Martin City Brewing Company Pizza & Taproom: Quenching OP’s Thirst for Fun

As a Leawood resident, I never have to venture far for remarkable cuisine or upscale ambiance. Settled in the heart of the city, Missions Farms offers distinct charm and local love through a variety of shops and restaurants. The newest tenant is an established KC favorite, Martin City Brewing Company’s Pizza & Taproom.  

The red brick exterior is the perfect counterpart to an industrial-chic interior, cozy with a dose of urban flair. When I arrived, a bustling line of hungry customers awaited the host; they were quickly greeted and seated. As I approached the front of the line, I was surprised to find that the host was MCBC owner Matt Moore. He shook my hand and welcomed me to a table.

Matt Moore and Chance Adams opened the original brewery in Martin City seven years ago. After proving initial success, the Mission Farms location was added in 2018 as an extension of the Martin City brand. “Trevor, a good friend of mine from high school, lives in the area and he had the idea for this location. We explored the opportunity and now we’ve been open for about five months. It’s going very well,” Matt said. 

MCBC is known as “Kansas City’s Fastest Growing Locally Owned Brewery.” To what does Matt attribute the success? “The liquid in the glass and the food on the plate,” he replied. “There aren’t many production breweries in KC that have multiple restaurants and have their beer on tap as well. That’s been a game changer. We’ve had a lot of people working really hard.”

MCBC’s beer style was inspired by Matt and Chance’s favorite form: Belgian. Hard Way IPA, Belgian Abbey and Belgian Blond are the iconic flagship beers. Each glass has a distinct, smooth malt flavoring. The Blond evoked a floral aroma upon my initial sip, but a slightly spicy aftertaste differentiates it from the pack. My personal favorite, the Abbey, is rich in color and exudes sweet notes of apple and cherry. Each beer produces their own flavor experience, but they’re all the perfect complement to spending a cool KC night dining in MCBC’s relaxing outdoor patio. 

MCBC Pizza & Taproom is your new girls’ night go-to. All three locations offer live music and events for a variety of ages. “We’ve established quite a growing fan base,” Matt said. “The bands are awesome. We’ve gathered a collection of great musicians that has helped the brand grow as well.” An endless variety of beer and good tunes are matched by MCBC’s prized dish, the pizza. 

A piping-hot plate was served to the table and before I could even process the heavenly scent of spicy Italian sausage and roasted yellow onions, I feasted my eyes upon the picture-perfect Supremo. A roasted pepper medley, wild mushrooms and olives tucked into a sheet of melted whole milk mozzarella topped each slice. 

The Supremo is a red sauce all-star, but if you fancy an uncommon pie, order the Chicken Spanakopita. This dish is the most popular specialty pizza, and one bite into the creamy garlic alfredo sauce, grilled chicken, artichoke hearts and feta combo, I could understand why. MCBC pizzas ooze mozzarella and freshness; you can taste it in every slice.  

If you’re in the Mission Farms area and yearn for a light lunch, MCBC crafts crisp and decadent salads. The Niçoise Salad includes a spring mix, pops of colorful peppers, red potatoes, grape tomatoes and a wonderfully zesty vinaigrette. The Old-Fashioned Cobb Salad is a direct reflection of the restaurant that it’s served in; it’s a party on a plate. Turkey, ham, avocado, boiled egg and robust blue cheese crumbles dance together to fill you up without weighing you down.

No matter how hard I fall in love with my starters and entrees, I always save room for dessert. MCBC offers a mod take on traditional tiramisu. Layers of ladyfingers are soaked in dark MCBC brewed beer and Kahlua, layered between fluffy coats of whipped mascarpone cheese and dusted with a rich sprinkling of cocoa powder. This is a sinfully sweet way to conclude an hour of spoiling your palate. 

While any item on MCBC’s Pizza & Taproom’s menu is a safe bet, Matt ultimately recommends that newcomers pair the España pizza with a Hard Way IPA. Strangers to MCBC may be far and few between since the original location has such an established reputation, but the Mission Farms venue offers an experience completely unique to
the area.

“We’re just trying to solidify ourselves in this neighborhood,” Matt said. “We have a variety of great neighboring restaurants across the street and we’re serving up something different.” It’s clear that MCBC’s Pizza & Taproom at Mission Farms is committed to focusing on continued satisfaction. Matt’s recipe for success features two main ingredients: “Good food and good beer, all day long.” ■

Visit MCBC Pizza & Taproom at Mission Farms for reverse happy hour: 9:00 p.m. until midnight! Check martincitybrewingcompany.com for specials and menu previews.

Cravings writer Meg Kraft is a Kansas City transplant from Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to wining, dining and writing, she is a social media specialist and wedding blogger. Meg and her fiancé love exploring their new home and experiencing every flavor that the KC food scene has to offer. She is a pet parent to three French Bulldogs and an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan. Her life motto: count the memories, not the calories.