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Want to love great eats in the Kansas City area? Head out to Kearney for good food in a small-town setting. Kearney continues to build their community for more guests from far and wide. Whether you are passing through on nearby Interstate 35 or another nearby highway, stop in for the food and stay for the entertainment! However, if you want to read more about Kearney, take a look at the post about family entertainment in town.
Before we cover why we Love Great Eats near Kansas City…
Why do the first two get top billing? I visited D’Creamery twice, and Walnut Creek is the “luck of the draw!” While I spent several days in Kearney, I greatly enjoyed the food options. The food balances with the available entertainment, and there’s enough here to provide a home base for a longer visit to metropolitan Kansas City. My favorite was the ice cream! Read on for more! To emphasize, as I explained above, the sequencing of the eating places below is entirely “luck of the draw,” except for D’Creamery.
T of C
Love the eats at Hoffman’s D’Creamery
I stopped here for ICE CREAM(!) when I visited the Jesse James home and birthplace. (Check out the menu and the open times.) Then, I stopped here for breakfast the next day. See? They know how to attract guests! For most people, how can you resist ice cream? And it’s made on-site for your taste buds’ treat!
Did you know that blogs are typically reader supported? So, buy me a hot chocolate! Or not!.
For breakfast, I had their D’Scram. However, you can order it as a burrito; I’m sure it tastes just as great! (Breakfast burritos became very popular in recent years.) According to their website, they are open six days a week (check here). On Friday and Saturday, dinner is served until 8 PM. (At least that’s what it was at this writing.) I talked with the owners while I was there. Very nice people! They told me some of their background in starting and operating the restaurant. Generally, I record these conversations for my work later, but my recorder app quit that day. I know, bad excuse, not very professional!
Here are a few pictures from my visit. You can see more of their place on the website. Although you can find the link on the website, here it is for quick access.
Be sure to stop while you are in town. Presently, they have enough open hours for everyone.
Walnut Creek Winery
Again, it was “the luck of the draw” for the Walnut Creek Winery’s placement in this food post. I’m not a wine connesu, con_a_suer, enthusiast! However, I do like to taste it. That became part of my entertainment for the evening. For my “dinner,” I put together two appetizers. Due to several days of visiting all these eating places, I had to take it easy on the food! The appetizers were delicious, and the wine was, by turns, smooth, robust, fruity, earthy, and full-bodied! (I swallowed a wine thesaurus!) By the way, here’s the link to the wine list.
I joined in the wine tasting. Since this was a solo trip, I needed to have that tasting conversation with myself. The server didn’t have the time to hear me drone on. While they were all good, I liked #3 best. The appetizers weren’t really the greatest “wine pairing,” but the food and the wine fit together for me. When visiting, consider the wine tasting.
Want to see a shop for my road trip photos? You can have them printed as wall art or puzzles. They also work on coffee mugs, t-shirts and more! So, take a look. Maybe you'll see something you will like!
I walked around the establishment and took in the decor and a few unused areas on a regular Thursday night. (No events or celebrations tonight!) It’s a great place to visit with a few friends, a partner, or a larger group. Actually, there was a Cornhole tournament in one of the far rooms. Not as well attended as typical on this December Thursday. Here’s the link to the Events section on their site.
Paisley Perk for great coffee!
Want some coffee while visiting? The Paisley Perk works together with the related business of the Paisley Candle and Home next door. Built in a remodeled former residence, they provide a great coffee experience. And coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks for a timely coffee break.
Now, I had a hot chocolate and breakfast muffin, similar (but better than) an “Egg McMuffin” from you-know-where!” Oviously, it’s a cool stop while shopping at Paisley Candle and Home.
Fox & Fire – another place to Love Great Eats! – Permanently Closed
As of March 2024, the website lists Fox & Fire as Permanently Closed. 😢
In the past, Fox & Fire operated as a “traditional” food truck. However, they found a home in Kearney and now have that permanent location. Take a look at their history here. The picnic tables allow you to eat there. Or take it with you for a delicious meal when visiting. They do catering events in addition to their “permanent food truck” operations. I visited on a Friday, and they were closed to the general public as they prepared brisket and pork for a local event.
If you want food from them, please call ahead to determine what you need. I certainly wish I could have purchased some to take home. Next time I pass through, I hope to arrange it! In decidedly “non-travel writer” fashion, I had to take a bite before taking the photo. I guess my mouth was watering!
Slivinskis’ Bakery for great snacks
It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit a bakery. If you develop a craving for donuts or sweet rolls, you can satisfy that urge here! Here’s a link to their website. (It appears as if they only have a Facebook page.)
My breakfast on my first full day in town consisted of the donut and the caramel roll shown above. The link above shows their hours of operation and the available information you need if you visit there. Undoubtedly, be prepared for a “sugar shock!” Of course, if you are visiting, any calories, sugar overdose, or other unhealthy parts don’t count!
Conrad’s Local Kitchen & Patio – I love the eats!
After checking in at the hotel, I first stopped at Conrad’s. The burger and fries filled the bill after driving about 500 miles from northeastern Arkansas. The terrain became hilly and picturesque once I got away from the Mississippi River. The Ozarks lie partly in southwestern Missouri, so you’ll see the surrounding area and get into the Ozarks further south and west.
Be sure to take in the whole bar/restaurant. I forgot earlier when I said I had visited only one place twice. Actually, I stopped here again as my last stop before leaving the next day. I realized I hadn’t had vegetables that day, so I stopped here to get that “food group” eaten. I ate carrot cake! That’s a vegetable, isn’t it? And I committed another travel writer “sin;” I took no pictures.
By the way, here’s their website link. They have another location in nearby Liberty. But just stay here and eat! When visiting Kearney, you really “should” sample as much local flavor as possible. Yes, I did enjoy both the burger and the “vegetables!”
Gino’s Italiano
Many people like Italian food, and most like pizza. Gino’s offers both. Here’s the link to their website. Click on the “About” tab to read about their business here in Kearney. To demonstrate their commitment to the community, one of the pictures shows how they support other businesses in the area.
While the pizza looked very good, the shrimp scampi, a mouth-watering dish, seemed to call my name. This time, I decided on scampi instead of pizza. I can attest to the scampi being a great choice.
On one of the days I visited, the scampi became another day-ending meal. If/when I get back, maybe I’ll have the pizza.
Hunan Garden
Just like everyone likes pizza, nearly everyone likes Chinese food. It’s another place to try. I had the sweet and sour chicken, a typical favorite of mine. Of course, I had to ensure I had an egg roll!
Similar to pizza, Chinese food is equally good for lunch or dinner. Conrad’s and Hunan Garden call a strip mall home, and that’s just off Interstate 35. Apologies to Hunan Garden for putting them last, but due to luck of the draw, one of them had to be last! Maybe it’s a case of “saving the best for last.”
Summary of Love Great Eats!
I’ve given you a rundown, but I didn’t include a Mexican restaurant here. There are several in town, and accordingly, you should be sure to check them out. Many people love Mexican food! However, am I being redundant by continuing to use the phrase “Love Great Eats!”
Kearney’s population continues to grow over the years. In spite of, or maybe because of, its outer metropolitan location, the population of 11,000 people, its location draws from a much larger “north metro” of Kansas City.
Classic Rock Recollection
“Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Jimmy Buffett
Cheeseburger in paradise
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
Not too particular, not too precise
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise
Written by: Jimmy Buffett
#thedrivebytourist #bekearney #visitkearneymo #shrpa #Lovegreateats
