This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.
Independent Westport coffee roaster-cafe operating at 4106 Broadway Blvd since fall 1992, run by co-founders Jon Cates and Sara Honan, with an in-house roasting program launched in 1998.
Description
Broadway Cafe & Roasting Company is an independent coffeehouse and roaster on Broadway Boulevard in the Westport district of Kansas City, Missouri. Opened in 1992, it is among the longest-running specialty coffee operations in the metro and is widely regarded as a Westport institution and gathering spot.
The business began as a cafe serving the Westport neighborhood and added its own roasting program in 1998, initially roasting in the back of the cafe on a Diedrich IR12. As demand grew, the roasting operation moved to a separate facility — the company acquired the former 1930s-era Westport Fire Station #19 (one block from the original cafe) in 2007, where it now runs two Diedrich roasters. The cafe at 4106 Broadway remains the flagship retail location.
Broadway is frequently cited in Kansas City dining and coffee coverage for its longevity, its in-house roasting, and an unpretentious house ethos of serving a broad clientele “regardless of coffee expertise.”
Ownership and history
Co-founder Sara Honan started Broadway Cafe in fall 1992 after moving back to Kansas City from Chicago, observing that Westport had plenty of places to drink but few for coffee. Jon Cates joined the cafe and later became Honan’s business partner; together they launched the in-house roasting program in 1998. Cates has represented the company in specialty-coffee industry contexts (e.g., a Specialty Coffee Association of America interview). The pair are still credited as co-owners on the company’s current materials.
| Period | Operator |
|---|---|
| 1992 → present | Sara Honan (co-founder) |
| ~1990s → present | Jon Cates (co-owner, roasting lead) |
Tier classification
Tier 1. Broadway is an independent, founder-owned-and-operated KC business with 30+ years of continuous local operation under its original owners — a deep-tenure, owner-operated profile that squarely fits the Tier 1 measure of pride and dedication to KC roots.
Links
- Website: https://www.broadwayroasting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broadwayroasting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Broadway-Cafe-and-Roasting-Company-100052710945417/
See also
Sources
- Broadway Roasting Co — About — https://www.broadwayroasting.com/about — accessed 2026-05-30
- Broadway Roasting Co — Cafe — https://www.broadwayroasting.com/cafe — accessed 2026-05-30
- Westport KCMO — Broadway Cafe and Roasting Company — https://westportkcmo.com/broadway-cafe-roasting-company/ — accessed 2026-05-30
- Sprudge — The SCAA Interviews: Jon Cates of Broadway Cafe & Roasting Company — https://sprudge.com/the-scaa-interviews-jon-cates-of-broadway-cafe-roasting-company-76487.html — accessed 2026-05-30
Verification
Drafted 2026-05-30 from web research; 4 sources. Founder names, 1992 founding, 1998 roasting start, and current addresses verified across company site + Westport directory + Sprudge. Unverified: exact 2007 firestation-acquisition year (single-source, company narrative); owners’ birthplaces (Tier 1 rests on owner-operated longevity, not a confirmed born-and-raised claim).
See also
- Registry