This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

Los Hornos Argentinian Flavors is a small Argentine restaurant in the Tiffany Springs office park off I-29, seven minutes from the airport, run by Isolina de la Vega and her husband Darío Jerez Leavy, who arrived from Tucumán four days after their wedding in March 2022 and opened that August in a space they renovated themselves. The name is the family’s — de la Vega’s family ran a Los Hornos in Tucumán — and the food is northern-Argentine home cooking: Tucumán-style brisket empanadas with the traditional thirteen crimps, milanesas five ways, choripán, a parrillada of short ribs, sweetbreads, chorizo and morcilla, and dulce de leche desserts. In June 2026 it became the unofficial living room of the Argentina national team and its fans during the World Cup, closing to the public at times to feed players and at one point running out of food.

Description

Los Hornos sits in the Executive Hills / Tiffany Springs office district of the Northland, just off Interstate 29 and about seven minutes south of Kansas City International Airport — an unlikely address for what the owners and Argentine press describe as the only fully Argentine restaurant in Kansas City.12 (The Kansas side has argentina-inc-empanadas and the Buenos Aires Restaurant and Bakery; Los Hornos is the Missouri side’s.)3

The menu is northern-Argentine home cooking, and the operator’s ordering page lists it in full. The empanadas come in a dozen fillings, led by the Tucumana — tender beef brisket, white and green onion and hard-boiled egg, the style of the owners’ home province — alongside beef, chicken, ham and cheese, ternera, corn and cheese, vegetarian, eggs and bacon, a Middle Eastern-inflected sfija, and chorizo, with gluten-free versions of three.4 Infobae’s reporter counted the hand-cut veal, paprika and cumin in the Tucumán empanada and its “thirteen crimped edges.”2 Milanesas — thin breaded cutlets of chicken, pork or beef — come plain, a caballo (two fried eggs), napolitana (tomato sauce, ham, mozzarella; reportedly Lionel Messi’s favorite), al verdeo (green-onion cream) or “Signature Los Hornos” with mozzarella and Malbec-caramelized onions.41 The parrilla section offers a Parrillada Argentina for one or two — short ribs, sweetbreads, chorizo, blood sausage, pork flank, with chimichurri, mayo-chimi and house bread — plus asado de tira, matambre de cerdo and entraña.4 Sandwiches are the milanesa sandwich, a ribeye lomo and the choripán, which de la Vega told Kansas City Magazine is “famous in Argentina. When you finish the soccer matches, everyone eats choripán.”5 Desserts are dulce de leche in most of its forms — flan, chocotorta, pasta frola, María Luisa cake, coconut pie — and Freddo ice cream bars; the drink list runs to Quilmes, KC Bier Dunkel, Catena Zapata and Pampa Malbecs, sangria and clericot by the pitcher.4 “We do everything here, so all of the menu is homemade,” de la Vega told WDAF.3

Ownership and history

Isolina de la Vega (33 in 2026) and Darío Jerez Leavy (37) are from San Miguel de Tucumán in northwestern Argentina.25 They married on March 18, 2022 and flew to the United States four days later, arriving in Kansas City on March 22; they had weighed Miami and Chicago, but an uncle of de la Vega’s lived in Kansas City, and she already knew and liked it — “It has lots of green, vegetation, parks, and rivers. Plus, the people are very friendly.”26 De la Vega’s family had run a restaurant called Los Hornos in Tucumán — social bios date the original to 1989 — and she brought the name and the recipes.27 Jerez Leavy had been a real-estate broker; he became the cook. “I thought I’d be in an office, but ended up cooking full-time,” he told Infobae.2

They found a run-down space in the Executive Hills office district and, because labor was expensive, did the renovation themselves over several months of painting and repairs, opening Los Hornos on August 29, 2022.2 Through 2025 it was, in KCTV5’s description, “a two-person business” open seven days a week.1 Social bios claim roughly 50,000 empanadas a month; the Registry has not verified the figure.7

The restaurant’s public profile rose with Argentine soccer. When Inter Miami came to Kansas City in 2024 the couple sent empanadas to the team hotel and received a signed 2022 World Cup jersey in return; Infobae reports the empanadas were eaten by Javier Mascherano and the coaching staff.12 KSHB recalled that “years earlier” they had hung a banner trying to lure Messi to the restaurant on his first visit to town.8 When the World Cup draw in December 2025 put Argentina’s first match at Arrowhead, de la Vega told KCTV5: “I hope Kansas City is prepared for this … I hope everyone are ready, because we are crazy.”1 By February 2026 they were hiring kitchen staff and planning to run “18 or 20 hours a day.”3 Argentina then chose Kansas City as its base camp, at a hotel seventeen minutes away; the couple watched the Aerolíneas Argentinas charter circle in from the restaurant roof while livestreaming.2

During the tournament Los Hornos ran a simplified menu, hung Argentina flags on the roof, put a Messi decal on the door, installed a big screen on the back patio for free match viewings (about 200 people indoors and out), kept free hot-water stations for mate, and hosted a banderazo the Sunday before Argentina–Algeria.62 Players’ wives came first, then the players; the restaurant closed to the public at times to host them, and one day it ran out of ingredients and shut its doors.8 De la Vega’s parents and two brothers flew in from Tucumán for the group stage. “It’s like a dream, really,” she told the Star.6

Last verified: 2026-08-28 · Source: the restaurant’s own SkyTab online-ordering menu · Confidence: High for items and prices as listed online; the dine-in menu (described as 60-plus dishes before the World Cup simplification) may be longer.42

Appetizers

  • Provoleta — thick-cut provolone grilled until golden, with house-baked bread ($9) · Argentine Chorizo — with half an Argentine bread ($8) · Morcilla — blood sausage with half a house bread ($8)

Empanadas ($4.80 each; Tucumana $5.50; gluten-free $5.80)

  • Tucumana (brisket, white and green onion, hard-boiled egg) · Tucumana Picante · Beef (ground beef, onion, potato, peas, egg) · Chicken · Spicy Chicken · Ham and Cheese · Ternera (ground beef, onion, Worcestershire, tomato, mozzarella) · Corn and Cheese · Vegetarian · Eggs and Bacon · Sfija (ground beef, tomato, onion, lemon) · Chorizo (pork chorizo, green pepper, onion, chimichurri, cheese) · GF Beef / GF Chicken / GF Corn & Cheese

Milanesas

  • Plain ($18) · A Caballo — two grilled eggs ($23) · Signature Los Hornos — mozzarella and Malbec-caramelized onions ($23) · Napolitana — tomato sauce, ham, mozzarella ($23) · Al Verdeo — green-onion cream ($23)

Sandwiches

  • Milanesa Sandwich ($18) · Argentinian Choripán — pork sausage ($17) · Ribeye Lomo ($20)

Argentine Grill

  • Parrillada Argentina — short ribs, sweetbreads, chorizo, blood sausage, pork flank; chimichurri, mayo-chimi, artisan bread — for 1 ($45) / for 2 ($85)
  • Asado de Tira — 12 oz ($27) / 18 oz, three strips, for two ($38) · Matambre de Cerdo 14 oz ($23) · Entraña 10 oz skirt steak ($30)

Steaks

  • Traditional ($21) · Al Malbec — caramelized onions, Malbec reduction, mozzarella ($26) · Al Verdeo ($26)

The Argentine Experience

  • Tasting combination of signature dishes — for 1 ($50) / for 2 ($120)

Sides and sauces

  • French Fries ($8) · Fries Al Verdeo ($9.50) · Mashed Potato ($10) · Potato, Egg and Mayonnaise Salad ($10) · Tomato, Lettuce & Onion Salad ($8) · Los Hornos Salad ($9.50) · Caesar ($9.50) · Onion Rings with chimichurri mayo ($9.50) · Argentinian Rice with chimichurri ($8)
  • Chimichurri / Sriracha / Cayenne ($1.25)

Desserts

  • María Luisa Cake — layered pastry with dulce de leche and toasted Italian meringue ($12) · Flan with Dulce de Leche ($10) · Chocotorta ($12) · Coconut Pie with dulce de leche ($12) · Pasta Frola — quince or sweet-potato paste ($12) · Freddo Ice Cream bar ($6)

Drinks

  • Beer: Quilmes ($5); Michelob Ultra 16 oz, KC Bier Dunkel, Corona, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Stella Artois ($6); Cayman Jack Margarita ($7)
  • Wine: El Enemigo Malbec ($60); Catena Zapata Vista Flores Malbec, Catena Zapata Chardonnay ($40); Tilia Chardonnay, Robertson Gewürztraminer, Pampa Malbec, Pampa Chardonnay ($30); Sangria Malbec or Clericot pitcher ($40); by the glass — house Malbec $8, house sangria $9, Catena Zapata $10, Tilia $8, house clericot $9
  • Non-alcoholic: fountain, unsweet tea ($3.50); sparkling water, horchata, jamaica ($4); fresh orange juice ($7); water ($2)

Sources

Footnotes

  1. Betsy Webster, “Argentinian restaurant owners hope World Cup draw brings Messi, business boom to Kansas City,” KCTV5, 2025-12-05. Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: address 10004 NW Executive Hills Blvd, near I-29 and KCI; owners; open three years (2022); “two-person business,” seven days, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; empanadas delivered to Messi’s Miami team hotel in 2024 and the signed 2022 World Cup jersey; milanesa napolitana as Messi’s reported favorite; yerba mate, alfajores; quotes. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. Cinthia Ruth, “Son argentinos y tienen un restaurante en Kansas City: la inesperada historia que cruzó sus vidas con Lionel Messi y la Selección,” Infobae, 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: ages 33 and 37; both from Tucumán; married March 18, 2022, arrived in Kansas City March 22, 2022; uncle in KC and the “green, vegetation, parks” quote; opened August 29, 2022 after renovating a deteriorated space themselves; family’s Los Hornos in Tucumán; Jerez Leavy a former real-estate broker turned chef and his quote; “only fully Argentine restaurant in Kansas City”; team hotel 17 minutes away, airport 7 minutes; roof livestream of the Aerolíneas charter; banderazo June 14, outdoor screen, ~200 capacity, free mate water, brand partnerships; simplified menu from 60-plus dishes; Tucumán empanada details (hand-cut veal, 13 crimps, ~$4.80); milanesa napolitana ~$18, sandwiches ~$15; Inter Miami empanadas eaten by Mascherano and staff. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11

  3. Jacob Kaufman, “Local Argentinian business owners prepare for around-the-clock operations during World Cup,” WDAF / FOX4, 2026-02-06 (via Yahoo News). Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: Los Hornos on the Missouri side, owner Isolina De La Vega; “all of the menu is homemade”; hiring kitchen staff; “18 or 20 hours a day” plan; Buenos Aires Restaurant and Bakery (Claudia Luna West) on the Kansas side. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. Los Hornos — SkyTab Online ordering page (Shift4), operator’s own storefront. Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: header “Los Hornos, 10004 N AMBASSADOR DR, KANSAS CITY, MO 64153 | +1 816-768-3288”; every item and price in the Menu section; takeout with pickup slots from 9:15 a.m. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. Alexander Omorodion, “The Argentinian sandwich you didn’t know you craved,” Kansas City Magazine, 2026-06-15. Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: “Los Hornos Argentinian Flavors,” 10004 N.W. Executive Hills Blvd; owner Isolina Maria De La Vega, native of San Miguel de Tucumán; choripán description and sides (fries, mashed potatoes, salads); the choripán quote; TVs for the previous World Cup. ↩ ↩2

  6. Jenna Ebbers and Julianna Mejia, “Northland restaurant transforms into hub for Argentina fans in KC: ‘Like a dream’,” The Kansas City Star, 2026-06-12 (syndicated via Yahoo Sports). Retrieved 2026-08-28 (original: kansascity.com) — Confirms: name “Los Hornos Argentinian Flavors”; address 10004 NW Executive Hills Blvd; opened about three and a half years earlier; owners de la Vega and Jerez Leavy, from northern Argentina, in the U.S. four years; Miami/Chicago/KC choice; parents Maria and father, brothers Pablo and Ebaristo visiting; banderazo Sunday, Argentina–Algeria watch party June 17; Messi door decal, flags on the roof, back-patio screen; “It’s like a dream, really.” ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. Los Hornos – The Real Argentinian Food (@loshornos.kc), Instagram. Retrieved 2026-08-28 (profile not machine-readable; details as indexed in search results) — Asserts: ~29K followers; address 10004 North Ambassador Drive; “first established in 1989 in Tucumán”; Kansas City location established 2022; ~50,000 empanadas per month; owner Isolina De La Vega. Provisional. ↩ ↩2

  8. Claire Bradshaw, “Argentina players visit Kansas City’s Los Hornos restaurant during World Cup,” KSHB 41, June 2026 (last updated 2026-06-30). Retrieved 2026-08-28 — Confirms: restaurant closed to the public to host Team Argentina players; players’ wives came first (“Okay, I’m going to tell my husband”); ran out of ingredients and closed for a day; Messi had not yet visited; earlier banner to attract Messi. ↩ ↩2

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On the record — ks.city/registry/los-hornos · record updated 2026-08-28