Take a spin around Longfellow: vintage wares, fairy houses & a killer community garden
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City of Fountains Neighborhood Guides
Kansas City is home to more than 240 neighborhoods. They are almost like mini-cities that stand on their own, each with their own histories, things to do and unique vibes. These guides, shaped by recommendations from those who call each place home, will help you explore the city neighborhood by neighborhood. More are on their way, too.
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Longfellow is a neighborhood in midtown Kansas City that stretches from 31st Street up to Hospital Hill. The cozy, largely residential area lies between Gillham Road and Troost Avenue. Featuring stately old houses, towering trees and a scattering of small businesses, Longfellow is the perfect place for a weekend stroll.
“Longfellow is a close neighborhood with an interesting history and fun restaurants, coffee shops and bars scattered throughout,” longtime resident Sarah Hirsch told The Star. “The neighborhood is a safe place for children and there are great places for children to play… we can even watch the fireworks at Union Station without ever leaving the neighborhood.”
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MOREThis is one of many coming KC neighborhood guides
The Star is working on creating a series of neighborhood guides based on recommendations from Kansas Citians who call each neighborhood home. We will be adding more guides to this series over the coming weeks and months.
Do you have a favorite neighborhood you want to make sure we write about, or something about your neighborhood that we need to for sure include? Let us know at kcq@kcstar.com or by filling out this form.
Must eat or drink
A number of cozy eateries call Longfellow home.
Ruby Jean’s Kitchen and Juicery is a Black-owned, community-focused cafe that’s got you covered for smoothies and healthy options made with fresh ingredients.
You Say Tomato and Succotash are favorite brunch spots, and family-owned Teocali serves authentic Mexican dishes including $10 lunch specials.
For a more upscale dining experience, make a dinner reservation at the Antler Room.
And don’t forget Kitty’s Cafe, where the pork tenderloin sandwich was celebrated by the New York Times.
Must do
Visit Sister Anne’s, a combination coffee shop and record store for music, zines and caffeine.
Then it’s a short walk to the leafy oasis of Virgil’s Plant Shop and its neighbor Peaches Vintage clothing boutique on the corner of 28th and Cherry streets.
Iconic neighborhood thing
The Longfellow Community Garden features rows of fresh produce, resident chickens, a miniature orchard of fruit trees and a gazebo where visitors can relax in the shade.
It was also last year’s winner for Best Urban Garden in The Pitch. Stop by the garden’s free pantry and library any time, or visit on Saturdays to see how you can help out.
How to get involved
Longfellow is home to Operation Breakthrough, a preschool and resource center for families experiencing poverty.
The nonprofit center accepts donations for its food pantry, children’s clothing closet, and its “Birthday Closet.” The latter accepts donated gifts, party decorations, cake mix and candles to help parents give their kids a special day.
Known for
Longfellow is a welcoming residential area where you’ll frequently see kids and families playing outside and walking around the neighborhood.
One longtime resident told us that the neighborhood hosts an unofficial Mardi Gras parade every February featuring drummers, costumes and fire jugglers.
The area also features magnificent trees that some residents decorate with small toys and trinkets to create whimsical ‘fairy houses.’
A bit of history
Longfellow is the historic site of a woman-run community established in the 1980’s called Womontown.
Some of the utopian experiment’s original residents still live in the neighborhood today. You can learn more about the history of Womontown in this recent short documentary.
Did we miss something great about Longfellow, or do you want to tell us your favorite thing about your neighborhood? Let us know at kcq@kcstar.com or with the form below.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
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