This popular KC cafe will soon serve dinner. ‘Recognizable with a twist’
In the short two years Hemma Hemma has been in Waldo, fans have come to love its breakfast and lunch options.
Whipped ricotta toast. Biscuits and gravy. Hot honey salmon bowls.
And while weekend brunch is “crazy busy,” said chef Ashley Bare, she’s begun to hear from the neighborhood that they’re hungry for more.
So, starting June 21, the popular cafe will launch a dinner menu and close later.
“The space is open during the evening, why not capitalize on dinner service?” she said. “I think the neighborhood is more conducive to that.”
The menu isn’t finalized, but Bare shared a few options that will be on diners’ plates: smash dumpling tacos, tuna tostada, falafel bowls, fried chicken platters and more.
She’ll also offer an extended cocktail and wine list, as well as desserts and a kids’ menu.
Bare described Hemma Hemma’s offerings as “wholesome, recognizable food with a twist.” Many dishes are American, but Bare said she doesn’t feel like her cuisine fits neatly into one genre of food.
When the new menu launches, dinner will be served Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 5 to 9 p.m. Full-service happy hour will be from 3 to 5 p.m.
Since telling customers about the upcoming changes, Bare has felt the community’s excitement through social media comments and conversations. They’re the reason she’s making the switch to later hours, anyway.
“Our customer base has been asking about dinner and whether we would offer it at some point,” she said. “Overwhelmingly positive reactions.”
From 1935 to 2005, the space at 7122 Wornall Road was home to Romanelli Grill.
Bare opened Hemma Hemma in September 2023. Before that, she attended the National Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York, where she worked at a few different restaurants, like Mercer Kitchen.
“Hemma hemma” means “at home” in Swedish.
“I love bringing people together over delicious food,” Bare said. “That’s why I do what I do.”
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM.
CORRECTION: This story previous misstated the date that the dinner service is supposed to begin at Hemma Hemma. It has now been updated.