The Farmhouse Farm-to-Table Tradition, Exceptional Flavors, Innovative Recipes

By Jackson Bonar

“We’re not your common eggs, bacon and toast place,” says Marty Enslein, one of the co-owners of The Farmhouse in the River Market area. Once you look at their menu, you immediately realize he’s correct.

Located at 300 Delaware Street, Kansas City, Missouri, The Farmhouse has an interior that embodies the cozy and relaxed charm of farmhouse style, with a mixture of wooden tones, from cabinets to dining sets and chairs, incorporating adding warmth and character.

The Farmhouse is out to elevate your brunch experience, and that they do. The staff at this farm-to-table establishment takes pride in preparing their unique dishes enhancing the flavor profiles. Partnering with local farmers in both Kansas and Missouri, they prioritize organic, non-GMO foods, ensuring that every ingredient on your plate is fresh and sustainably sourced. By sourcing ingredients locally, The Farmhouse contributes to reducing its carbon footprint.

The restaurant has consistently won awards year after year for “Best Brunch,” “Best Bloody Mary,” “Best Reuben Sandwich,” just to mention a few, from numerous publications and organizations. All are proudly displayed on the wall as you enter, and after dining with them you’ll understand why.

I started with the Best Bloody Mary; it’s a fiery but subtle blend of spices immediately tantalizing your taste buds, leaving you wanting more. Their house-made Cinnamon Roll topped with bacon crumbles consists of irresistible swirls of sweet, spiced goodness topped with a delectable glaze as the bacon crumbles add a new dimension of texture and flavor. A popular breakfast dish is the Chilaquiles, Yoli Tortilleria yellow corn tortillas topped with onions, peppers, tomato guajillo sauce, lime crema, fresh cilantro and pickled corn relish. While it’s originally prepared as a vegan dish, you can add chicken, steak or eggs if you like. And for that sweet tooth, as if the cinnamon roll wasn’t enough, the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are incredible. Fresh, fluffy blueberry pancakes are topped with an ice-cream-size scoop of whipped lemon-ricotta butter with a side of pure maple syrup.

Recently, The Farmhouse added an American Bar-B-Que Systems smoker. Chef Vincent Paredes, co-owner, is no stranger to a smoker, having entered numerous competitions. He explained there is an art to smoking, as the air flow is the first and most essential element in smoking. It controls the temperature, the cleanliness of the smoke, the taste and flavor of the wood. One of their daily specials shortly after getting the smoker was a Smoked Short Rib Taco. The meat was so tender the bone slid right out as the meat cascaded into the shell. Chef Paredes plans on creating “pop up” dinners this summer with a “Bar-B-Que” influence utilizing the smoker serving a pre-set, four course menu. Chef Paredes’ Mexican American flair also created another daily special of Burnt End Tamales, smoked chicken with a peanut mole. A couple of new smoked staples have made it to their menu, a Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich and Smoked Sausage and Cajun Hash.

On the brunch side, start with a bowl of the soup of the week. When we dined, it was a Spring Greens Soup with leeks, green onions, asparagus, spinach and English peas pureed to a velvety creamy texture and topped with bite-sized nibbles of pancetta and edible flowers. Talking about greens, their non-traditional wedge salad is a true surprise. Created of Gem lettuce from Urban Bounty Farms grown hydroponically in the East Bottoms of Kansas City, it resembles a regular salad instead of the cut triangles served by other establishments. The traditional wedge toppings are all there, including bacon crumbles, toasted house-made croutons, cherry tomatoes and red onions, topped with the house-made blue cheese dressing with chives and black pepper. Like a sandwich? Try their award-winning Reuben as voted “Best in Kansas City,” tender, seasoned corned beef piled high on marble rye bread topped with kraut, Swiss cheese and house-made dressing, then toasted.

Hemme Brothers Farmstead Creamery in Sweet Springs, Missouri, supplies The Farmhouse with cheese curds, queso, white cheddar and fresh mozzarella while Thane Palmberg Farm, Lawrence, Kansas, provides leeks, onions, potatoes and spinach. Crum’s Heirlooms in Bonner Springs, Kansas, supplies heirloom tomatoes. All of these partners plus many more that provide The Farmhouse their goods are listed on a giant chalkboard prominently displayed on the brick wall in the dining room. Customers love looking at the board to see who they might know or to learn where some items came from.

If you’re looking for an utterly unique and flavorful brunch eatery, place The Farmhouse at the top of your list. Once you have been spoiled by their elevated dining experience, you won’t be a stranger to The Farmhouse, open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p m. Private dining is available afternoons and evenings.

Visit eatatthefarmhouse.com or call 816-569-6032 for more information and menu previews.

Jackson Bonar is the principal in Knetic Group, a local marketing and public relations firm focusing on the hospitality industry. His passion is putting his clients in the spotlight and managing their reputation through various communication channels. He can be reached at JBonar@kneticgroup.com.