The Barbecue Capital Of The World Is A Jazzy, Creative Midwest Hub With Smoky Flavors And Soulful Art

If you're looking for a Midwest hub known for its smoky barbecue and history in jazz music, Kansas City, Missouri, is a great spot to check out. Its history with barbecue actually dates back well over a century, starting with Henry Perry around 1908. Perry came from Tennessee and started selling slow-smoked meats from a stand in an alley. He cooked over oak and hickory, dressing the meat in a peppery, tangy sauce. His approach, which used beef, pork, and chicken, established the groundwork for the city's plethora of barbecue restaurants, making Kansas City one of the five best barbecue cities in the U.S. While the style of barbecue has evolved since then (today's Kansas City barbecue is is dressed with a thick, sweet sauce made with tomatoes and molasses), the history and tradition remain.

You'll find that this food history grew up alongside the city's jazz scene during the 1920s and 1930s. The 18th & Vine neighborhood became a center for Black-owned businesses and culture, with jazz clubs that created a new sound based on riffs and featured popular musicians of the era like Charlie Parker. Some of the newly developed barbecue spots in the area fed the musicians and crowds during or after jam sessions. 

The city's creative side is also seen in its art. In the Crossroads Arts District, you can see old warehouses that have been turned into a neighborhood of art galleries and studios. You'll also find public art throughout the city, with more than 200 murals on different buildings. At The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, you can walk through an outdoor sculpture park with large installations, including the famous "Shuttlecocks," which features 20-foot-tall badminton birdies strewn about the lawn.

As you can imagine, based on its history with food, Kansas City is one of the charming Missouri cities full of restaurants, wineries, and distilleries. You can try delicious and hearty barbecue at places like Joe's KC BBQ, where you can grab a tender pulled pork sandwich, or pop over to Q39 in Midtown, where they serve large plates of ribs. You can also order some "no-nonsense" (their words) barbecue at Slap's BBQ with a side of creamy mac and cheese or hushpuppies.

If you're looking for Midwestern comfort food, check out Stroud's Oak Ridge Manor and its delicious pan-fried chicken, or pop into The Corner Cafe, which is known for its home-style plates like meatloaf and cinnamon rolls. On the Westside, you can find restaurants like Fox and Pearl that focus on modern American-style food. For a European vibe, check out Grünauer, which serves German-Austrian dishes.

The city also has a growing craft beverage industry. Boulevard Brewing Co. is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest, but the area has a few other popular breweries, too. Kansas City Bier Company makes traditional German-style beers, and Vine Street Brewing Co. is Missouri's first Black-owned brewery, located in the 18th & Vine district. Kansas City's winemaking has also returned since Prohibition, tying into the fun fact that Missouri actually holds America's first wine region. Be sure to check out Amigoni Urban Winery, which uses vinifera grapes grown on its Missouri vineyard, as well as Fountain City Winery, which has more of a modern, minimalist vibe. 

There's plenty to do in the morning, too. The coffee scene has local roasters like The Roasterie, which started in the city and uses an air-roasting process. In the Crossroads area, Messenger Coffee Co. runs a multi-level cafe and roastery that is a popular (and spacious) spot.

Once you're all fueled up on the delicious local food, spend an afternoon at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which has a massive collection spanning 5,000 years, from ancient Asian ceramics to European paintings. Just a short walk away is the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, where you can see modern works and pieces from artists like Georgia O'Keeffe in a light-filled building that is free to enter. To see some bite-sized exhibits, you can go over to the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. In the 18th & Vine district, you can go to the American Jazz Museum to learn more about the soulful and jazzy history of Kansas City. If you're there on the first weekend of the month, you can check out First Fridays. It's a monthly art walk where galleries stay open late, street artists perform, and food trucks gather, giving the whole neighborhood a community-style energy.

When you're looking for a place to stay that puts you in the middle of the art, the city has some great hotels. In the Crossroads Arts District, you could stay at the Crossroads Hotel, which is in a former bottling plant and shows off the area's industrial scene and style with a rooftop bar. For a more private vibe, you can try The Truitt, which is in a restored 1916 mansion right near the city's main art museums, making it a good home base for a gallery-hopping trip. You can also check out The Fontaine on the Country Club Plaza, which has a European-inspired design and puts you in a district known for its fountains and public sculptures. Make sure you look into the options to find one that works for you and your travel needs. You're going to need a place to rest after all that barbecue, after all.