Celebrating 12 years at Mission Farms in Leawood this year, Rye continues to be a beloved, local chef-driven dining destination in Kansas City.
Whether guests come for the crispy fried chicken or Monday steak night and sides created by the executive chef, Ryan Williams, and his team, or a simple cup of coffee and a slice (or two) of pie made by the pastry chef, Keara Masson, the comforting Midwestern menu at Rye has proven to be a winning recipe for owners Colby and Megan Garrelts.
When they aren’t busy running two restaurants, mentoring new chefs, supporting local charities, and shaping the culinary offerings at the soon-to-open KC Current Stadium, the Garrelts are spending time at home with their two teenagers. Theirs, too, is a love story worth celebrating, for all the chef talent, good food, and drinks it has brought to Kansas City.
Someone once said that the restaurants we fall in love with are like a good romantic partner—consistent, delicious, and always leaves us wanting more. Is it possible our love of their fried chicken and lemon pie helped to fund, five years later, a second Rye location on the Country Club Plaza? I’d like to think so.
The same is true for the bar program at Rye Leawood. It has, over the years, been shaped by some of the best bartenders in the business, always showing a level of quality and craftsmanship that regulars have come to expect. There is nothing quite like sitting at Rye’s comfortable, long bar and ordering your favorite cocktail or a glass of whiskey, beer, or wine while chatting with those around you. It’s that intangible feeling of togetherness that we all missed most during the darkest days of the pandemic.
To celebrate a month that recognizes togetherness comes the Metropolitan, a cocktail currently on the menu at Rye Leawood. With its gorgeous, ruby-red hue, and fizzy bright blood-orange flavor served in a coupe glass garnished with edible flowers, it’s like having a liquid valentine created just for you by Mika Cummins and the Rye Leawood bar team.
Metropolitan
- 1.5 ounces Tito’s Vodka
- .75 ounce Liber & Co. Blood Orange Cordial
- .5 ounce Triple Sec
- .5 ounce fresh lemon juice
- .5 ounce fresh blood orange juice
- Prosecco
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine Tito’s Vodka, Liber & Co. Blood Orange Cordial, Triple Sec, fresh lemon juice, and fresh blood-orange juice. Shake well, pour into a coupe glass and top with prosecco. Garnish with a fresh slice of blood orange and edible flowers.