1019 E 63rd St, Kansas City, MO
Baba knows how to play the hits. This casual Palestinian-American deli turns out richly spiced shawarma sandwiches, velvety hummus, and tender falafel studded with sumac onions. But don’t overlook the refrigerator case, which is packed daily with both familiar and experimental dips that marry Palestinian flavors and a Midwestern zeal for dairy. Seating is limited, but tables turn over quickly, and it’s worth waiting to grab one in this lively, colorful room. On weekends, an adjoining bakery serves a rotating selection of desserts (recently, pistachio rose cinnamon rolls and qatayef).
7319 N Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, MO
Just five years into operation, the Italian Sausage Co has already distinguished itself as both the best Italian deli and best modern deli in the metro. As you might expect from the name, the sausages are all made in-house—but so is almost everything else, from the Russian dressing on the massive Reuben to the fresh, seeded bastone loaves slathered with lemon basil pesto and ribboned with cold cuts. First-timers should order the #22, a cold sandwich coiled with pastrami, salami, burrata, garlic aioli, and olives steeped in red wine and chili oil from local spice magnate J.ChangKitchen. While the original shop is a 15 minute drive from downtown, a second location is due to open in the River Market this spring. Here for a game? You can also find their sausages at Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums, where the Chiefs and Royals play (Arrowhead is where the 2026 World Cup Games will take place).
901 Kansas Ave, Kansas City, KS
In an ideal world with limitless stomach space, you’d make multiple stops on the Kansas City, Kansas “Taco Trail.” But if you only get one, it might as well be El Pollo Rey. Here, you only have to make one choice: Do you want grilled chicken or hot wings? Even that choice is optional; you probably want both. The chicken here is Sinaloa-style—citrus-marinated and charred on a wood-fired grill—and served with soft corn tortillas, pickled onions, and a cold blender salsa. The hot wings are tossed in a prickly, vinegar-forward hot sauce and come with just as many warm tortillas. El Pollo Rey isn’t the only Sinaloa-style chicken spot on the Taco Trail, but it’s the only one that still cooks everything over hickory, a touch that neatly ties it to the city’s home barbecue tradition.
