Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to eat in Kansas City? Where to eat in Kansas City? 6 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Kansas City

The best traditional dishes in Kansas City and the best authentic restaurants that make them, recommended by industry professionals.
Last update: Thu Mar 27 2025
6 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Kansas City
VIEW MORE
01

Barbecue

KANSAS CITY, United States of America
4.4
Kansas City-Style Barbecue
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Barbecued meat is the gastronomic passion of the so-called "world capital of barbecue", also known as Kansas City. Barbecued pork ribs, flavorful slices of hot or cold beef brisket, or a "pig salad" of succulent pulled pork - those are just some of the delicacies of the Kansas City-style barbecue.


The barbecue craze dates back to around 1908, when Henry Perry, an African-American chef, first started slow cooking pork ribs over oak and hickory, drizzling them with a sauce consisting of molasses, chiles, and tomatoes. He served the meal in newspaper and sold it for 25 cents a piece, and the consumers' acceptance and love of barbecued meat went better than expected. 
VARIATIONS OF Kansas City-Style Barbecue

MOST ICONIC Kansas City-Style Barbecue

View more
1
2
3
4
5
02

Beef Dish

KANSAS CITY, United States of America
4.4
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list
MAIN INGREDIENTS

Burnt ends are a delicious specialty originating from Kansas City. The name refers to the unusually-shaped, tougher, fattier end pieces of barbecued brisket which were served as appetizers, placed into stews, or given to customers free of charge.


These smoky burnt ends capture melted fat during the barbecue process, making them incredibly flavorful. Nowadays, they are a staple menu item in the city, usually served cubed on their own or smothered in barbecue sauce. Burnt ends can also be used in sandwiches or combined with baked beans and french fries.

MOST ICONIC Burnt Ends

View more
1
2
3
4
5
03

Appetizer

WICHITA, United States of America
3.8
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Although many people might think so, the famous slider is not just a small hamburger, but a very specific food item. First of all, a small ball of ground meat is smashed on a well-oiled griddle until very thin, accompanied by onions, which fry into the meat during the cooking process.


The meat is then flipped, and other ingredients are added on top of the meat, including the slider bun which absorbs the aromas and flavors while it steams. Originally, slider was a term describing small burgers at White Castle restaurants throughout the United States of America. 

MOST ICONIC Slider

1
04

Meat Dish

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.3
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Originally an American invention, succulent and smoky barbecue ribs have become one of the most famous dishes in the world. The dish is typically prepared with pork ribs, usually spareribs or the tender, leaner baby back ribs. Pork is the obvious choice for the dish since it tends to be juicier on the bone, allowing the meat to come right off after the grilling process.


It is one of the barbecued dishes which leans on the American-style grilling, in which the meat is cooked long, slow, and at a low temperature. To give the ribs their distinct taste and texture, they are always treated before grilling. Two most common ways include marinating and dry-rubbing. 
VARIATIONS OF Barbecue Ribs

MOST ICONIC Barbecue Ribs

1
05

Ice Cream

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Fried ice cream is a decadent treat made by coating a scoop of ice cream in crumbled cookies or cornflakes, then deep-frying it for a short period of time until golden-brown in color on the exterior. The scoop of ice cream should ideally be frozen below the usual temperature at which ice cream is kept, in order not to melt when fried.


If served in the most traditional way, frozen ice cream is placed on a cinnamon-sugar tortilla shell. This dessert became popular during the 1980s, and it was first adopted by a famous Mexican restaurant chain.

MOST ICONIC Fried Ice Cream

1
06

Pizza

ST. LOUIS, United States of America
3.6
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

St. Louis-style pizza is a unique type of pizza originating in the Midwestern American city of St. Louis, Missouri and the surrounding areas. Unlike regular pizzas, the crust is very thin and cut into squares or rectangles instead of wedges, but it can still be layered with many different toppings.


The pizza is typically prepared with Provel, a processed cheese made by combining Provolone, Swiss cheese, and white Cheddar. Although there are various recipes for this dish, they all seem to derive from Imo's, a popular pizza chain from St. Louis.

MOST ICONIC St. Louis-Style Pizza

1