Nov 20, 2025 - Things to Do

What to check out around the Union Hill streetcar stop

Abbey Higginbotham

Street sign for E 31st St on a wooden pole next to a red brick building with a large white and black sign reading "Martini Corner" and "Union Hill" under a clear blue sky. — The fun little corner that is Martini Corner. Photo: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

Union Hill sits on a slope just south of downtown Kansas City, where historic homes meet restaurants, patios and shops. The new streetcar stop at 31st and Main Street makes it easier to explore a neighborhood that blends Kansas City's past and present.

Where to caffeinate

Woman with dark hair in a black top drinks from a white cup inside a cafe with exposed ceiling ducts and large windows showing outdoor patio and street scene. — Much needed caffeine. GIF: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

Filling Station Coffee is a longtime local favorite for breakfast burritos and lattes, served from a renovated gas station with a wide patio and plenty of shade.

A few blocks east, customers can browse stacks of vinyl while baristas make pour-overs at Sister Anne's Records and Coffee.

Bits and bites

Grilled shrimp skewers glazed with orange sauce, garnished with black and white sesame seeds and green onions, served on a bed of white rice noodles on a white plate. — Yummy spicy shrimp satay from Cliff's. Photo: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

Cliff's Taphouse serves sandwiches, small plates and flatbreads in a space that feels like the neighborhood itself: simple and laidback. The full bar is what draws the crowd.

Kitty's Café opened in 1951 and still draws lines for its triple-decker pork tenderloin sandwich. The house hot sauce is worth the extra napkins.

Noka is one of KC's most refined small restaurants. The Japanese farmhouse menu includes standouts like popcorn hamachi and dry-aged duck with Szechuan honey carrots.

Grab a drink (or two)

Orange-yellow frothy cocktail in a glass with ice, garnished with a green pepper on a wooden table, with a glass of water and a dark bottle in the background in a restaurant setting. — Bourdon sour with a twist. Photo: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

In nearby Martini Corner, the neighborhood's main draw, Brick House, is a reliable stop for brunch, beer and people-watching.

At Brewer's Kitchen, the drink menu leans local with cold beer, simple pours, and a few house infusions that change often.

Ludo's adds shuffleboard and frozen Tang cocktails to the mix.

Shop till you drop

Virgil's Plant Shop offers plants, pots and advice from staff who actually care if you keep them alive.

The Black Pantry highlights KC-made goods and products from Black-owned businesses. It shares a space with Good Karma Coffee, giving the shop a warmth that makes people linger.

Where history rests

Autumn cemetery with brown fallen leaves covering the ground, large trees with sparse yellow leaves, and numerous gravestones scattered throughout under a clear blue sky. — Just a glimpse of the landmark. GIF: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios

On the outskirts of the neighborhood sits Union Cemetery, founded in 1857 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It holds more than 55,000 graves, including early Kansas City founders like John C. McCoy and William Gilliss, Civil War veterans and former mayors.
The Union Cemetery Historical Society and KC Parks maintain the 27-acre site, offering self-guided tours and programs that preserve its deep local history.
Union Hill has a mix of history and personality that makes it feel like its own unique pocket in the city.

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