Lee's Summit Archives - Our Changing Life

Third Street Social: Two Delicious Visits

Jeff & Crystal — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Kansas City’s reputation as a foodie city continues to grow, and places like Third Street Social are part of the reason why. Whether you’re craving an indulgent brunch or just looking for a few savory bites with friends after work, their menu delivers. We recently had the pleasure of visiting not one, but two of their locations—each offering its unique blend of hospitality and menu variety. What made both visits even better was having Amanda along for the ride. With her infectious laugh and quick wit, our meals became memorable moments filled with shared bites and spontaneous stories. This dual visit gave us a fresh perspective on what makes Third Street Social tick: it’s not just the food, but the experience. And trust me, whether it’s morning, noon, or night, there’s a plate (or several) calling your name.

Brunch at Gladstone

Our latest stop was brunch at the newest Third Street Social location, nestled at 5920 N. Oak Trafficway in Gladstone, MO. Walking through the doors, it struck me how far the area had come. This was once the site of Metro North Mall—a teenage stomping ground that’s now been transformed into a polished, lively district. Gone are the video arcades and mall walkers, replaced by weekend brunchers sipping coffee and mimosas under warm lighting. The space has a fresh energy, filled with friendly chatter and clinking silverware. There’s something about brunch that makes everyone a little more relaxed—and a little more likely to order dessert before the first bite of breakfast. From the first whiff of warm butter and spices drifting out of the kitchen, we knew we were in for a treat.

Come and Get It!

We kicked off our brunch with two dishes that made our table fall blissfully silent—at least until we began discussing our dishes like food show hosts. I went for the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich, which brought the heat in all the right ways. The chicken was crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, with a cayenne kick that played perfectly against the housemade biscuit. Amanda ordered the Chicken Pot Pie, which arrived with a flaky, golden crust that puffed like a fresh-baked cloud. One forkful revealed a creamy medley of chicken, peas, and carrots, seasoned just right and steaming like it had been pulled straight from Grandma’s oven. Between the spice of the hot chicken and the comfort of that pot pie, it was a brunch of bold flavors and satisfying bites. Not a crumb was left behind.

Social Hour

Previously, we found ourselves headed to the Third Street Social at 4800 Main Street in Kansas City, MO, this time for Happy Hour. The South Plaza vibe leans a little more cosmopolitan—slicker finishes, tighter parking, and a bar that hums with conversation. We grabbed an outdoor table and got cozy while scoping out the menu. Naturally, we started with the Pimento Cheese, which arrived creamy, tangy, and ready for spreading. There’s something comforting about snacking and browsing at the same time—especially when my commentary turns Happy Hour into stand-up comedy. This wasn’t just another weekday evening—it was a taste of the city’s character served in small plates and shared laughs.

Small Plates & Sweet Finish

Happy Hour turned into happy sampling. We ordered a lineup that could have passed for a tapas tasting tour: crispy Brussels sprouts that snapped with every bite, smoky burnt ends so tender they nearly melted on contact, a pair of tacos loaded with seasoned meat and fresh toppings, and finally, the unexpected highlight—oatmeal pies. Think grown-up Little Debbie with a gourmet twist: soft-baked cookies sandwiching a rich, creamy filling that had me guarding the last one like a dragon with treasure. Each dish brought its texture, flavor, and rhythm to the table. One moment you’re crunching into sprouts, the next you’re savoring slow-cooked barbecue with just the right char. It was a meal made for grazing and grinning, where everyone reached across the table and no one dared skip dessert. The only thing missing? A nap.

Two Great Visits

What made both of our visits to Third Street Social special wasn’t just the food—it was how the menu, the setting, and the company all came together. From nostalgic brunches in Gladstone to upbeat evenings in South Plaza, each location served up its slice of Kansas City’s rich dining scene. It’s not just a restaurant—it’s a place to reconnect, to celebrate, or to indulge in the comfort of a well-crafted meal simply. And trust me, when Amanda’s at the table, you’re bound to walk away with a few laughs and probably a story or two. So here’s my suggestion: treat yourself. Try the crispy Brussels, go bold with that Nashville chicken, or dive into a dessert that brings back childhood memories. Third Street Social is the kind of place that welcomes you back before you’ve even left.

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Who’s on Third? – A Day in Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Jeff & Crystal — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 11:20:29 +0000

Recently we traveled across town to find the answer to the question of Who’s on Third? (Street) in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. One of the nice things about living in a large metropolitan city is visiting all of the diverse areas that can be found. Many towns and cities get swallowed up by annexation. While some struggle with an identity complex, others have embraced it. Many have learned to market their unique flavor. They use it to attract the tax dollars brought in by visitors from other parts of the metropolitan region. For us localized tourists, this is a win-win situation. We have plenty of great little neighborhoods to visit, which gives us a chance to soak up the local culture.

A picturesque downtown shopping corridor invites visitors to explore.

Our Arrival

The historic section of downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri runs for about seven blocks along 3rd Street. It also radiates out from there for a block in each direction. The entire area is easy to traverse on foot, and free parking is plentiful. With over 40 unique shops, and dozens of dining and drinking establishments, we were looking forward to quite an evening. We pulled into downtown on a Friday afternoon. After parking our car, we decided our first stop would be Bar-istro. After the drive across town, we felt a drink would put us in a more relaxed mood.

Bar-istro has the feel of an open air French wine shop

With our pace calmed, we headed out to explore the area. This is a railroad town, and a stop for the Amtrak, which runs through downtown. Third Street is the main downtown business area in Lee’s Summit, and it epitomizes the idea of “Shop Small”. A wide variety of boutique style shops fill the area, selling apparel , kitchen supplies, home furnishings, and the list goes on. This is a perfect fit for our type of shopping. We find the unique products offered in these type of establishments have more character than what is found in the larger chain stores. It’s also a lot of fun to stroll through and check out the wide variety of offerings.

Blue Heron is an example of the boutique shops found on Third Street.

A wide assortment of unique items can be found in the downtown shops.

Dinner Time

After a couple of hours of shopping, we felt the pangs of hunger rising, so we headed off to dinner. We had made dinner reservations at Third Street Social. We arrived toward the end of Happy Hour, but managed to beat the madhouse of the Friday evening crowd. After being treated to a wonderful dining experience, we set off in search of some entertainment.

An inviting gathering spot in the 3rd Street Social bar area.

Just about a block off of the main drag we stumbled upon Icehouse Auction. Housed in a building dating from 1896, this place offers a cozy, fun experience. Visitors pick up a bid card, and some of their free popcorn, and proceed to enjoy the spectacle. If you have never been to a live auction, then you don’t know what you are missing. For entertainment value they are hard to beat, and if you don’t buy anything then your spend is nothing. Of course, sometimes you will find that treasure you never knew you wanted, and just maybe you will win it for a steal of a price.

Friday evening are entertaining at this 1896 icehouse turned auction house.

We watched the theatrics for a while, and then decided we wanted to see more of the neighborhood. Back down on 3rd Street, we strolled the evening checking out the storefronts. We were quite impressed at the way the city has been able to spark a rebirth of this historic area. This reminded us of some of the other areas around the metro that have been able to add fresh, and sometimes quirky businesses. It is especially impressive when they maintain their historic charm.

A fun looking eatery that we will certainly have to sample on a return visit.

Dessert

Third Street seems to draw a considerable amount of traffic. This was clearly evident as we strolled the main shopping area. On our walk we spotted Poppy’s Ice Cream, and decided to stop in for an evening nightcap of the sweet variety. The wide variety of culinary experiences we had enjoyed this day spoke volumes about the quality of places that have called this neighborhood home.

Poppy’s homemade ice cream is available in many fine dining restaurants in the KC metro.

As we walked back to our car, we felt certain that we had discovered the answer to the question of Who’s on Third? The whole evening had been delightful, and we noted a few places we did not have time to visit, but certainly needed to be added to a future itinerary in Lee’s Summit. Once again we were happy to have the chance to be tourists in our own hometown.

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Cool Treats at Poppy’s Ice Cream

Jeff & Crystal — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 11:40:52 +0000

Poppy’s Ice Cream & Coffee House is located at 307 SE Douglas in downtown Lee’s Summit. It was a welcome sight during our recent visit. For us, one of life’s sweetest treats is ice cream. Give us a warm day, and a bowl of ice cream, and we are just about as happy as we can get. When we happen upon an ice cream shop we have never visited, we just have to stop in to see what they offer. The variety of colors swirled in the different containers are mesmerizing, and we find ourselves drawn to test a few.

A Pre-visit to Poppy’s

Poppy’s Ice Cream sits just off of the main drag, which is 3rd Street. The steady stream of people with ice cream cones treats highlighted the existence of a shop. It was not difficult to follow the trail to the door. In front of the shop they have a few chairs and tables for customers wishing to enjoy a sunny day. During our visit there was a little nip in the air, so we decided to partake of our purchases indoors. We had planned to visit them later in the evening, but I wanted to get some daylight photos. It also gave me a chance to scope out the variety of sweets they carry. While I clicked away with the camera, Crystal ordered up a hot beverage to keep her fingers warm while we toured the downtown. We walked away knowing that within a few short hours we would be tasting their frosty offerings.

We returned to Poppy’s Ice Cream later in the evening to claim our self-promised rewards. While looking around, I took note of the building interior. Like some of the other buildings in the area, this appears to be an older industrial shop that has been renovated into retail use. The excessively high ceiling is covered in ornate pressed tin tiles. Exposed brick, pipes, and duct-work add to the age-old industrial feel. It certainly gives the place an old-time vibe. Before settling down to a bowl of ice cream, we first like to explore any other options. We noticed a glass display case on the side, and found it contained an assortment of candy treats. These are brought in from Chip’s Chocolate Factory, which is one of our favorite stores in Crown Center. Since we have sampled their wares on multiple occasions, we decided to focus this visit on the colder sweets.

So Many Choices

In the Poppy’s freezer cabinet, we discovered eight flavors of ice cream, and four of sorbet. The flavors rotate, and all are homemade. The menu allows customers to order a variety of frosty delights. These include concretes, shakes, sundaes, and scoops. Banana splits come in normal size, and a special Jungle Split version with eight scoops of ice cream. Talk about the potential for brain freeze. Scoops can come served in bowls or hand rolled waffle cones. The cones can be dipped in chocolate, and topped with sprinkles. For what I thought would just be an ice cream shop, this place takes customer choice to the max. We taste tested a few of the flavors that they had in stock, before finally deciding on our desserts.

We were able to speak with the owner, and discovered that Poppy’s Ice Cream is served in quite a few restaurants in the Kansas City metro. Some of these include; Michael Forbes, Blue Koi, Grand Street Cafe, and Pierpont’s. Since our trip included a myriad of dining and drinking places, we decided to go easy, and just ordered a couple of small sundaes. One was a Slow Sundae, which is topped with hot fudge, caramel, and pecans. The other was a Salty Brownie, which duplicates the other except for the addition of salty caramel. The other difference is that it all rests on top of a delicious brownie. The quality of these treats was superb, and we quickly realized why so many fine dining establishments have sought them out as a supplier. We now have a go to sweets shop whenever we visit downtown Lee’s Summit.

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