Why a Wichita restaurant guide where there’s so many others? Simple. I always want to eat at local places. Wichita has tons of local restaurants that continually win national recognition for the quality and craft that goes into each dish. There is nothing better than spending a chill Friday night on a patio in downtown Wichita. Below are just a few of my favorite local hangouts and my favorite dishes!
College Hill – Wichita Restaurant Guide
You can’t go to College Hill without visiting Clifton Square. This place is always busy and parking on the street is your best bet to avoid congestion. I absolutely love that I can walk to it from College Hill and all of the restaurants are dog friendly! Sherlock approves.
Ziggy’s Pizza – Wichita is known for it’s thin crust so Ziggy’s is a nice deviation from it. I consider their crust a hybrid between thin and pan pizza crust which is perfect for filling you up but not making you go into a carb coma. Be sure to get their queso as a starter. I know, queso from a pizza place doesn’t seem like a good combination, but it is! My go-to pizza is the Classic Ziggy, no mushrooms. I also highly recommend the taco pizza, don’t knock it until you try it. Anytime you can get Doritos and pizza together you know is going to be a good night.
Dempsey’s Burger Pub – Right next to Ziggy’s is Dempsey’s Burger Pub which is pretty much always busy. Don’t worry though, there’s a basement, outside and main floor so the wait goes by fast! I always get the Bleu Burger with sweet potato fries. You cannot be my friend though if you don’t ask for lots of extra roasted garlic aoli! Mmmm. I’ve tried to recreate this and it’s just not worth it. Just go to Dempsey’s and enjoy it. I think their greatest asset is their fries. I dream of their fries. Regular, truffle, sweet potato and fire. All of them are delicious.
If you’re in the mood for a drink, their blackberry Moscow Mule is my favorite in town!
College Hill Creamery
So after you’ve eaten pizza and a burger and can barely walk, walk over to College Hill Creamery. Your stomach may burst but it’s ice cream so it’s worth it. You can get a fresh waffle, coffee or ice cream in this cute little shop. The malt ball in the bottom of the cone is a novelty to many people. Personally I don’t like it but, to each their own.
College Hill Deli – You know how everyone has “their” place? College Hill Deli is where everyone knows your name and you go not only because the food is good, but because you want a hug from Ali the owner. This deli has the best gyro in town and Ali is serious about his food and you can taste the pride and love he puts into everything. PLUS! There is a super famous mural on the side of it that is Instagram candy.
Note: This is not a place where you go and just hang out on your phone. The first time I did that, Ali reminded me that I needed to be present in the moment. No phone in sight sense!
Dempsey’s Biscuit Co. – Yes, another Dempsey’s is basically down the street from itself but it’s totally different. Think Hattie B’s, but in the Midwest. I love the the Belmont medium spicy. A warning: they aren’t messing around with spice and sometimes it’s hotter then others. The pimento cheese is delicious but packs a punch.
The lunch crowd makes it packed but go in the evening and it’s a different concept and a seated meal. Their brunch on the weekend is also delicious and worth the wait.
Riverside
Tucked away between Downtown and west Wichita is the charming, quirky and hippie area known as Riverside. I had to discover it’s charm after I needed to get an acai bowl and Songbird Juice company is in Riverside so I jumped in my car and drove there. Unfortunately my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area closed unexpectedly.
Songbird Juice Company – The original juice place in Wichita and the only place that sells true acai bowls in town! I love getting the Sunflower bowl and setting up shop to blog inside or sit on the patio and watch the cars pass by.
R Coffeehouse – The title coffeehouse might make you think they only serve coffee, but they are just as known for their desserts and menu as much as they are for coffee! It’s not just a coffeehouse, it’s a cultural experience that shows you what Riverside is all about. They work hard to showcase local artists and you can always find someone playing live music.
Do you have any can’t miss places? Send me an email with the subject line “Wichita Restaurant Guide” and I’m happy to add to the list.