Munchin’ & brunchin’: The recently opened breakfast & lunch restaurant, Homegrown Kitchen, is a charming new addition in Brookside

There’s only one thing that can cure me from the exhaustion of last week’s pile of AP Stats and Environmental Ed homework: Sunday brunch. 

A relatively new, Wichita-based restaurant called HomeGrown Kitchen opened its second location in Brookside on Aug. 9. Drawn in by its locally produced ingredients and homey atmosphere, I had to see what this breakfast place has to offer. As a brunch fanatic, I was eager to see it’s rank in my master “KC breakfast” list. 

Walking into HomeGrown Kitchen, my friend and I were greeted by the host who immediately sat us at a booth. The interior is aesthetically pleasing, with navy accented walls and honeycomb tile details. Having read the reviews right before going, my expectations were high considering the heavy number of 5-star ratings — so I was excited to get my hands on the menu.

The menu was full of mouth-watering entrees, which was slightly overwhelming considering how indecisive I am. From the croissant french toast to the homemade poptarts, I was craving it all. My friend and I ordered the BLT-A-E (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado and egg), biscuits and gravy and their popular coffee cake to share. 

I’ve tried my fair share of breakfast places around KC — First Watch, Eggct., Snooze and more — and have been searching to find one that checks each of my nit-picky boxes. For me, it’s a mix of how good the service is, quality of food, presentation and uniqueness. When I’m looking for the perfect brunch spot, it’s difficult to be satisfied with all the criteria — but HomeGrown Kitchen was pretty high on my list.

Getting lost in talking about our hectic week ahead, we barely noticed the little time go by before our food was carried out by our waiter. Eyeing the beautiful platter stacked with the sandwich, biscuits and cake, I couldn’t wait to dig in. 

The BLT-A-E had discrete layers of each item. The thick wheat bread made for a nice cushion to hold together all the flavors. It was full of smoky flavor from the bacon, the refreshing crunch from the tomato and lettuce and the creamy touch of the fried egg. When I come back, I’ll definitely rely on this sandwich as a go-to.

When I took a bite of the biscuits and gravy, I couldn’t help but aggressively nudge my friend to hurry and try it after me. The spices that layered my tongue in each bite made for a potent taste. The creamy gravy had pieces of sausage mixed in each bite and the biscuit was almost cake-like. 

Saving dessert for last, my friend and I were both excited but hesitant to go in for the coffee cake. The universal cake seems to be a staple at most brunch places, so we were critical when taking our first bite. Luckily it came with a side of buttermilk caramel sauce to set it apart from the rest of its competition. The cake was dense and rich, perfect for splitting between two or three friends. Soaking the cake in a layer of the caramel made each bite satisfying, but the cake was too rich to finish, so I got a to-go box.

When we were finishing up, the manager came over and checked in on us, asking what we thought of the new place — making the experience feel more personalized and memorable. The kindness and ease of the employees was a pleasant surprise considering they had everything smooth and running after only being open for two months.

After we left, I made sure to add Homegrown Kitchen to the number one spot on my “KC breakfast lists” note page. Next time I’m in Brookside, you can catch me going back to try out one of their homemade poptarts.