Coming to Johnson County food hall: Wine tasting, expanded Mexican, African eateries

When Lenexa Public Market opened in September 2017, one of its missions was to be an incubator for local small businesses.

Red Kitchen KC was a pop-up called Red Kitchen Tamales and was so successful it expanded to one of the smaller stalls in 2018. Now it is expanding again in the market at 8750 Penrose Lane in Lenexa.

Chef and owner Alejandra de la Fuente is taking the former Chewology space for a September opening.

Red Kitchen KC currently serves a Mexican breakfast and lunch, including burritos, tortas and tacos.

It will add dinner two nights a week in the new spot. New menu items will include enchiladas, molletes, flautas and chilaquiles, as well as guacamole and queso fundido for appetizers. It also is applying for a liquor license.

After it relocates, its new hours will be 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, April through October.

“I love the people and I love the market, the support we have received from the city and the merchants help each other,” she said. “We have regulars who share their wedding pictures, photos of their grandchildren. I’m from another country but I feel like I belong now.”

She moved from Mexico City in 2003, planning to stay for just six months to learn English. But she met her future husband and married in 2006. He had four children and they have one together. They live in Lenexa.

▪ A new tenant, Tasting Room by the AV Collection, will offer wine tastings by the Olathe-based wine company. An Aug. 18 opening is scheduled.

It will feature its own premium sparkling wine, Kaycee Mac, as well as a variety of wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma in California. It also is making its own wines there that it will feature later.

Tasting Room also will have local cheeses, meats, breads, olive oils and other specialty foods that pair well with wine, along with wine-based cocktails.

It will later offer private tastings. A portion of its sales will be donated to Kansas City area children’s charities.

AV Collection was founded in January 2020 by four friends who grew up in Johnson County.

It is taking the former Kate Smith Soirée space. Kate Smith Soirée relocated and expanded under Butterfield’s Bakery & Market.

▪ African Dream Cuisine. Chef and owners Neba Ngwa and Stella Musongong have been operating a pop-up serving West African cuisine.

Now they will move to the current Red Kitchen space this fall. Customers build their own plates from a choice of such items as barbecue smoked chicken, ribs, fried veggie rice and sauteed spinach.

Chewology is moving to its own brick-and-mortar space in Westport.

This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 12:22 PM.