South KC Perspective

New Eateries Expected to Open This Summer

By John Sharp

Extensive interior renovation is well underway for two new south Kansas City eateries which each are expected to open this summer.

Cacao Modern Mexican Restaurante will be moving from its location on W. 95th St. in Prairie Village due to the sale of that building to its new location in the former Applebee’s site at 1046 W. 103rd St. in Watts Mill Plaza.

The restaurant features both traditional and modern Mexican cuisine made from scratch on site using fresh ingredients, not just Tex-Mex dishes.  Planned breakfast hours are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. Lunch and dinner hours will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Victor Esqueda, one of the owners, also owns Ixtapa Mexican Cuisine in the northland and was an owner of Guadalajara Café which operated for many years in Watts Mill Plaza until its closure in 2014.

Esqueda said he hopes to open the middle of July.  He said the restaurant’s liquor by the drink license should be approved no more than a few weeks after that.

The former Applebee’s was the first one opened in the Kansas City market in 1986.  It closed in 2016.

The other eatery coming to south Kansas City is Hurts Donut Co. which is renovating a 3,500 square foot space at 8807 State Line Rd. in the Ward Parkway Center restaurant pavilion.

The company’s website advertises it offers over 70 varieties of oversized specialty donuts that it says “have serious personality” as well as related items such as cinnamon rolls.  Its shops are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, although its website boasts its shops are open 25 hours a day, eight days a week.

Hurts was founded in Springfield, Mo., in 1973, and it now has 18 locations, including shops in Springfield, Joplin and Branson.

Center officials are anticipating a mid-July opening.