Food for every season: Inside elevated restaurant in Lee’s Summit

Roots Seasonal Cuisine will celebrate its fourth anniversary next spring, but the popular restaurant’s story began even further back ago when chefs Amanda Accurso and Brandon Sharp began working together at a well-known Lee’s Summit-area establishment.

“They met at a restaurant and became best friends,” said Lilly Rodriguez, assistant general manager at Roots since its 2022 opening. “They worked together at Marina Grog and Galley and always wanted to open their own place.”

Marina Grog and Galley, now called Marina 27 Steak and Seafood, was known for fine dining on the Lake Lotawana lakefront for several decades.

The Roots co-owners live in the Lee’s Summit area. Accurso lives in Greenwood and Sharp at Lake Lotawana. Accurso also grew up here and attended Lee’s Summit schools.

“They’ve called the Lee’s Summit area home, and it made sense for them to open a restaurant here,” Rodriguez said. “They called it Roots because it’s really them going back to their roots of making really good food, good quality stuff and being able to put their heart and soul into what they are making.”

Since its opening, Roots has offered a changing menu focused on the four seasons as well as consistent favorites.

“Around 35% is all brand new, another third or so will be the same items that people come here for year round and the other third will be either items from previous menus that people really liked that we just couldn’t keep around — or we’ll change flavors on different dishes that reflect the time of year,” Rodriguez said. “It’s always nice to make something new and to be able to present something new to people. Having the seasonal cuisine that changes four times a year really does let you get whatever is fresh and in season and that makes sense — being cold or being hot or whatever’s going on outside.”

Roots also features a full bar with seasonal and specialty drinks, such as the vodka- and blueberry-themed cocktail known as Violet Beauregarde, named by Rodriguez in honor of the spoiled child in “Willy Wonka.” For whiskey fans, the local bar offers more than 50 types of whiskeys, including the recently added Parker’s Heritage 11-Year.

“We have a great bar program,” Rodriguez said. “We try to get in a lot of different spirits that you can’t find in other places. That’s definitely a draw for people.”

Examples of year-round entrees are the crab-stuffed salmon and Thai chicken salad, both popular with Roots’ diners. Starters range from calamari to deviled egg flights to a salmon and crab cake stack. Dinner options include pork chops, center cut filet, duck breast, buttermilk fried chicken, stir-fry and lobster and crab risotto, to name just a few.

To top off the meal, customers can choose from desserts such as spiced carrot cake, banana foster cheesecake, warm cherry cobbler or a flourless double chocolate brownie with ice cream.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner each day with brunch served on weekends. Live music is offered on the patio Thursdays and Friday evenings and Sunday morning during spring and summer.

For holidays, the Roots chefs create a unique menu. New Year’s Eve features a multi-course dinner with diners invited to stay for a midnight champagne toast, Rodriguez said. Valentine’s Day, which is reservation only, also has a theme menu.

Another unique aspect of Roots is offering vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options for lunch, dinner and dessert.

“We’ve been doing that since the beginning,” she said . “It’s always been important for us to have this place and our menus be something where everybody can find something.”

Rodriguez said the restaurant’s main goal is to provide fine dining in a casual setting.

“We really want to be a place for people to meet up,” she said. “You don’t have to get all done up to come in. We’re trying to be casual but also a nice place to visit with fresh ingredients and fresh food. We just want to keep elevating. To always do better with our next menu.”

Roots Seasonal Cuisine is located at 940 NW Pryor Road in the Streets of West Pryor.