Planted in PV
Arizona-based fast casual chain Flower Child will open August 11 in Corinth Square (3915 W. 83rd St., Prairie Village), its 45th location nationwide. Owned by Fox Restaurant Concepts, the restaurant is known for its health-focused menu of customizable salads, grain bowls and wraps, with plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. This is Flower Child’s first Kansas location, following the opening of a St. Louis outpost in 2024.
Arrivederci
Photography provided.
As Flower Child opens in Corinth Square, Va Bene prepares to say goodbye. The Italian restaurant announced it will close at the end of July after six years, citing an inability to reach a new lease agreement with the shopping center’s ownership. Opened by W. VinZant Restaurants in 2020, Va Bene earned a loyal following for its scratch-made pastas and braised short ribs. The good news for regulars: Many of the restaurants signature dishes will live on at sister restaurants Louie’s Wine Dive and Gram & Dun, and staff will transition within the restaurant group.
Fusion Feasting
Urban Eats has officially opened next to Taj Grocers (11832 Quivira Road, Overland Park), bringing an inventive spin to Indian cuisine in JoCo. The menu ranges from curries, street food and tandoor bites to fusion creations like tikka masala burritos and paneer pizzas. Although this is husband and wife Jaspal Singh and Manjit Kaur’s first restaurant, they aren’t new to the KC food scene; they’ve spent years working in catering, making meal boxes and homemade Indian sweets for clients.
Viva V
Another splashy dining spot is coming to the Plaza. V Modern Italian is the first announced tenant for the $35 million Cocina 47 development (604 W. 47th St., KCMO), with an opening planned for late 2026 or early 2027. The spot comes from Fast Fine Restaurant group, whose portfolio spans Nashville, Charleston, Tampa, Madrid and Stockholm. Developed by Michelin-starred chef Stefano Ciotti, V will be serving house-made pastas, Italian aperitifs and European wines with an atmosphere that will evolve from cool happy hour to DJ-curated dinners.
Last Catch
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Leawood’s Aqua Penny’s, from restaurateurs Penny and Doug Mufaka, closed in mid-July after more than two years at Park Place. Doug told the Kansas City Star that the restaurant struggled to find its identity after opening in 2024 as a fine-dining seafood destination before gradually incorporating more of Penny’s signature Thai flavors. “In the end we got it right, but it was too late,” he says. The closure leaves Bamboo Penny’s, KC Thai and Penny’s in the Village as the couple’s remaining metro restaurants.
Dining and Cooking