2023 NFL Draft visitor’s guide to Kansas City BBQ
We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for those traveling in for the 2023 NFL Draft for one of Kansas City’s finest delicacies: BBQ.
The 2023 NFL Draft is only days away, and Kansas City is absolutely buzzing in anticipation of fans from across the NFL soon making the pilgrimage to football’s new Mecca. The Kansas City Airport recently opened its new terminal which will serve as a warm welcome to travelers from across the country. Union Station is being prepped for the event itself and Kansas City area businesses are ramping up for what will surely be an economic shot in the arm for the entire metropolitan area.
What should visitors expect when they arrive in Kansas City? To put it simply, Kansas City in the springtime is the crown jewel of the Midwest. Flowers are blooming, the trees and grass have returned to the vibrant green that makes places like Loose Park and the lawn at the World War 1 Monument seem so alive that you can nearly hear the stories they have to tell, and the pollen will absolutely punch you square in the face even if you’re indoors all day.
They should also anticipate discovering something that many who live here in the city already know. Many are aware of the popular locations in Kansas City—Country Club Plaza, the Power and Light District and Crossroads downtown, the River Market, and even some hidden suburban gems like downtown Overland Park and Lenexa’s City Center—but most do not consider Kansas City a culinary capitol of the U.S. What they don’t know can’t be held against them, but they will soon find out.
From Town Topic burgers, the hidden Italian gems in the city (Lidia’s and Garozzo’s to name just a couple), to the Mexican stylings of Southwest Boulevard and the numerous steakhouses adorned with some of the best cuts you’ll find from America’s heartland along with an under-appreciated pizza scene, Kansas City is one of the more slept-on food cities in the country. But this blog is not meant for me to tell the visitors of Kansas City whether they should try out Minsky’s Pizza or opt for a more formal dining experience like Stock Hill. No, we’re going to address and provide some saliva-inducing sherpa-ing for those who are preparing to converge on Kansas City by providing prospect insights on K.C.’s culinary crown jewel – barbecue.
Kansas City barbecue is synonymous with excellence, and there is more than one franchise with banners hanging from their rafters when it comes to the crowded table that is elite K.C. ‘cue establishments. Barbecue is as engrained in the city’s DNA as Chiefs football, Tom Pendergast, the Kauffman Center, Negro League Baseball, and jazz music. It is likely one of the primary reasons Andy Reid has stuck around as long as he has (in conjunction with Patrick Mahomes alien-like abilities to throw a football), and it is without question one of the primary civic points of pride for people all across the metro.
With the help of fellow Arrowhead Addict’s Ellen Mathis, we’ve put together a synopsis for all travelers coming into the metro for the draft for some of the top barbecue options not only in the Kansas City area but in the entire world. All prospects have been evaluated based on tangibles and intangibles, and in the spirit of the NFL Draft, we’ll tier them out much as your favorite teams will for their player big boards.
We’re going to break this down into two subcategories: the Living Legends, and the Up and Comers.