Vita's Place

Vita’s Place is Ryan and Jenny Sciara’s East Coast-inspired wine bar at 5514 Oak St in the Crestwood Shops, Brookside — opened mid-December 2023. Named after Ryan’s Italian paternal grandmother. 200+ wines, 25–30 vermouths, gin and tonic build-your-own, “Vermouth Hour.” The Sciaras also own Underdog Wine Co., their Brookside wine shop. KC Magazine covered the opening.

Description

Vita’s Place is Ryan and Jenny Sciara’s East Coast-inspired wine bar in the Crestwood Shops in Brookside — opened in mid-December 2023 at 5514 Oak St, a few doors from Underdog Wine Co., the Sciaras’ wine shop of approximately a decade. The bar is named after Ryan’s Italian paternal grandmother. The wine program is deliberately expansive: 200+ wines and 25–30 vermouths, with gin and tonic as a build-your-own option and “Vermouth Hour” replacing the standard happy hour. The Sciaras describe it emphatically as a wine bar, not a craft cocktail bar. Interior design is by John O’Brien of Hammer Out Design (who also designed Bacaro Primo, Earl’s Premier, and the Golden Ox), with a dark wood bar, mustard yellow subway tile backsplash from local ceramicist Andy Brayman, and seating on two levels: 34 on the top floor and 20 in the basement. Kansas City Magazine covered the opening.

Tier classification

Tier pending — Ryan Sciara KC origin. The Sciaras have operated Underdog Wine Co. in Brookside for approximately 10 years, indicating deep KC market roots. Press coverage and the KC Magazine feature do not document where Ryan or Jenny were born or raised. If KC-born/raised, Tier 1; if they relocated to KC and put down roots through Underdog Wine Co., Tier 2. The decade of Brookside retail tenure makes KC dedication clear regardless of origin. Check @vitasplacekc bio or KC Magazine profile for hometown detail.

Menu

Last verified: 2026-07-14 · Source: Vita’s Place official site (Our Food) · URL(s): https://www.vitasplace.com/mangia · Confidence: High (official menu; prices not published online)

Vita’s Place pairs a wine-forward East Coast list with a rotating menu of Italian-leaning small plates and shared dishes; breads are baked in small batches by Blackhole Bakery.¹

Toasts & Small Plates

• Whipped Ricotta Toast — honey and Calabrian chilies¹
• Wild Mushroom Toast — mushroom pâté, arugula, aged balsamic¹
• Patatas Bravas — roasted fingerlings, brava sauce¹
• Roasted Broccoli — garlic-anchovy sauce, pickled chilies¹
• Marinated White Anchovies — red peppers, roasted garlic and oregano¹
• Truffled Chicken Liver Mousse — quince jam and garlic toast points¹
• Grilled Long Stem Artichokes — paprika aioli¹

Breads & Shared

• Toasted Sourdough Focaccia — marinated olives, cheese fondue¹
• Mozzarella Stuffed — tomato/olive dip¹
• Burrata y Limone — lemon, basil and olive oil¹

Larger Plates

• Bolognese Meatballs — garlicky tomato sauce¹
• Oil Cured Italian Tuna — tonnato sauce, olives and roasted peppers¹
• Prime Beef Carpaccio — arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano, preserved lemon¹
• Pacific Salmon Tartare — scallion, chives, lemon¹
• New York Striploin — roasted fingerlings, herbed butter¹

Dessert

• Burnt Basque Cheesecake¹
• Tiramisu¹
• Tuscan Olive Oil Cake¹
• Dark Chocolate Torte¹
• Torta della Nonna¹
• Ricotta Cake¹
• Tiramisu Cookies¹

Wine & Spirits

• Wine — East Coast-inspired list, served in 3 oz and 5 oz pours¹
• Vermouth, gin, agave spirits, aperitifs and digestifs — curated selection¹

Links

• Vita’s Place — official website

Sources

Footnotes

1. Vita’s Place — official menu, https://www.vitasplace.com/mangia (accessed 2026-07-14). ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵