Billie’s Grocery: A Review of one of KC’s Most Popular Restaurants

I haven’t recently been someone on the search for cute locations to take Instagram photos, since most places I go require me to be in four layers, snow boots and of course a mask — not the best look for the ‘Gram. But if I was, Billie’s Grocery would be my first stop. 

It wasn’t exactly a hidden gem, given that their iced lattes and colorful salads practically filled my Instagram feed during the abnormally warm weeks of winter, but I still wanted to try it out for myself.

The name is deceiving, since it’s a restaurant rather than an actual grocery store, although it offers a variety of items — from flowers to juices to baking kits. And if you’re looking to splurge, they host cooking classes and have booking options for a private event space.

The restaurant offers dozens of vegan and gluten-free items, bakery-made desserts and decadent breakfast, brunch and dinner options, which are all available all day: an aspect I especially liked as the Chick-Fil-A breakfast menu’s early expiration of 10:30 a.m. has caused me a few tears.

I went at 3 p.m. — a dull time of day — so the restaurant only had a few customers, who all happily sipped on coffee and read their books or worked on their laptops. I can positively say that the fresh and calm atmosphere in Billie’s Grocery made me want to sit in a corner with a scone and a coffee, reading a book until I was forced to leave. 

I spent some of my time waiting for my food wandering the restaurant. It was easy to take into account the beautiful architecture of the space, with huge windows and high ceilings. The whole environment feels clean, easy-going and cozy — a perfect place to stop and get warm during a blizzard. 

Although the menu was filled with items, I spent more time trying to decide what to order than actually eating my food. I browsed the bakery items — knowing I would be back for more — before landing on the Pesto Chicken Sandwich.

While the wait was on the longer side — about 15 minutes — it was totally worth it once I got my food. My sandwich was accompanied by french fries, ketchup and ranch-like aioli dressing.

I can’t say enough about the Pesto Chicken Sandwich. For my own sake, I cut it in half: partly because it was so big I couldn’t fit a bite in my mouth, and partly because I knew I’d be happy with myself if I took half of it home for my lunch tomorrow. I personally love pesto, however, if you’re not a huge fan of it, I wouldn’t suggest ordering this item, as they really pack it on. For me, it was a treat. 

And the fries… 

As I was eating them they were literally changing my life and my whole perspective on fries. I’ve never been one to dislike any french fries, but these easily made it to the top of my list (coming close behind the Kansas City Joe’s french fries.) They had the perfect amount of seasoning, and mixed with the dip, they were delectable. In fact, looking back, I’m upset with myself for not taking multiple orders to go because they were so delicious. 

After devouring my fries, and leaving half of my sandwich for later, I knew it was time to keep my promise of heading back to the bakery counter for something sweet. This decision was harder than the last: I ended up stuck between the the bakery’s upscale dessert renditions of a Snickers Bar, a Twix Bar, the Cookie Dough Bar and the Tahini Millionaire Bar. After some help from an employee, I landed on the Millionaire Bar — a shortbread base with caramel and chocolate on it. This version however was gluten-free, and vegan, so the caramel was a nut-based substitute. 

The Tahini Millionaire bar is definitely an acquired taste. My first bite was the most shocking, but it got better and better with each bite. Although delicious, when I go back I may try one of the three options I decided against. 

The total for my whole meal was around $17 with tax — the sandwich was $12 and the bar was $4 — and while more expensive than my typical Chick-Fil-A meal, definitely worth it. The only downside was the drive, as it’s located a bit north of the Plaza. If I’m near the area and looking for a bite, I’ll definitely make the stop at Billie’s Grocery.