Kata Nori Heads South
Kata Nori, Kansas City’s only hand-rolled sushi restaurant, is opening a second location in Overland Park at the former André’s Confiserie Suisse space. Owners Kyung “KK” Kim, Nam Phan and chef Anh “Bass” Pham have long planned to expand following the success of their Crossroads restaurant, which we dubbed one of Kansas City’s Best New Restaurants in 2023 and later included in our 2025 Best KC Restaurants list.
The larger 2,800-square-foot space will include a 20-seat sushi bar, a 20-seat dining room and a cocktail bar, accommodating up to 50 guests. The menu will expand but remain focused on temaki—crisp hand-rolled sushi. The team hopes to open in June, ahead of the World Cup.
From Story to Scratch
After 15 years, Prairie Village’s Story has closed its doors. Owned by Carl and Susan Thorne-Thomsen, the restaurant earned national recognition, including two James Beard semifinalist nods. The space will soon house an expanded Scratch Gourmet Kitchen, which is relocating from next door with nearly triple its seating, from 28 to 95.
Owner Tyler Morrison held an opening, featuring a new spring menu from executive chef Mitchell Fetterling and an expanded cocktail program by Kaylee Addison. Founded as a catering company in 2020, Scratch is aiming to grow even more, with additional restaurants potentially on the horizon.
Six KC Semifinalists for James Beard Awards
KC’s food and drink scene earned six James Beard Award semifinalist nominations this year. Anjin, led by Nick and Leslie Goellner and Drew Little, is among 30 national nominees for Best New Restaurant. Helen Jo Leach of The Town Company is again nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, while Drastic Measures is recognized for Outstanding Bar. First-time nominee Diana Condori of Fern Bar is up for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. Best Chef nominees include Swetha Newcomb of Of Course and Johnny Leach of The Town Company, a multiple-time semifinalist. Congrats to all of the nominees.
Yard Work at Boulevard
Boulevard Brewing Co. is expanding its Tours & Rec Center with a new second-story outdoor bar and patio, Boulevard Yard, set to open this summer. Construction on the addition began in mid-January. Boulevard Yard will sit above the current Beer Hall patio and be more than triple its size. The patio will serve Boulevard’s full lineup of beers, with plenty of seating and large-screen TVs. The project connects to the upper parking deck for easy access and is being led by Helix Architecture + Design and A.L. Huber.
