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

a French-American bistro in the heart of Westport, open since 2011 and chef-owned since 2015 by Romain Monnoyeur, Kevin Mouhot, and Nicolas Mermet; serves a full menu daily until ~1 a.m. with a half-price late-night menu from 10 p.m. to close. Tier 1 as a 15-year, owner-operated Westport institution.

Description

Westport Cafe & Bar is a French-American bistro in the heart of Kansas City’s Westport entertainment district, at 419 Westport Rd.12 It pairs scratch-made French cuisine rooted in classical technique with a full bar of craft cocktails infused with fresh fruits, herbs, and spices, and serves one of the city’s most popular weekend brunches.13 Frequently cited dishes include steak frites, steak tartare, escargot, and profiteroles.13

The café is distinctive in Westport for its late-night kitchen: it serves a full menu daily into the early morning (to roughly 1 a.m.), and from 10 p.m. to close runs a late-night menu of half-priced food items with specially priced beer and wine — a rare proper sit-down French option in a district dominated by bars.34 Executive Chef Romain Monnoyeur was a 2024 James Beard Award semi-finalist.13

As of June 2026 the restaurant is open and actively operating, with a Yelp listing updated June 2026 (700+ photos, 520+ reviews) and an OpenTable presence reflecting hundreds of recent diner reviews.54 In 2026 the restaurant debuted a new dinner menu blending French cuisine with Puerto Rican influences, marking its 15-year anniversary.3

Ownership and history

Westport Cafe & Bar opened in the Westport district around 2011 and celebrated its 15-year anniversary in 2026.3 Since 2015, the restaurant has been co-owned by Romain Monnoyeur, Kevin Mouhot, and Nicolas Mermet, who trained at culinary school in Poligny, France, and refined their craft in kitchens across Paris, Monaco, and the United States before establishing the bistro as a French-owned, chef-driven independent in Kansas City.1 Executive Chef and co-owner Romain Monnoyeur was named a 2024 James Beard Award semi-finalist.13

Some third-party listings credit an earlier 2012 opening under a prior owner (Aaron Confessori) before the current French ownership group took over in 2015; the official site dates the current ownership era to 2015 and the 2026 press materials frame the business as reaching its 15-year mark, consistent with a ~2011 founding.13 Confirm the precise original founding year and the 2015 ownership-transition details.

In 2026, Chef Monnoyeur and Sous-Chef Christopher Velez introduced a new dinner menu fusing classic French cuisine with vibrant Puerto Rican influences to mark the anniversary.3

Sources

Disputes

(None active.)

Footnotes

  1. Westport Cafe & Bar — official site (homepage / about) — https://westportcafeandbar.com/ — asserts: 419 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111; modern French bistro, scratch cooking, craft cocktails, weekend brunch; co-owners since 2015 Romain Monnoyeur, Kevin Mouhot, Nicolas Mermet trained in Poligny, France; signature steak tartare, steak frites, profiteroles; Chef Monnoyeur 2024 James Beard semi-finalist; closed Monday. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  2. Visit KC — Westport Cafe & Bar — https://www.visitkc.com/business-detail/westport-cafe-bar — asserts: 419 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111; “local French inspired Bistro in the heart of Westport”; full bar, dine-in and carryout; hours listed late (to ~1:30 a.m. Mon–Sat, midnight Sun); phone (816) 931-4740. ↩

  3. “Westport Café Debuts New Dinner Menu with a French Twist – a Fusion with Puerto Rican Soul in Kansas City” (2026 press release, EIN Presswire via wfxrtv / Culture Zone Puerto Rico / MENAFN) — https://www.wfxrtv.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/826843164/westport-cafe-debuts-new-dinner-menu-with-a-french-twist-a-fusion-with-puerto-rican-soul-in-kansas-city/ — asserts: 15-year anniversary in 2026; full menu daily 4 p.m.–1 a.m.; happy hour 4–6 p.m.; late-night menu 10 p.m.–close (half-price items, specially priced beer & wine); brunch 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. weekends; Chef Romain Monnoyeur + Sous-Chef Christopher Velez new French–Puerto Rican menu; James Beard 2024 semi-finalist. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  4. Search aggregation of menu/hours listings (OpenTable, Tock, Westport KCMO, menu directories) — asserts: full menu daily 4 p.m.–1 a.m.; late-night menu 10 p.m.–close with half-priced food and specially priced beer & wine; Parisian-inspired French bistro; OpenTable 4.5★ across 800+ diner reviews. ↩ ↩2

  5. Yelp — Westport Cafe (Kansas City) — https://www.yelp.com/biz/westport-cafe-kansas-city — asserts: 419 Westport Rd; French; listing updated June 2026 with 700+ photos and 520+ reviews, indicating active current operation. ↩

See also

  • Registry
  • westport
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Locally owned
  • French
  • Westport