If you’re looking for a fun spot for a family outing you don’t need to look any further than downtown Overland Park. With lots of restaurants, shops, and events, there is plenty for the whole family to enjoy!
Family Friendly Restaurants
Strang Hall has six restaurants serving different types of food as well as a full bar. Order
at the counter of the restaurants, and they will text you when your food is ready. Several of the restaurants offer kid menus. Open year-round, Strang Hall has plenty of seating inside, or you can enjoy the large outdoor space. I love the green turf lawn featuring Adirondack chairs and yard games.
Buffalo State Pizza (formerly Papa Keno’s) serves New York-style pizza by the slice. We love the pizza, but also enjoy the arcade games in the back, as well as the outdoor seating.
If you like bar food, check out The Peanut, Maloneys (great outdoor seating and roof deck), The Other Place and Brew Lab.
Viona’s Italian Bistro is an Italian restaurant perfect for date night or a meal out with your family (there is an extensive kid’s menu).
The Table is a lunch spot serving salads, sandwiches, and offering specialty goods and catering (including charcuterie spreads!)
There are many other good restaurants to choose from including Lemongrass Thai, Dragon Inn, Elsa’s Ethiopian, and Hummus and Pita.
Coffee and Sweets
Check out Parisi
and Homer’s Coffee House if you are a coffee lover. Homer’s even offers live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Clock Tower Bakery specializes in British favorites including pastries and tea. Stop by for breakfast, lunch, or tea time. Reservations required for the classic English afternoon tea.
DOP Donuts serves a great variety of locally made doughnuts out of a shiny silver Airstream trailer. The outdoor space is perfect for kids and pets. The days and hours fluctuate by the season, so make sure you check the website for current hours.
The Upper Crust is probably the best spot in KC for homemade pies. You can buy a whole pie, a mini pie, a hand pie, or pie by the slice. It is open four days a week, so check the schedule before you head downtown.
Popculture Gourmet Popcorn and Ice Cream has a whole tasting wall of gourmet popcorn samples! Stop by for some samples, and bring home your favorite. The store has ice cream, too!
Activities and Events
Third Fridays are the one night each month that the shops stay open late and there is live music to enjoy. We love Third Fridays for the pie flights at The Upper Crust!
The Overland Park Fall Festival is held in September every year and features shopping, food trucks, and lots of activities for kids. This year, it will be Sept 23-24.
Thompson Park is a new park in downtown Overland Park that features a playground, splash pad, restrooms, picnic shelters, and plenty of shade. Concerts are held at the pavilion during warmer months.
Overland Park Farmer’s Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from spring through fall from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to local produce, baked goods, and other vendors, you’ll often find live music at the clocktower pavilion (there’s also a small splash pad there in the summer). The Overland Park farmer’s market is one of the best in the city, so it is not to be missed!
Shopping
The Upper Crust Pie Bakery carries more than just pies! Stop in for unique gifts for the baking lover in your life!
Ten Thousand Villages features hand-crafted gifts from over 45 countries around the world.
The General Store is a modern mercantile, featuring stylish everyday and often locally made goods.
Penzeys has every spice and spice blend you can imagine as well as an amazing selection of gift boxes. My family loves the taco seasoning.
The Kitchen Shop at KC Culinary Center is the perfect spot to find unique kitchen tools as well as cookbooks, dish towels, and even a gift card for a cooking class!
The Tasteful Olive specializes in olive oils and vinegars as well as other cooking ingredients.
Sacks on Santa Fe is a clothing and accessory resale shop benefitting Heartstrings Community Foundation.
Pretty Posy Boutique is a women’s boutique featuring clothing and accessories with a vintage vibe.
Date Night and Moms Night Out Ideas
In addition to all of the amazing restaurants in downtown Overland Park, you can also check out Brew Lab for trivia, bingo and live music.
The KC Culinary Center offers a huge variety of classes (some where you cook, others where you just learn and eat!) My husband and I loved learning to make our own pasta and gnocchi.
