Ghost kitchens are taking over Kansas City – here are 9 to try
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, every restaurant owner is looking for new avenues to make more money using their existing restaurant kitchens and labor. Many are turning to ghost kitchens as an opportunity to try out new cuisines or concepts in a carryout- and/or delivery-only format.
The business model is pretty straightforward: These new concepts are typically delivery-only, although curbside carryout is also becoming a popular option during the pandemic. Ghost kitchens operate out of an existing commercial kitchen or restaurant – there is no sign on the door and no dine-in service, which keeps labor costs low and the restaurant staff safe. All food must be ordered online and is delivered using either in-house delivery drivers or a third-party app, or picked up by the customer curbside.
But the real fun is that most ghost kitchen concepts offer food much different and more casual than what you might find on the restaurant's regular menu – think an Italian restaurant making burgers or a Thai restaurant frying up chicken sandwiches.
Interested? Try one (or all) of these locally owned ghost kitchens in Kansas City.
Cosmo Burger
Word has spread quickly about the delicious quality burgers that chef Jacob Kruger has been producing and selling from Cosmo Burger, a new ghost kitchen operating out of Dodson’s Bar in Waldo. Dodson's GM Eric Jones has been helping Kruger with his marketing, and when he's not running the bar, you can even find him firing tots and wrapping burgers as fast as they come off the griddle. Cosmo Burger offers a simple menu that includes a single, double or vegan Beyond Meat burger with cheese, burger sauce, pickles and onions on a buttered bun alongside tater tots and bottled cocktails or beer. Simply order and pay online, pull up to the restaurant at your appointed time, and they will text you when your order is ready to pick up at the front door. The Dodson's kitchen has been home to some terrific pop ups over the past several years, but this particular burger stand seems like it just might be here to stay. (Photo by Alistair Tutton)
Cosmo Burger, cosmoburgerkc.com
Cult of Pi
Over on the Westside on Wednesday nights, chef Brent Gunnels is firing up the clay oven at Clay & Fire to make his phenomenally delicious pies under the name of his original pizza pop up, Cult of Pi. From 5 to 8pm or until sold out, you can find the team making three different pies that can be pre-ordered and picked up from the restaurant. These include Kin of Sin (pepperoni, fresh garlic, red onion, fresh basil, oregano and extra Parmesan), Margherita (San Marzano tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and Parmesan) and one mystery pie of the day. Each pizza is $13, and guests can preorder via direct message through the Clay & Fire Facebook or Instagram page with your name, email, pizza order and pickup time on Wednesday. You’ll pay when you pick them up. (Photo courtesy of Cult of Pi)
Cult of Pi, clayandfirekc.square.site
Epic Burgers
The Kansas City Marriott Downtown is the culinary team behind Epic Burgers, a ghost kitchen that launched last November. Seeing success with their original sandwich and burger menu, the Epic Burgers team recently expanded their menu options to include an all-day breakfast menu featuring four new sweet and savory additions. Orders can be placed through the Epic Burgers website or via the DoorDash app for delivery or carryout seven days a week from 6am to midnight. All carryout orders are done via curbside pickup at 200 W. 12th St.; simply pull up and call 816.802.7030 and a valet will bring your food right to your car. (Photo courtesy of Epic Burgers)
Epic Burgers, epicburgerskc.com
Johnny Wings
As of last week, District Pour House owner Dan McCall has launched his new ghost kitchen, Johnny Wings. He hopes that the new fast delivery wings concept will help make up for some lost sales during the pandemic and also fill a void for sports bar-style wings in the neighborhood. McCall highly recommends the six-piece boneless Korean wings on a waffle. Johnny Wings is open daily from 11am to 9pm; orders can be placed online and delivered via DoorDash, although carryout is also available. (Photo courtesy of Johnny Wings)
Johnny Wings, johnnywings.com
Macho Taco
As a favorite neighborhood spot in Brookside, Michael Forbes Bar and Grille has broad appeal, offering something for everyone on its menu. But for the restaurant's first ghost kitchen, Macho Taco, owner Forbes Cross decided to focus on a flavorful Tex Mex menu featuring tacos, burritos, tostadas, enchiladas and chimichangas along with chips and housemade queso. The delicious smoked and charred salsa is a standout; it's made by charring onions and peppers for depth of flavor and blending them with pounds of smoked tomatoes. Macho Taco is open daily from 11:30am to 8pm. (Photo by Angela Bond)
Macho Taco, MachoTacokc.com
Night Goat Barbecue
A Sunday barbecue special offered at Fox & Pearl in mid-December quickly became popular enough that owners Vaughn Good and Kristine Hull recently decided to make it a regular thing. That's when they gave their first ghost kitchen a name: Night Goat Barbecue. With Good’s love of smoked meat and live-fire cooking, the new ghost kitchen offers a way to have some fun and improve on an aspect of cooking that he enjoys while hopefully getting more business. The menu changes weekly, featuring items such as brisket by the pound, tasso pork steak and Good's standout sausage, and is posted on both the Fox & Pearl website and Instagram. Night Goat Barbecue is available for carryout only; pre-orders start Saturday at 2pm for carryout on Sunday between 10am and 2pm. Orders can be placed by calling Fox and Pearl at 816.437.7001. (Photo courtesy of Night Goat Barbecue)
Night Goat Barbecue, foxandpearlkc.com/bbq
Observation Pizza
One of the first culinary gifts Kansas City received at the start of the pandemic was Observation Pizza, a concept started by the late chef Nick Vella when he was furloughed from his kitchen job. Today, the culinary and leadership team behind Observation Pizza have grown this former pizza pop up into a full-fledged ghost kitchen, working out of the Bauer Building in the Crossroads Arts District. With a menu full of fun and funky musician-themed pies, salads and frozen desserts, you are bound to find something that makes you sing. Try the Jerome John Garcia for a delicious take on a pepperoni pie or the IZ pizza with pineapple, bacon, pepperoni, burrata cheese and pickled jalapeño. If that doesn’t hit the right note, you can simply create your own sound and order your pizza your way. Observation Pizza offers delivery and curbside carryout Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 10pm. (Photo by Zach Bauman)
Observation Pizza, observationpizza.com
Smash-N-Nash
The team behind the Summit Restaurant Group has announced its new ghost kitchen, Smash-N-Nash, which is now open for delivery via DoorDash. Choose from a selection of canteen favorites like smash burgers, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries, tater tots and freshly baked cookies. Smash-N-Nash is operating out of the kitchens of Third Street Social in Lee’s Summit and Summit Grill in Lee’s Summit, Waldo and Gladstone and is open for delivery Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm. (Photo courtesy of Smash-N-Nash)
Smash-N-Nash, smash-n-nash.webflow.io
Thai Now
Waldo Thai Place owners Pam and Ted Liberda already had a plan for a ghost kitchen in place when they prepared to reopen their dining room to the public last fall. In an effort to survive the pandemic and allow Pam the opportunity to continue to offer her menu full of Northern Thailand specialties (including her new Lanna tray that comes with a wide variety of Thai dips, sausage, curry, vegetables and crispy fried pork skins), they launched ThaiNow. Their new ghost kitchen utilizes DoorDash for delivery only and offers some of the more popular and well-known Thai dishes like pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, crispy garlic chicken wings, yellow curry chicken, fried rice, crab rangoon, pork dumplings and egg rolls in addition to one of the best spicy fried chicken sandwiches in the city. Take advantage of ThaiNow to enjoy simple, comforting Thai dishes at home. (Photo by Jenny McGill)
ThaiNow, thainowkc.com
Jenny Vergara
Jenny is Feast's contributing editor for Kansas City. She brakes for chef's coats.
