Blue Bird Bistro, the farm-to-table restaurant that has anchored a corner of Kansas City's Westside, is closing its doors after losing its lease at 1700 Summit Street. The restaurant, known for its fancy cakes and brunch dishes, plans to wind down service.
The closure affects a restaurant housed in a restored 1880s Victorian building at the corner of 17th and Summit streets, according to Visit KC. In its statement, the restaurant said losing its lease is a major change but also an opportunity to close a meaningful chapter. The restaurant's closing date has not been included here.
Over its run, Blue Bird Bistro worked with local farmers and used local ingredients, including produce from Campo Lindo Farm, according to KCUR, which describes Blue Bird Bistro as an early farm-to-table restaurant in Kansas City. The restaurant said it witnessed customers' milestones over the decades, including babies growing up, families expanding and relationships beginning and flourishing, per the same account.
A Quarter Century of Community Tables
Owner Jane Zieha built more than a menu at Blue Bird Bistro; she built rituals. The bistro hosted a weekly four-course communal dinner known as Wednesday Night Table and a monthly Farmers Table event that seated diners alongside the growers who supplied their food, according to Discover Finer Living.
The bistro's menu featured local and organic ingredients. Earlier this year, the restaurant marked an anniversary month in March by featuring legacy dishes such as its Campo Lindo Farm chicken crostata, according to a Facebook post shared by Casa Somerset Bed and Breakfast.
Anchoring a Changing Summit Street
Blue Bird Bistro sat at a high-profile corner on Summit Street in Kansas City's Westside. Chez Elle and The Westside Local were among Westside favorites, according to Applebaum KC Homes. The restaurant remained part of the neighborhood's changing dining scene.
The closure lands amid changes in the neighborhood.
Part of a Broader Westside Shift
Separately, Hoodline reported that local artist Calvin Arsenia went under contract to buy the historic Greenwood Social Hall church building on Belleview Avenue; Greenwood Baptist Church began in 1927. The deal was for $725,000.
No word yet on what will become of Blue Bird Bistro's historic 1880s building at 1700 Summit Street once the restaurant serves its final meals. The restaurant helped define Kansas City's farm-to-table dining scene.
