Chefs, line cooks, and trainees swiftly navigate the front counter station at the new Flower Child restaurant on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026.
Sophia Buonpane
sophiabuonpane@kcstar.com
A Johnson County restaurant boasting of fresh food and allergen-friendly options is still in its infancy, but it’s already planning a second location.
Fast-casual chain Flower Child will open a spot in Leawood, according to an application submitted to the city.
An array of dishes is displayed on a table at the new Flower Child restaurant on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. From top left, clockwise, are the Mother Earth bowl; a customizable entrée with grass-fed steak, gluten-free mac and cheese and roasted broccoli; the 1924 wrap; a ginger miso crunch salad; a Peruvian braised beef bowl; avocado hummus with pita and crudité; and, in the center, the green chile queso. Sophia Buonpane sophiabuonpane@kcstar.com
A spokeswoman with the brand confirmed that Flower Child is opening in Leawood and anticipates a late 2027 opening date.
The prospective location at 4900 W. 119th St. will be the Arizona-based chain’s second in the metro. Its first spot opened more than a month ago at 3915 W. 83rd St. in Prairie Village.
Part of Fox Restaurant Concepts, Flower Child offers protein-packed bowls, salads, wraps and more.
Dishes include the ginger miso crunch salad ($10.75), Peruvian braised beef bowl ($17.25), avocado hummus ($8.25) and chicken enchiladas ($15.95). The building is decked in yellow and green accents and murals.
At the time the first KC restaurant opened, The Star sat down with regional operations manager Kenny Barsalou.
“I think we always had a really great concept, and people gravitated to it initially because it makes healthy food craveable,” Barsalou explained. “Coming out of COVID, I think we really fine-tuned the operation quite a bit and really put ourselves in the position to hit the ground running when the world opened back up.”
A 1924 wrap and an ice black tea are served at the new Flower Child restaurant in Prairie Village on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. The 1924 wrap is a grilled chicken teaser wrap. Sophia Buonpane sophiabuonpane@kcstar.com
If you ask a Flower Child employee for a recommendation, they might point you toward the Mother Earth bowl ($12.45) with ancient grains, sweet potato, portobello mushroom, avocado, cucumber, broccoli pesto, charred onion, leafy greens, red pepper miso vinaigrette and hemp seed. It’s the most popular item on the menu.
“It’s just great food, prepared with a lot of love and really great ingredients,” Barsalou said.
He added that each of Flower Child’s restaurants has its own touches. The brand aims to make their spaces anything but “cookie cutter.”
The Prairie Village spot was Flower Child’s 45th location in the nation and its first in Kansas. It’s had a St. Louis location since 2024.
The Leawood space was once home to Houlihan’s, which operated there until at least the mid-90s until it closed in March.
The development referred to in planning documents as “French Corner” was previously approved by the city to include two restaurant buildings.
An inside look at the new Flower Child restaurant in Prairie Village on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. It is the first Flower Child location to open in Kansas. Sophia Buonpane sophiabuonpane@kcstar.com
Houlihan’s now has just one location in the metro, at 11851 W. 95th St. in Overland Park.
Its former Fairway location was once set to become Whitney VinZant-owned restaurant American Fire, but those plans fizzled.
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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
Dining and Cooking