Kansas City barbecue is its own school. The meat is smoked slow over hickory, the sauce is thick, sweet and tomato-based, and the city works with a wider range of cuts than most barbecue regions — beef, pork, chicken, sausage, all on the same menu. Burnt ends, the caramelised tips of the brisket point, were a Kansas City invention and are still the thing to order.
The institutions each have their partisans, and locals will argue the point at length. It is worth trying more than one, because the styles differ more than the shared label suggests.
Beyond barbecue, the City Market has anchored the riverfront for well over a century and is where the city’s immigrant food communities are most visible. There is also a serious craft beer scene and a run of ambitious restaurants in the Crossroads district.