KC-area restaurant, grocery, brewery updates for December: What’s coming, open, closed

Here’s a look at what’s happening in the Kansas City-area restaurant scene in December. Most opening dates are tentative and can be pushed by delays in construction, licensing and other issues. Call before visiting.

Update on Dec. 6: Rockstar Burgers in the West Bottoms, 1611 Genessee St. has a “closed infinitely” sign on the door. Splitlog opened on Olive on Dec. 16. and Freddy’s opened in Merriam on Dec. 19.

Openings

▪ The Bar Olathe, 14871 W. 151st St., Olathe.

▪ Black Bear Diner, 4053 S. Little Blue Parkway, Independence, and 11981 S. Strang Line Road, Olathe.

▪ Blind Box BBQ, inside Nebraska Furniture Mart, 1601 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

▪ Bohemio Mexican Restaurant, 542 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas.

▪ Bubblecream’s, ice cream shop, 33490 Lexington Ave., De Soto.

▪ Canihaveabite, Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47th St.

▪ Doc Green’s Gourmet Salads & Grill, 15141 W. 119th St., Olathe.

▪ First Watch, 8180 W. 135th St., Overland Park (converted from Egg & I concept).

▪ The Fix, 600 E. 31st St. Open limited hours in December and will add hours in early 2020 (in the former Attitude space).

▪ Gordon Ramsay Steak, Harrah’s North Kansas City, One Riverboat Drive, North Kansas City.

▪ Jerusalem Cafe, 515 Westport Road. Relocated from its longtime Westport space.

▪ Lawrence Beer Company West, 4811 Bob Billings Parkway, Suite C, Lawrence.

▪ Lean Kitchen Co., Parkville Commons, 6265 Lewis Road, Suite 101, Parkville.

▪ Lion’s Choice, 10313 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park.

▪ M&J Chow Hall, 208 Choctaw St., Leavenworth, Kansas.

▪ Ollie Pearls Global Brunch, Highland Plaza, 9754 N. Ash St., behind the QuikTrip.

▪ Panache Chocolatier, Park Place, 11555 Ash St., Leawood. Relocated from the Country Club Plaza.

▪ The Pressed Pig, coffee shop, Nebraska Furniture Mart, 1601 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

▪ Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, at 12056 W. 95th St., Lenexa.

▪Ravenous, Crossroads, by the owner of Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room. It is now taking orders for pickup at the restaurant, 1830 Walnut St., and will open in an outdoor stand next door during nicer weather.

▪ Slim Chickens, 6591 Johnson Drive, Mission.

▪ Taco Bell, 4545 Blue Parkway, and 10546 S. Ridgeview Road, Olathe.

Closings

▪ Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, Legends Outlets, 1702 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

▪ Foo’s Fabulous Cafe, Ranch Mart North, 9421 Mission Road, Leawood. Plans to close at 4 p.m. Dec. 24.

▪ Fred P. Ott’s, Country Club Plaza, 4770 J.C. Nichols Parkway.

▪ Freestyle Poke has closed in the River Market, in Overland Park and in the Liberty area. The owner said he is looking for a buyer.

▪ Grinders, 733 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, and 206 Choctaw St., Leavenworth.

▪ Salty Iguana, 8420 W. 135th St., Overland Park.

▪ Sheridan’s Frozen Custard, 2055 E. Santa Fe St., Olathe. The owner wants to convert it to one of his Unforked concepts.

▪ Yaki-Ya Japanese, Parlor food hall, 1707 Locust St.

Coming soon

▪ Andy’s Frozen Custard plans to open in Overland Park’s Prairiefire and in Liberty in early 2020.

▪ Atomic Cowboy, Denver Biscuit Co., Fat Sully’s and Frozen Gold, Westport, 4140 Pennsylvania Ave. January opening scheduled.

▪ Banksia, 4800 Main St., Suite 103. Mid-March.

▪ Bibibop Asian Grill, opening in a multi-tenant building on the outskirts of Oak Park Mall, 11875 W. 95th St., Overland Park, on Dec. 13. The opening date for the location in Corbin Park, 6455 W. 135th St., Overland Park, will be in January.

▪Brown Sugar Chicken and Donuts, 3708 State Ave., Suite B, Kansas City, Kansas. Dec. 6 opening planned.

▪ Burnt End BBQ, Crown Center Shops, 2450 Grand Blvd. It is taking the former Milano Italian Dining space. Mid-to-late January opening scheduled. It also will have a Starbucks, opening in February.

▪ The Combine, deli, pizza and bar in the Wonder Shops + Flats, 2999 Troost Ave. Early 2020.

▪ The Corner Lalo’s Kitchen, 5038 Lamar Ave., Mission. Dec. 14 opening scheduled.

▪ Duck & Roll, 4800 Main St., Suite 102. Mid-January opening.

▪ Evolve Juicery & Kitchen, The Vue, 7201 W. 80th St., Overland Park. Hopes to open by early 2020.

▪ Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 8817 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Merriam (the site of a former Winstead’s). Mid-December opening.

▪Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, 101 Armour Road, North Kansas City. Soft opening in early January.

▪ Incredible Pizza Co., 13110 W. 62nd Terrace, Shawnee. A mid-February opening is planned for the $4 million renovation of the former PowerPlay Family Entertainment Center.

▪ KC Smoke Burgers and Chick-in-Waffle, 431 Westport Road. By late January.

▪ Lion’s Choice, Liberty Commons, 129 S. Stewart Road, Liberty, scheduled to open in mid-January 2020.

▪ Mama Ramen, 1513 Grand Blvd. Plans an early 2020 opening.

▪Mesob Ethiopian & Caribbean Cuisine will reopen in midtown by the end of the month. It is taking the former Krokstrom space at 3601 Broadway.

▪ Mudbugs 2.0, Parlor food hall, 1707 Locust St. Hopes to open Dec. 9.

▪ 95Metcalf South, at 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park, said it is in negotiations to sign Panera Bread. LongHorn Steakhouse is going through city planning to open on the site.

.▪ Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom, One North development at Interstate 35 and Armour Road in North Kansas City. By the end of the year.

▪ The Pairing: Crossroads Wine & Grocer, 1615 Oak St. Mid-to-late December.

▪ Panera Bread, Bluhawk, 7871 W. 159th St., Overland Park. January opening.

▪ Parisi Cafe, The Vue, 7261 W. 80th St., Overland Park. No opening date was available.

▪ Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe, 25 E. 12th St. The owner did not return phone calls, but the location is advertising for employees.

▪ Rockcreek Brewing Co., 5880 Beverly Ave., Mission. It hopes to open by the end of the year or early 2020.

▪ Seafood Island, 10810 W. 75th St., Shawnee. January opening (by the owner of Taste of China in Lenexa).

▪ Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, 4140 Broadway. Early 2020 opening.

▪ South of Summit Taqueria & Tequila, 512 W. 75th St. January opening planned.

▪ Splitlog Coffee Co., 546 Olive St. Mid-December.

▪ Strang Hall, food hall and culinary incubator for local chefs, Edison District, at 7313 W. 80th St., Overland Park. It will have a soft opening first and then a tentative grand opening scheduled for Dec. 20.

▪ Strawberry Hill Brewing Co., 601 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. It has started brewing and hopes to open in January.

▪ Sweet Combforts and Wingman Kitchen, 4117 Pennsylvania Ave. No opening date was available.

▪ Thai Restaurant by Ritzutto, 1103 E. Santa Fe., Olathe. Mid-December.

▪ Unforked, Woodside Village, 4719 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood. February 2020.

▪ West Bottoms Whiskeys, 1321 W. 13th St. By the end of the year.

▪ Worlds Grocer, 3967 Main St. No opening date was available.

Coming later

▪ B&B Theatres will open one of its Marquee Bar and Grille operations in a new luxury entertainment complex in Twin Creek Village, northeast corner of Missouri 152 and North Platte Purchase Drive. A late 2020 opening is scheduled.

▪ Bar + Rec, 1729 Grand Blvd. No opening date was available.

▪ The Big Biscuit, Westport, 4039 Mill St. By spring 2020.

▪ Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar plans to open in Oak Grove on July 3, 2020. No address was available.

▪ Bluhawk, 159th Street and Antioch Road in Overland Park. Cactus Grill, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers plan spring 2020 openings. Saltgrass Steak House plans a fall 2020 opening.

▪ Cafe Provence’s owners plan a new restaurant concept in The Inn at Meadowbrook, 4901 Meadowbrook Parkway, Prairie Village. A spring 2020 opening is scheduled.

▪Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop said it plans three area restaurants. No locations were announced.

▪ Captain D’s, 7525 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Company officials said they plan to reopen there in early 2020, after a fire in March.

▪ Chicken N Pickle, Prairefire, 135th Street and Nall Avenue, Overland Park. Fall 2020.

▪ The Garrison Cafe powered by The Roasterie, 512 Southwest Blvd. No opening date was available.

▪ Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, 304 S.E. Missouri 291, Lee’s Summit, in spring 2020.

▪ Just Burgers, 13115 Holmes Road (by the owners of the new Martin City Coffee, just to the south). No opening date was available.

▪ Lion’s Choice, 440 N.W. Chipman Road in Lee’s Summit for a mid-summer 2020 opening.

▪ Lost Evenings Brewing Co. is looking for a Johnson County location. No opening date was available.

▪ Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop in Westwood wants to open a Thai rolled ice cream and spirits shop at 1707 W. 47th St., next door to the restaurant. No opening date was available.

▪ Madison’s Neighborhood Eatery, 915 to 991 W. 44th St. March 2020 opening.

▪ Meat Mitch Barbecue, Ranchmart North, 3600 W. 95th St., Leawood. Hopes to open in spring or summer 2020.

▪ One North, new development at Interstate 35 and Armour Road. A Burger King will relocate to a new building by the end of the year. Its current building will be torn down, and Starbucks will go up on the site for a summer 2020 opening. Flow House also plans a summer 2020 opening. Apartments and two hotels are scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2020. A golf entertainment complex is in negotiations for another spot.

▪ Pickle Bar + Kitchen, 135th Street and Switzer Road, Overland Park. Fall 2020 opening.

▪ PT’s Coffee Roasting Co., 8139 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park. By late 2020.

▪ Punch Bowl Social, 612 W. 47th St. Late 2020.

▪ Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, 13710 Blackbob Road in Olathe. No opening date was available.

▪ Smithville Marketplace, now under development. Taco Bell plans to open by the end of the year at 15700 N. US. 169 highway, unit A, Smithville, and Scooter’s Coffee, 15700 N. 169 highway, unit B, by early 2020. The center also will include a Price Chopper and a hardware store.

▪ Sonoma Plaza, at 87th Street Parkway and Interstate 435 in Lenexa, will have several restaurant tenants: Chipotle and Starbucks (February openings), Chick-fil-A (March) and Red Door Grill (summer 2020).

▪ Taco Hangover, Lenexa City Center, 88th Street and Renner Road, Lenexa, March 2020. Owner Riley Drive Inc. in Lenexa had planned to open its Joe & Hash concept in the center but it has been put on hold.

▪ Tom Colicchio’s food hall, Mission Gateway, Johnson Drive and Roeland Drive, Mission. Construction will start on the food hall in the first half of 2020 with staggered openings into 2021.

▪ Tin Roof, 424 Westport Road. March 2020.

▪ Torchy’s Tacos, Ward Parkway Center’s “The Pavilion,” 8815 State Line Road. Spring 2020.

▪ Transparent Brewing Co., 14501 White Ave., Grandview. It has broken ground for a March 2020 opening. Chive Simply Good, a cafe and market, will share the space.

▪ T-Shotz, golf and entertainment complex, Metro North Crossing, U.S. 169 and Northwest Barry Road. Spring 2020 opening.

▪ Yogurtini, 1829 Village West Parkway, Suite T-131, Kansas City, Kansas. Early spring 2020 opening.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 2:48 PM.