With a growing food truck scene and plenty of pretty patios Topeka is the perfect place to be when dining out in a Kansas summer. We line up the best restaurants to try in Topeka when the weather is good.
Noble House’s bright blue food truck is bringing the tropical tastes of Hawaiian cuisine to Topeka. Specializing in Hawaiian plate lunches, choose from traditional Hawaiian eats like kalua pig and cabbage, chicken katsu, garlic shrimp, huli huli chicken, kalbi ribs, loco moco and the diner favorite ahi tuna poke.
Noble House, Various locations, Topeka, KS, USA, +1 785 380 7340
RowHouse Restaurant
Bar, Restaurant, American, Contemporary, $$$
For fresh, seasonal eats this summer look no further than RowHouse Restaurant. RowHouse’s cuisine is inspired by the bounty Kansas has to offer and many of the herbs and vegetables featured in the restaurant’s dishes are grown in its own onsite garden. The three-level house boasts a number of intimate dining rooms, including a cozy bar, but for perfect summertime dining head outside to its pretty patio.
Bar, Restaurant, American, Beer, Contemporary, $$$
X-Marks the Spot’s Wrigley Field dog
The Blue Moose Bar & Grill is a great place to dine this summer in Topeka. The restaurant’s interior dining space is cool and classy with red leather booths, a lively bar and a chilled-out lounge though its patio is the perfect spot to try Blue Moose Bar & Grill’s sandwiches, flatbreads, build-your-own mac ‘n’ cheese and tempting entrees like chipotle-braised short ribs and grilled mahi tacos alongside summery drinks like sangria and seasonal cocktails.
Opened in summer 2014 X-Marks the Spot is a food truck serving gourmet burgers and hot dogs – perfect summer eats when strolling the streets of Topeka. All its burgers and dogs are made with 100% Angus beef and include options like The Big X burger topped with cheese, thick-cut peppered bacon, garlic herb mayo, lettuce, red onion and beefsteak tomato and the Chicago-inspired Wrigley Field dog with pickle relish, tomatoes, diced onion, sport peppers and cherry pepper aioli. Customize your food with X-Marks the Spot’s made-from-scratch sauces; their secret beer cheese sauce is made with an exclusive batch of beer from Missouri’s Big Rip Brewing Company.
X-Marks the Spot, Various locations, Topeka, KS, USA, +1 785 207 7122
Blind Tiger
Bar, Pub, Restaurant, American, Beer, Pub Grub, $$$
When it first opened its doors 20 years ago, Blind Tiger became Topeka’s first ever microbrewery and the biggest brew house in Kansas, and it remains a popular haunt for local diners today for its award-winning craft beers, American pub grub and huge, multi-level space. Head to Blind Tiger’s outdoor deck to enjoy a beer or two in the sun.
Usually an exclusive club reserved for members and private, Top of the Tower has opened up its fine dining restaurant to the public. Enjoy lunch specials like hot crab and artichoke melt with sautéed tomatoes, green onions and parmesan Monday through Friday or go for a weekend dinner and dine on dishes like Kansas City strip steak with garlic butter noodles or lemon pepper tilapia with lemon cream sauce and wild rice while taking in beautiful views across the city.
Local sandwich fanatics and diners in the know will already be aware of Mr. Nice Guys’ Hot Box, the family-friendly, retro-style sandwich shop opened in late 2013 serving some of the best Philly cheesesteaks and pulled pork in town. But if you can’t make it to Mr. Nice Guys’ brick-and-mortar restaurant this summer, you can catch their food truck around town at festivals and events.
Mr. Nice Guys’ Hot Box, Various locations, Topeka, KS, USA, +1 785 217 5574
Juli’s Coffee and Bistro
Bistro, Deli, Coffee, Steakhouse, $$$
Serving gourmet coffee and deli fare since first opening its doors in 2011, Juli’s Coffee and Bistro is giving diners even more reason to drop by with its new summer menu. Alongside early morning food like biscuits and gravy and breakfast burritos and daily lunch specials, Juli’s Coffee and Bistro’s new menu features dishes perfect for a spot of light, summertime dining like the signature summer salad.
A long-standing local favorite, G’s Frozen Custard & Yoghurt is often hailed as serving the best frozen custard in town and what better time of year to enjoy its sweet treats than the height of summer? G’s Frozen Custard & Yoghurt boasts up to four flavors of sugar and fat-free yoghurts and 15 varieties of frozen custard and alongside perennial favorites like the Brown Bread Crunch and the Ruby Red.
Burgers are perfect grub for casual, summertime dining and at The Burger Stand they’re given a tasty, gourmet twist. Choose from burger varieties including The Classic topped with Vermont white cheddar and mixed locally grown greens or the Greek Burger topped with a sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade and feta cheese. The Burger Stand’s ping pong tables, pool, foosball and a pinball machine offer extra entertainment and there’s an outdoor patio perfect for enjoying its gourmet burgers in the sun.
