KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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Kansas City, Kansas, is making history this month with its first Black Restaurant Week from Sept. 7–13.
KCK’s first Black Restaurant Week leads community into 913 Day
The event wraps up on 913 Day.
The week-long celebration spotlights 11 Black-owned restaurants scattered across Wyandotte County, giving residents and visitors a chance to explore a diverse food scene that includes everything from barbecue and soul food to pizza, coffee and more.
Some participating restaurants will sweeten their deals with $9.13 specials in honor of 913 Day.
913 Day, which falls on Sept. 13, celebrates the people, culture, history and local businesses in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.
The day takes its name from the area’s 913 area code.
Mayor/CEO Christal Watson has issued a proclamation recognizing Black Restaurant Week, acknowledging the role Black-owned restaurants play in the county’s cultural heritage, economic vitality and community identity.
Visit KCK, a local nonprofit promoting tourism in KCK, shared more information about the event on its page.
Chris Morrison/KSHB 41
Black Restaurant Week merchandise in Visit KCK office on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Black Restaurant Week merchandise is available for purchase at Visit KCK’s office at 727 Minnesota Ave. Merchandise can also be purchased online.
Visit KCK’s Ritz Dasgupta says the celebration is about more than just food.
Chris Morrison/KSHB 41
Ritz Dasgupta, Visit KCK
“We are known for our cultural diversity and our long history, so I think this is another beautiful way of people to experience that cultural diversity and support our Black-owned businesses,” Dasgupta said.
A handful of the participating businesses are located in KCK’s northeast area, which is still recovering from devastating storm damage in mid-August.
Dasgupta said the timing of the celebration carries added meaning.
“This is a very time-sensitive celebration because, as you know, our city has been recovering from storm damage. I think this is another beautiful way for these local businesses to reconnect with their customers and continue their recovery process,” Dasgupta said.
One of those longtime businesses is Ms. R’s Café, 720 Quindaro Blvd. The restaurant is one of KCK’s longest-standing soul food joints.
Eddie Scover has run the café for the last five years. He took over after his mother opened it nearly 41 years ago.
Scover ran it alone until recently, when his daughter moved from Denver to help.
Chris Morrison/KSHB 41
Eddie Scover, owner of Ms. R’s Soul Food Cafe
“It’s my everything,” Scover said. “Cause my mother passed Sept. 4, 2021, of cancer, and she left me the business. And she said, ‘Do not mess it up.'”
The storm knocked down the restaurant’s sign and caused a brief power outage. Despite the setbacks, Scover said he has no plans of slowing down.
“I’m pushing for 50, 60 years. I don’t know. But yeah, I’m pushing,” Scover said. “And if they can carry it on to 100, that’d be great.”
The 11 participating restaurants are:
John’s Java & Jazz, 2003 N. 5th St., Kansas City, KS 66101Holy Smoke BBQ, 8050 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, KS 66109Q13 Sports Bar & Grill, 2724 N. 13th St., Kansas City, KS 66104Wilson’s Pizza & Grill, 1801 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66104The Neighborhood Eats, 2100 N. 13th St., Kansas City, KS 661041930 Classic Kitchen, 1930 N. 77th St., Kansas City, KS 66112Turkey Leggman, 1916 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66104Jones Bar-B-Q, 6706 Kaw Dr., Kansas City, KS 66111Nana’s Kitchen, 7355 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, KS 66109Ms. R’s Café, 720 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66101Fast Fred’s Market, 1806 N. 18th St., Kansas City, KS 66104
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Dining and Cooking