Café Verona

Café Verona is an Italian restaurant at 206 W Lexington Ave on Independence Square in Independence, MO, operated by McClain Restaurant Group (Ken & Cindy McClain) as one of the group’s flagship dining concepts.¹² Part of a 27-year effort by the McClains to revitalize historic Independence Square, Café Verona is consistently ranked among the top restaurants in Independence.³

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Description

Café Verona brings Italian dining to the historic Independence Square, offering what the restaurant describes as “authentic and comforting dishes that capture the essence of Italy” with bold flavors drawn from both local and non-local vendors to ensure freshness.¹ Head Chef Lilian leads the kitchen, crafting menus that balance classic Italian preparations with modern interpretations designed to appeal to both adventurous diners and those seeking comfort food.¹ The restaurant’s outdoor patio — described by reviewers as charming and old-world — is a warm-weather fixture on the Square, and is pet-friendly for leashed dogs.³

Café Verona is rated 4.4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranks among the top restaurants in Independence, reflecting its standing as one of the more elevated dining options available on Independence Square.³ The restaurant operates Monday–Thursday 11am–9pm, Friday–Saturday 11am–10pm, and Sunday 11am–8pm.¹

As part of the McClain Restaurant Group, Café Verona is one piece of a deliberate ecosystem of locally owned businesses Ken and Cindy McClain have assembled on Independence Square since 1998–1999. The group has grown to 18+ businesses and is widely credited with transforming the formerly blighted Square into a regional dining and cultural destination.⁴

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Ownership and history

Ownership

Period	Owner / Operator	Notes
→ present	McClain Restaurant Group (Ken & Cindy McClain)	Confirmed as one of the group’s nine food concepts.2

McClain Restaurant Group context

Ken and Cindy McClain began their Independence Square revitalization in 1998–1999 with Ophelia’s Restaurant & Inn and have since grown to 18+ local businesses.⁴ Cindy McClain serves as president of McClain Restaurant Group; Ken maintains an Independence law practice alongside the restaurant operations.² Cindy grew up in Boulder, CO, but both she and Ken have deep family ties to Independence (grandparents on both sides lived there) and the couple chose Independence as a deliberate homecoming and community investment.⁴

Other McClain Restaurant Group properties on Independence Square include clintons-soda-fountain, el-pico, square-pizza, and main-street-coffee-house.

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Links

• Official site: https://cafeveronarestaurant.com/
• Visit Independence listing: https://visitindependence.com/directory/café-verona/

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Sources

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Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

1. Café Verona official website — About. https://cafeveronarestaurant.com/about/ — Asserts: 206 W Lexington Ave, Independence, MO 64050; Italian cuisine; Head Chef Lilian; hours Mon–Thu 11am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 11am–8pm; outdoor patio; McClain Restaurant Group hospitality. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. The Independent — “Palatable Pursuits: Trailblazer Cindy McClain.” https://kcindependent.com/palatable-pursuits-trailblazer-cindy-mcclain/ — Asserts: Café Verona is one of nine food concepts under McClain Restaurant Group; Cindy McClain is president; 18+ businesses on Independence Square. ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Yelp — Café Verona, Independence. https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-verona-independence — Asserts: active as of May 2026; 206 W Lexington Ave; 4.4 stars; pet-friendly patio. ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Ophelia’s Restaurant — About Us. https://opheliasrestaurant.com/about-us/ — Asserts: McClains purchased first Independence Square building in 1999; intention to revive Independence Square; 18+ businesses. ↩ ↩² ↩³