The best fries in Kansas City come from this family-run BBQ joint, you told us
Crispy, crunchy and crinkled: Those are the three C’s Kansas City-area voters followed when they cast their vote on the area’s best french fries.
Weekly polls ran since the end of March, asking residents for their suggestions and picks on where they can find the best french fry in Kansas City. Longtime favorites and newcomers entered the ranks, but only one came out on top.
After a Fry-nal Four week-long voting period that saw 430 participants, readers named Rosedale Bar-B-Q, 600 Southwest Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas, as the restaurant with the best french fries.
The barbecue staple defeated defending champion Joe’s KC BBQ, plus Arthur Bryant’s BBQ and Aixois in the final round.
For 92 years (93 on Independence Day), Rosedale has mastered the art of the french fry. Marisha Brown-Smith, the granddaughter of founders Anthony and Alda Rieke, said the family recipe has stayed the same for nine decades.
The crinkle-cut style gives you the crispy edges, and she said they hold on to Rosedale’s sauce very well. The fries are double-fried in canola oil to create a crunch, which is what makes them a staple at the restaurant.
No salt or additional seasonings are added when the fries are being cooked. The third-generation Brown-Smith, who’s the vice president and general manager of Rosedale, said those options are left on the dining tables inside for customers to modify to their liking if they choose to eat at the restaurant.
“We haven’t had a need to change the process, and people love them the way they are,” Brown-Smith said. “We try to keep a good thing good.”
People can order their fries however they like, meaning she sees orders that ask for extra crispy or more than on the softer end. Rosedale goes through hundreds of pounds of potatoes daily. Customers can even order french fries by the pound.
The fries pair well with any item on the menu, but Brown-Smith recommends they accompany the combo platter (a choice of two meats on a sandwich) with an RC Cola. It’s often, too, she’ll hear someone replace the coleslaw that comes with the dinner platter for an extra side of fries.
Brown-Smith and her family, including pitmaster husband Bill, manager son Anthony “Cole” and his twin sister Caelan, appreciate that the restaurant continues to be a beloved part of Kansas City. She enjoys seeing the familiar faces come in and enjoy their food.
“That’s what’s always kept us close because it’s not just our family,” she said. “Our patrons are our family and friends, and we like that opportunity.”
