Regional pizza styles are nothing new, but there are many styles out there that are not well known, including Kansas City style.
Kansas City is best known for jazz, barbecue, fountains, and as late, the Chiefs and Taylor Swift. But unknown to many is the fact that Kansas City has a pretty impressive pizza scene as well.
When you combine independent pizzerias along with regional or national multi-store franchises, bars and restaurants, food trucks, and other places who may serve pizza in the Kansas City metro area, the city is home to literally hundreds of choices and a wide variety of styles. Depending on your taste, you can easily find thin crust to deep dish, New York style, Chicago style, and others such as St. Louis and Detroit styles, but when someone asks the question of, “Is there a Kansas City style pizza?”, most people say no. BUT, there IS a Kansas City style pizza and I’m officially laying claim to put the name on the pizza map because no one else has thus far.
Kansas City Pizza History
While Kansas City has many purveyors of pizza, there are not many locations here that go back years and years like in New York or Chicago. There is some ambiguity about who made the first pizzas in Kansas City due to a lack of documentation. One of the front runners is Italian Gardens, which opened as Italian restaurant in the 1920’s, but reportedly didn’t serve pizza until about 1953.
This downtown icon was frequented for many decades by lovers of traditional Italian cooking, as well as celebrities, athletes, and infamous mobsters. The place has probably as many stories to go with it as the number of noodles they served over the years. There were other Italian establishments in the area around that time such as The Majestic, but these were Italian restaurants who may have had pizza, but weren’t specializing in it.
Another restaurant, Antonio’s, opened in 1957 and is believed to be the first actual pizzeria in the city when it opened at 43rd and Main. Others like Villa Capri and Gaetano’s followed not long after, but these pizzas were based on other styles (mostly New York, Sicilian, or classic Neapolitan Italian recipes). While the foundation was being laid for our unique regional pizza identify, it wasn’t going to happen for a few more years.
Enter the 1960’s and Kansas City saw the addition of Fun House Pizza (1964), Pizza Shoppe (1967), and Old Shawnee Pizza (1969). THIS is where the definition of what I consider to be Kansas City style came to be. Based on my research, I’m going to say Fun House was probably the first place to make what I’m referring to as Kansas City style pizza, followed closely by Pizza Shoppe and Old Shawnee Pizza.
Kansas City style is actually a thing…
What I am claiming as “our” basic style in Kansas City is similar to what many think St. Louis style is, but is in fact very different. In my opinion, Kansas City style at it’s core is a thin cracker-like crust with hearty sauce, loads of thick, stretchy mozzarella and heavy on toppings. The crusts and concepts of these two cities may look the same at a glance, but believe me, they are not the same.
St. Louis style crust is made with unleavened, yeast free dough that doesn’t rise much. This changes the entire flavor profile of the dough. Then, there’s the St. Louis style cheese – provel. Provel is a processed blend of provolone, Swiss, and cheddar that provides a buttery, tangy taste, often with a hint of smoke that lacks the classic cheese pulls of milky mozzarella as it melts into a velvety glaze. Similar to the crust, it is a completely different flavor profile that is drastically different from the New York or Chicago styles you’re used to.
Pretty much everyone likes mozzarella cheese (unless they’re lactose intolerant), but provel is NOT for everyone, and is often the biggest point of contention as to whether or not you like St. Louis style. It is a very different taste that is not for everyone. You either love it, or hate it.
Back to the Kansas City style…
Some will argue what I describe as Kansas City style is just Chicago thin crust (also known as tavern pizza). Nope. There’s a big difference there too. Chicago style is very thin, but not cracker style. The sauce is usually lighter, and the cheese is spread to the edges with toppings diced and placed underneath the cheese, with little or no crust rim. It’s most often cut into squares, or the “party cut” (like St. Louis style also).
Kansas City style is cut into standard triangles with lots of toppings proudly placed on top, as well as a noticeable line where the cheese stops at the crust edges. Remember when I said Kansas City is known for many things including barbecue? The city surely reflects this tradition with barbecue as a pizza topping. This cannot usually be said of St. Louis or Chicago thin.
Where Do I Go For Kansas City Style?
The original Fun House Pizza in Raytown, Missouri closed in 2017, but other locations remain in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs, Missouri. Pizza Shoppe and Old Shawnee Pizza are also front runners for being the pioneers of Kansas City style and both are still operating with multiple locations around the metro area. Another, is Pizza Stop, located in Kansas City, Kansas. Pizza Shoppe, Old Shawnee Pizza, and Pizza Stop all share a similar origin story and taste very similar. If you want the taste of a true original Kansas City pie with a classic old school dining vibe, hit up one of these. They are all excellent choices and will make you quite happy, especially knowing they are the Kansas City originals.
Kansas City Style Vs. Kansas City Identity
Later, in the 1970’s, other Kansas City originals opened, including Minsky’s. Some locals like to say Minsky’s is the real “Kansas City pizza”, but I have mixed feelings on this because Minsky’s is not quite the same style as the other three, nor is it as old as the others. While the previous locations are what I am calling Kansas City style, Minsky’s provides more of the Kansas City identity. Minsky’s lacks the cracker crust, and their pizzas don’t really fit into any other regional pizza style category, but by default, we’ll still consider them to be a Kansas City original, but barely (in a good, delicious way though).
The place beckons visitors who are in search of unique topping combinations that often involve lots of meat, specifically barbecue. If you like crazy topping combinations that will make you remember your time in Kansas City, Minsky’s is your spot. They’ve won “Best of KC”, and countless other awards many times with their signature menu items. Even though they aren’t as old as the others (they opened in 1976), Minsky’s is a solid go-to not only for visitors, but locals alike who want a true Kansas City experience. They have numerous locations around the area, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one.
Just because Kansas City isn’t as well known as bigger cities for their styles doesn’t mean we are not worthy. It just means it’s only a matter of time before we’re known for yet another regional specialty. The world needs more people like me who are willing to speak out and lay claim to the regional title we rightly deserve. Maybe someone will read this and agree, then spread the word to other pizza lovers around the globe.
With Kansas City hosting the World Cup in 2026, it shouldn’t be hard to do that, as thousands of international visitors will flock to the city for delicious local meals.
If you’re a visitor to the city, go out and explore everything! There is more here than you think! If you’re a local, enjoy the variety of slices we’ve got, and if you ever need any Kansas City pizza advice, I’m your guy…
~ Marty The Pizza Guy ~
What’s your favorite Kansas City pizza?
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