Great beer + great food = a Kansas City favorite
Some sunny afternoon or balmy evening, head south on Holmes from 435 in Kansas City until you 135th Street. Turn left and you’ll find yourself in a quaint little gathering of buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century. You’re in Martin City.
Now look for a red brick building on the north side of the street. Pull into the first parking spot you can find and head inside for some of the best beer in the Kansas City area at Martin City Brewing Company.
The brainchild of friends Chance Adams and Matt Moore, Martin City Brewing first opened its doors in 2011. Implementing their vision of making great tasting, incredibly drinkable beer in a fun and welcoming environment, they’ve been consistently growing and evolving since.
It starts with the beer, in particular the Hard Way IPA. Hoppy with just the right amount of bitterness, it has hints of floral, pine and herbs, making it a well-balanced and highly-enjoyable beer. Their Belgian Abbey is another winner. Pleasingly complex and flavorful, it’s full-bodied with fruity and nutty notes.
Really, all of Martin City Brewing’s beers are winners. And if you’re in the taproom, they’re the perfect accompaniment to their excellent food. And you have two types to choose from: the original pub has a fine selection of entrees that will put your average gastropub to shame. The burgers are great, the steak is phenomenal, but the real star is the Cowboy Mac and Cheese. Traditional mac and cheese smothered in pulled pork, jalapeños, tomatoes and barbeque sauce, it’s the right mix of creamy, smokey and spicy, and it’s all delicious.
If you’re more in the mood for pizza, back in 2014 they expanded into a neighboring building and opened the Martin City Pizza and Taproom. You can build your own, but their talented chefs have created some masterpieces like the Espana, Spanish chorizo, red onions, tomatoes and cherry peppers topped with manchego cheese, and the Poultrygeist, with roasted red pepper and chipotle salsa, ghost pepper cheese, chicken bacon, cherry peppers, tomatoes and black olives.
It’s well worth the drive, but if you can’t make it, don’t worry. Martin City Brewing has been distributing kegs around the area since late 2014, and has also started bottling and distributing their brews for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
This place is a local legend, and with one taste, you’ll understand why. If you’re within a day’s drive of Kansas City and haven’t been there yet, stop whatever it is you’re doing. I’m serious. Put down your phone, get off your computer and get in the car. You won’t regret it.