Leawood, Kansas, may be a residential area, but this suburban community’s culinary scene doesn’t play it safe. While Leawood’s food scene is relatively small compared to larger cities, the local restaurants are diverse, offering something to suit all tastes and budgets. When you want a lunch that’s out of the ordinary, a special night with your other half, or a dining experience to expand your kids’ taste buds, check out some of the best restaurants and eateries offering ethnic cuisine in Leawood.

Taste the Comfort Food of Italy

With America’s appetite for pizza and pasta, Italian is one of the most approachable ethnic cuisines. You can also find it at any price point, from affordable pizzerias to upscale eateries. Nico & Ana’s is a friendly trattoria that specializes in Italian street food, such as piada, a wrap made with flatbread, and classic pasta dishes, including lasagna and spaghetti with ragu sauce.

Plate Restaurant elevates Italian with its modern menu created with high-end ingredients, fine wines, and signature cocktails. Dishes such as pork Milanese and Bistecca alla Fiorentina, made with a 33-ounce Tomahawk ribeye, are bound to make your mouth water.

Eat Mediterranean Dishes at Greek Restaurants

Leawood also brings you Greek cuisine in both casual and upmarket settings. For a relaxed Greek feed, try Mr. Gyros Greek Food & Pastry. This laidback Leawood eatery is one of this small Kansas chain’s four outlets. As its name suggests, the pita wraps with rotisserie meat are the signature dish, but you can also enjoy rice bowls, orzo soup, or a classic moussaka.

Paros Estiatorio at Mission Farms serves elevated Greek cuisine with a contemporary twist. It’s known for its sustainable seafood dishes, including solomos, or wild Alaskan salmon over spinach rice, as well as Chilean sea bass souvlaki.

Embrace Authentic Irish Food

Leawood’s Irish pubs bring a true taste of the Emerald Isle to the community. These friendly establishments tend to serve American bar fare as well, but we recommend the hearty Irish options you won’t find anywhere else. Conroy’s Public House makes it easy, marking its Irish meals with a shamrock on its menu. They include steak and Guinness pie, fish and chips, and a sandwich called the Irishman, with corned beef, caramelized onions, cheese, and a Guinness and whiskey mustard. There are fewer authentic options at O’Neill’s, but the Irish pot roast is a real winner.

Savor Seafood and More From Japan

The rising popularity of sushi has made Japanese another American staple. You’ll find some of Leawood’s best at Sushi House, ranked one of the top 100 restaurants in the country by OpenTable. While the sushi is always popular, inventively named dishes, such as Lobster Harmony, featuring tempura lobster tail, and Love in Cancun, with shrimp tempura and mango, are also favorites with regular diners. Ika Grill is an Asian-fusion restaurant, but its focus on sushi, sashimi, and nigiri made with fresh ingredients should satisfy anyone who loves Japanese food.

Taste Real Chinese Food in Leawood

Chinese food has also become an American staple with most cities and suburbs around the country boasting their own Chinese restaurants. However, as more chain restaurants move in, finding Chinese food that’s good and authentic has become a real challenge. Rakar Dumpling House is a relatively new addition to the local dining scene, but this Cantonese restaurant has quickly established a reputation for serving some of the area’s best dumplings. The lunch combo deals are a great way to save. Blue Koi also specializes in noodles and dumplings, served pan-fried or boiled with your choice of fillings.

Enjoy the Exotic Dishes of Thailand

The United States has been a little slower to embrace Thai cuisine, but it has a wide range of flavorsome dishes passed down through generations. Bamboo Penny’s is Leawood’s only Thai restaurant, but it’s also one of the area’s best. That makes it the ideal place to try classic Thai dishes, such as Tom Kha soup, Laab, Pad Thai, and Pad See Ew for the first time. The friendly staff and descriptive menu can help you make the right choice. Themed cocktails, such as One Night in Bangkok and Soju Colada, enhance the dining experience.

Feast on Tasty Mexican Dishes

As our nearest neighbor, it makes sense for the food of Mexico to become a part of America’s suburbs. You can enjoy authentic Mexican food at VIVA Tacos & Tequila on the border of Leawood and Overland Park. VIVA seeks to elevate Mexican cuisine with its sophisticated restaurant and hand-crafted cocktails. The menu features favorite dishes, including nachos, burritos, and quesadillas, and the restaurant’s own specials.

Cactus Grill is a Tex-Mex restaurant, rather than an authentically Mexican one, but it still brings Mexico’s most popular dishes to Leawood. Specialty dishes, such as the house chimichanga and signature flautas, help set Cactus Grill apart.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Swiss Chocolate

Most of the eateries and cuisines we’ve profiled focus on savory fare, but we think there’s always time for a sweet treat. Arguably, no one does it better than the Swiss. If you agree, come to André’s Confiserie Suisse near the border of Leawood and Kansas City. This family business was the brainchild of André Bollier, who passed it down to his son René, his apprentice who also trained in Switzerland. He uses his knowledge of Swiss techniques to create delicious treats, including traditional Leckerli cookies, Nussbergerli sticks, and melting chocolate coins for fondue.

Help Your Children Grow When You Eat Out in Leawood

While it might seem easier to leave children behind, visiting restaurants serving ethnic cuisine is an excellent way to introduce your kids to new cultures and flavors. Consider your dining experiences as learning opportunities that can spark conversations and a lifelong love of food from around the world. For more learning opportunities, enroll your kids at Crème de la Crème of Leawood, Kansas. With child care, day care, preschool, and after-school care options, we have programs to enrich young minds from infants to tweens and teens. Contact us to discover how we can help your children reach their potential.

Photo by Mateusz Feliksik on Unsplash