Brookside is known for its many beautiful historic homes in a wide variety of styles. From cozy bungalows to Spanish Revivals, Arts & Crafts, Tudors, Shirtwaists, and Neo-Classicals of all sizes, the neighborhood truly has something for everyone. Included in this charming neighborhood is a thriving business district!
Brookside residents are fortunate because its commercial spaces have also remained intact since the neighborhood’s beginnings in the early 1900s. The lively, pedestrian-friendly area has offered a wide range of products, services, and entertainment options for nearly 100 years. And, like any other bustling public space, it enjoys an almost continuous influx of new businesses offering fresh options to the Brookside community.
Here’s to welcoming some new businesses in Brookside!
Meddys
Meddys Mediterranean Restaurant
6301 Brookside Plaza
Monday – Sunday, 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
(816) 708-0211
Located in the historic Parkview/Rexall Drugs Building at the intersection of 63rd Street and Wyandotte Street, Meddys serves authentic, healthy Mediterranean fare at reasonable prices. Hummus, shawarmas, salads, and more are made to order for dine-in or carry-out. They also offer a full bar for pre-dinner or happy hour beer, wine, or cocktails.
“Can’t get enough of the hummus and fresh warm pita bread here!” says one happy customer on TripAdvisor. “To say it was delicious is an understatement. If you’re in the Brookside area, do yourself a favor and stop in. You won’t regret it.”
Within easy walking distance of everything else that the area offers, it’s a great spot for a quick lunch, after-work drink, or casual dinner while shopping, running errands, or satisfying a taste for made-from-scratch Middle Eastern dishes.
Shop Local
Shop Local
6245 Brookside Plaza
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
(816) 886-9050
A former Midtown mainstay, Shop Local recently relocated to Brookside, fulfilling a long-sought move, says owner Katie Mabry van Dieren.
“When I opened the Midtown store in 2021, I actually wanted to be in Brookside, but there was no available space,” she says. “I’m so excited to be in Brookside. I live in Brookside, and it’s always been my dream to ride my bike to my shop.”
Shop Local has been a long-time advocate of promoting local creators and woman-owned businesses, so alongside their floral offerings, you can find a wide variety of jewelry, pottery, decor, stationery, and candles from more than 300 local artisans.
“Brookside has kept its historic original architecture and a sense of a close, local neighborhood community,” says Mabry van Dieren. “And that is what our shop is all about: promoting the creativity of local makers.”
Salumi Rose
Salumi Rose
7443 Broadway Street
Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Thursday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
(816) 679-3014
The homepage of Salumi Rose’s website states, “We’re food. We’re art. We’re friends. We’re family. We’re an experience.” In the summer of 2022, Alice Arredondo and Kris Beckman decided to create a retail experience that is just that: an experience!
Salumi Rose offers workshops in creating charcuterie boards, from beginning to end. That includes crafting the board itself, from bamboo hardwood, walnut, maple, or cherry. Participants are instructed on how to personalize the board with wood-burning techniques and how to choose just the right combination of meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.
They offer a charming array of ready-made mini-charcuterie options, including Char-Tinis and Char-Jars – charcuterie for one in a bamboo cup or glass jar – and the Char-Cutie, charcuterie for two in a box, along with a wide selection of trays for up to 12.
So, if you are planning a party, make sure to stop by the Salumi Rose!
Bacaro Primo
Bacaro Primo
323 E. 55th Street
Monday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM; Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
(816) 381-6084
Located in Brookside’s Crestwood Shops, Bacaro Primo offers a highly stylized version of Italian American comfort food in a setting with “all the right decorative details that are there to make Bacaro Primo feel totally casual with just the right amount of class,” according to IN Kansas City magazine.
Owners Todd Shulte and Cory Dannehl describe the menu as, “Italian inspired but driven by Midwestern seasonality, centered around a rotating selection of Italian and domestic salami options.”
Bacaro Primo is a worthy addition to Brookside’s elevated restaurant scene. It is elegant but not pretentious; upscale but not too expensive. It’s perfect for date night, an anniversary or birthday, and family celebrations, and it has enjoyed good word-of-mouth since day one.
“The cozy Italian joint with a horseshoe bar and a Coliseum-sized salami selection is one of the most roundly pleasant new restaurants the city has seen in years,” says Kansas City Magazine.
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Nothing Bundt Cakes
332 W. 63rd Street
Opening: Spring 2024
Brookside’s newest business neighbor is Nothing Bundt Cakes, the latest outpost of the nationally known chain of bakeries. Famous for their decorated handcrafted cakes in a range of sizes and flavors baked daily, the sweet treats are available for pickup, delivery, or enjoying on the spot. They also offer catering for corporate and private events.
They will occupy the former World’s Window space, recently vacated when the owners retired after almost 40 years.
In addition to ready-made and custom orders, Nothing Bundt Cakes’ goods include delectable mini, cupcake-sized bundt cakes, called Bundtinis, sold separately or packaged by the dozen. After all, customization is on the menu, too.
“Designs are curated for any occasion,” states TastingTable.com. “Little nurses’ hats say thank you to all deserving healthcare workers, cakes blooming with bright floral bouquets welcome warmer weather, cakes spiked with reindeer antlers wish happy holidays… There’s something for every day, everything, and everyone!”
No Need to Leave Brookside!
Kansas City offers a world-class array of cultural, dining, and entertainment options. Nevertheless, it’s great to live in a neighborhood where almost anything a family is in the mood for can be had with a short drive, walk, or bike ride. Among the many benefits of living in Brookside is the likelihood of running into friends and neighbors on the sidewalk or at the restaurants and shops that are as uniquely “Brookside” as the people who happily call it home!
So, be a good neighbor. Say hello to – and patronize! – the businesses, new and long-established, just down the street or right around the corner.
