cream in OP
Naturalz Ice Cream (6301 W. 135th St., S# BA, Overland Park), a small Washington state-based chain with flavors inspired by India and other global regions, chose Overland Park for its fifth store (and first in the KC area). Located in the Corbin Park shopping center, the shop opened at the end of March and is best known for its all-natural ice cream made with fruit, dairy and premium ingredients.
Here you’ll find adventurous flavors like Spicy Guava, Sunlit Soan Papdi and Refreshing Rasmalai alongside classics like chocolate and cookie dough. The menu also features faloodas, which are layered ice cream-based drinks with sweet noodles and syrups.
Horsefeather Returns
Horsefeather Social, the rooftop bar located on the seventh floor of the Loews Kansas City Hotel (1515 Wyandotte St., KCMO), is set to reopen for the season on May 8. Open Wednesday through Sunday evenings (weather permitting), the space is a go-to spot for cocktails, bites and live music with skyline views.
New this year is Alchemy by Loews, a botanical-inspired cocktail and mocktail program featuring layered, sensory-driven drinks. The hotel is also bringing back its Sweat Forum fitness series on Sunday mornings through fall, along with Taco Thursdays and First Fridays programming beginning June 5.
Mini Donuts and More on Metcalf
Sugar Llamas (8971 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park), an Oklahoma-based dessert chain, recently opened in OP. Known for its made-to-order mini doughnuts, the shop leans into a “one-stop” concept, also offering ice cream, coffee, energy drinks and even dirty sodas.
The donut menu has fun flavors like Peanut Butter Cup, Flintstone and Cherry Bomb. The space is currently in a soft opening phase, with expanded hours and a grand opening planned for this month.
Beard Bound
Kansas City doesn’t often get to play in the rarefied air of the James Beard Awards—but this year it does. Anjin (1708 Oak St., KCMO), the intimate, fire-driven Japanese Izakaya restaurant in the Crossroads built around Japanese technique and binchotan charcoal grilling, has landed a spot as a James Beard finalist, one of the highest honors in American dining. The 20-seat dining room is less sushi counter, more modern yakitori meets tasting menu.
Now comes the waiting. Winners will be announced in early June in Chicago—one of the industry’s biggest nights and a rare national spotlight moment for Kansas City’s dining scene.
Laney’s Last Call
Retro-inspired Westport chicken restaurant, bar and music venue Laney’s Get Down (4057 Pennsylvania Ave., KCMO), has closed after just a year in business. Laney’s opened in December 2024 and shut its doors at the end of March.
The concept came from the Nashville-based team behind neighboring bar Tin Roof, who said the Westport location ultimately didn’t perform as hoped, according to reporting from the Kansas City Star. Originally pitched as a ’70s-themed, food-forward Southern comfort spot with live music, Laney’s replaced Mickey’s Hideaway, which had a three-year run. A new, to-be-announced tenant is expected to take over the space.
No Mo’ Bettahs
Mo’ Bettahs, a Hawaiian-style fast casual chain, has closed all of its KC-area locations after about four years in the market. The brand first entered the metro in 2022 and quickly expanded with restaurants in the suburbs on both sides of the state line.
The company told the media it made the “difficult decision” following a recent review of its restaurants, with the final day of service reported on April 10. Although closures mark a full exit from the Kansas City market, Mo’ Bettahs continues to operate in other states, including Utah, Texas, Nevada and Oklahoma.
