Wichita has more than 1,000 restaurants with surprisingly diverse menus. You’ll find no shortage of steaks, burgers, pizza, Mediterranean and other international cuisine. Looking for something a little non-traditional? We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite quirky dishes found in Wichita.
1. The Anchor’s “Haystack”
The Anchor is known for its ever-changing selection of 59 craft beers on tap and tasty menu of sandwiches and burgers that take bar fare up a notch. Try one of their open-faced burgers piled with fries, called haystacks. You can get a version topped with queso, a poutine version topped with white cheese curds and brown gravy or a spicy version with chili, queso and grilled jalapeños on a jalapeño bun.
2. Churn & Burn
The team at Churn & Burn make ice cream (churn) from scratch and pour locally roasted coffee (burn). They serve both individually but their namesake drink that combines the two is their best-seller. A Churn & Burn is made by pouring a shot of freshly steamed espresso into their liquid cream base (vanilla with your choice of syrups and mix-ins) then freezing the combination in 30 to 40 seconds using liquid nitrogen. This creamy treat is a one-of-a-kind experience!
3. The Bite Me BBQ Signature Bloody Mary
The folks at Bite Me BBQ call their Signature Bloody Mary dinner and a drink all in one glass! Topping the craft cocktail is a buffet of skewered meats the barbecue restaurant is known for: a burnt end, a rib and a hotlink on a slider bun. But wait, there are also impaled veggies: spicy cucumbers, pickled okra, a whole celery stalk, a tomato and a cheese cube. Besides being tasty and filling, it’s a great photo op!
4. Doo-Dah Diner’s “The Brutus”
You’ll love Doo-Dah Diner’s gourmet take on comfort food, and there are plenty of traditional items, from the best-selling crab cake benedict to biscuits and gravy made from scratch. But if you want something non-traditional, order “The Brutus,” a tower of hash browns, caramelized onions, chicken fried steak, sausage gravy and two eggs made your way.
5. Donut Whole’s Whammich
The Donut Whole makes every batch of cake donuts from scratch using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Then they get creative with the toppings, offering flavors such as root beer float, fluffernutter, sunshine citrus crunch. A Whammich is a breakfast sandwich served on any of the fresh donut varieties available that day, which typically tops 40. Be practical and choose an unglazed buttermilk donut or throw caution to the wind and go with a donut topped with cereal or fresh, crispy bacon and maple. Then choose your protein: Jones Farm Sausage, Fanestil Party Time Ham or Quorn Vegetarian Sausage. They’ll add a hot egg and a slice of melted Muenster cheese between the sliced-in-half donut before serving it up.
