The Downtown Dish podcast serves up what’s new, in the works, and on the menu in the re-emerging Downtown dining, shopping, and entertainment scenes.

The Downtown Dish is your virtual opportunity to sit down with Downtown KC chefs, bartenders, baristas, retailers, and artists over lunch each week. It serves up what’s new, in the works, and on the menu in the re-emerging Downtown dining, shopping, and entertainment scenes.
The Downtown Dish will now publish weekly podcasts as a partner of The Pitch Podcast Network, which means you can get the Dish on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe to our podcast to be notified of new episodes and check out past episodes below.

Thanks to the brilliant local musician, They Call Me Sauce, you now have a soundtrack for your Downtown Kansas City adventures: “Downtown,” the new theme song of the Downtown Dish.
- Interviews - Trish Mitchell, a multi-talented entrepreneur, gives us the scoop on her new publication, All Black Everything Magazine; Valentine’s Day pop-up markets; KC Carryout Challenge winner
- Interviews - Lisa Pena, founder of Urban Hikes Kansas City; KC Streetcar Communications Director Donna Mandelbaum shares how they created the route; plus how you can team up with Thelma’s Kitchen to feed others, The Town Company continues Restaurant Week
- Interviews - Rachel Waller, Director of Marketing for the Power & Light District, stops by with some delicious carryout options in the district; Jen Dancer reminisces with Katy about watching the Super Bowl Parade last year; this week’s KC Carryout Challenge winner; GO CHIEFS
- Interviews - Hotel Kansas City‘s Scott Tipton talks about the Snow Globes; Jessica Best dishes on a carryout challenge she set for herself; a new Downtown resident survey is available
- This episode features music from Love, Mae C
- Interviews - Kansas City Councilman Eric Bunch joins us to bid farewell to 2020; the Downtown Council’s Jared Campbell stops by to share news on an exciting initiative
- This episode features music from Crystal Rose
- Interviews - Derek Klaus, Director of Communications at Visit KC, for the scoop on Restaurant Week; Hotel Kansas City‘s Christmas Eve carryout & New Year’s specials; how to give back at the Crossroads Hotel and more
- This episode features music from Crystal Rose
- Interviews - We take a trip to Downtown’s newest burger joint, Epic Burgers; Dustin Holcumbrink of the Downtown Marriott joins us with the scoop on this ghost kitchen concept and what you should order; An Alpine-themed outdoor dining & market
- Interviews - Consuelo Cruz of Belger Arts; The City Market’s Sue Patterson visits the Downtown Dish; Get the scoop on the Downtown Dish Gift Tour & more
- Interviews - Strawberry Swing‘s Katie Mabry van Dieren joins us to dish on the open-air Holiday Swing; Campground’s outdoor market & more
- This week’s episode features music from Love, Mae C
- Interviews - Jamie Young joins Katy Schamberger to talk about their entertaining Thanksgiving history; Thanksgiving tips from Underdog Wine‘s Chad Brewer, Lifted Spirits’ Derrick Neuner, and VERDANT’s Chentell Shannon
- Interviews - Meg and Jeff Evans of Mean Mule Distilling Co; Greg Bland stops by to share what‘s new at Stockyards Brewing Company; winter fashion with New Sense of Style, a momentous celebration for Buck O’Neil
- Interviews - Kansas City Artists Coalition Executive Director Marissa Starke and KC Streetcar Communications Director Donna Mandelbaum, takes you inside Coalesce, a virtual fashion show featuring customized gowns created by local Kansas City artists and modeled on the KC Streetcar as a runway
- Interviews - Kat Willis, founder of Dead Beet Eats, Kansas City‘s first vegan hot dog cart; David Swarts, founder/owner of The Fix KC; We’ve got three words for you: news from Paradise Garden Club, The Pairing and Made in KC Cafe
- This episode features music from Black Creatures, "Wretched (It Goes)"
- Interviews - Richard and Jamie, co-owners of Big Mood Natural Wines (along with Jamie’s wife, Liz) share Natural Wines 101; take a peek inside another local bottle shop: KC Soda Co. in the City Market
- This episode features music from Crystal Rose
- Interviews - Jamie Young, for a delicious pumpkin crawl through Downtown KC; find out where you can get, as Jamie raves, "Thanksgiving for breakfast!"; Streetcar Grille’s Ben Gordon stops by to talk brunch, Chiefs watch parties & weekly specials
- This episode features music from Crystal Rose
- Interviews - Shawn Tolivar stops by to share his favorite downtown parks for a picnic; Local Pig’s Alex Pope shares how you can reserve your Thanksgiving turkey
- This episode features music from Crystal Rose
- Interviews - Brandon Gibson, who’s introducing Kansas City to Caribbean soul food; Joshua Wilson takes us inside MMSC, a River Market shop that doubles as a chill, low-key man cave
- This episode features music from Amado Espinoza
- Interviews - Our host, Katy Schamberger, chats with Lisa Pena, founder of Urban Hikes Kansas City; Chentell Shannon gives us a sneak peek of her new Crossroads gift shop, VERDANT
- Join us for a virtual happy hour celebration that includes all of the Downtown food & drink you need for your Chiefs watch parties and homegating celebrations; J. Rieger & Co.’s Andrew Olsen dishes on the KC Ice Water cocktail
- Host Katy Schamberger shares some big Downtown Dish news; plus, news from the National World War I Museum + Memorial; Downtown’s newest pop-up furniture store
Episode 16: Brunch & Brats
August 28, 2020
- Interviews - Megan Kendal of The Homesteader Cafe; Katrin Heuser, co-owner of Affare; debut of Dishing with Katy
- This episode features music from Enrique Chi and Making Movies
- This episode is dedicated to Chef Nick Vella, 1988-2020. You filled our bellies and hearts. Thank you.
Episode 15: Let‘s TACO ’bout It!
August 21, 2020
- Interviews - Stephanie Carey, publisher of The Pitch, joins us to chat about Taco Week; Dave Keith, creator of the Taco the Town podcast
Episode 14: 816 Day
August 14, 2020
- Interviews - We get the scoop on all of the events happening at 18th & Vine with 816 Day creator, Brian "Bizzy" Benton; Matt Naylor, President & CEO of the National World War I Museum + Memorial
- This episode features music from They Call Me Sauce
Episode 13: Two First Friday Stops
August 7, 2020
- Interviews - Kyle Howard, Owner of Oak & Steel and Brian Johnson Managing Director of Loews Kansas City; plus see the newly opened Horsefeather Social
Episode 12: Negro Leagues Centennial, Cheese Slippers & More
July 31, 2020
- Interviews - Joel Ball of Ibis Bakery and Bob Kendrick of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Episode 11: Outdoor Dining
July 24, 2020
- Interviews - DuRon Netsell and Ashley Z. Hand on helping restaurants with street and sidewalk opportunities; Strange Days Brewing’s Chris Beier; and Guy Fieri’s Dive & Taco Joint GM Jake Johnston
- This episode features music by Kadesh Flow.
Episode 10: Shopping & Yoga
July 17, 2020
- Interviews - New Sense of Style founder and owner Chantill Goree and Natasha Fuller shares how she created Yoga on the Vine, a weekend yoga pop-up
Episode 9: City Market
July 10, 2020
- Interviews - Nikole Ammer, City Market Coffee; Sue Patterson, City Market; and Carlos Mortera of The Bite
Episode 8: Art in the Loop & VisitKC
July 3, 2020
- Interviews - It’s the two-month anniversary of the Downtown Dish! To celebrate, we chat with Ann Holliday and Donna Mandelbaum about all things Art in the Loop, we also chat with Jason Fulvi, President & CEO of Visit KC
Episode 7: Spokes & The Pairing
June 26, 2020
- Interviews - Dan Walsh, managing partner of Spokes, the show’s first interview on location, filmed at The Pairing, and WWE artist-in-residence, Rob Schamberger, unveils a new painting for a great local cause
Episode 6: Restaurants
June 19, 2020
- Interviews - David Lopez of Manny’s; Chef Liz Huffman, Executive Chef of The Majestic; and Sig Tomeldan, a Downtown resident who chats with us over a meal at Charisse
- This episode features music from Tim “Blackfingers” Ogutu
Episode 5: Union Station, Pizza & Jazz
June 12, 2020
- Interviews - George Guastello, President & CEO of Union Station; Nick Vella who started a carryout pizzeria in his house, and Shay Moore on helping the American Jazz Museum
Episode 4: First Friday
June 5, 2020
- Interviews - David Johnson of the Crossroads Community Association; Moriah Hillson with ArtsKC; and Chef Celina Tio of The Belfry
Episode 3: Power & Light, Crossroads Community Kitchen
May 29, 2020
- Interviews - Rachel Waller of the KC Power & Light District, Kyle Gardner with the Crossroads Community Kitchen, and Chandler and Craig of the Tiny Table Carryout Club
Pilot Episode: The Scoop on KC Food, Drink & More!
May 15, 2020
- Interviews - Sue Patterson on the reopening of the City Market, Barry Tunnell, General Manager of Tannin Wine Bar + Kitchen, and Danielle Lehman of CurbsideKC and Open Belly podcast

In May 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Downtown Council, Downtwon Neighborhood Association, KC Streetcar, Lynchpin Ideas, and Katy Schamberger founded the weekly Downtown Dish web series to support our local restaurants and provide a weekly update on the dining scene.
To continue our podcast, we need your help. Please help us invest in the quality and consistency of Downtown Dish programming by contributing a financial gift that will elevate the Downtown Dish into an even more effective vehicle for raising awareness about Downtown restaurants, bars, bakeries, and coffee shops!
Thank You to Our Funders
- Downtown Council of Kansas City
- Downtown Community Improvement Districts
- KC Streetcar
- Julie Nelson Meers
- Terry Berkbuegler

The KC Carryout Challenge promotes carryout or delivery service from Downtown restaurants and bars. As a bonus, participating customers may enter a weekly drawing for a $50 dining gift card. From January through March, that adds up to 13 weekly chances to win!
- The KC Carryout Challenge will unfold every Wednesday from Jan. 6 - Mar. 31 at Downtown restaurants and bars
- Greater Downtown Kansas City includes State Line east to Woodland Road, and the Riverfront south to 31st Street
- For a chance to win a $50 gift card, simply take a picture of the food you ordered each Wednesday and post it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #kccarryoutchallenge (and tag @downtowndishkc). The winner will be announced on the next Downtown Dish episode