(Images: Courtney Cushing Kiernat)
The Kenwood is back! Well, it never really left, it just took a brief winter vacation. Although I think it was anything but a vacation for the staff: they did a full refresh of the space.
The kitchen was updated, the floors refinished, plush banquette seating added against the wall, the plaid is gone, the paint is new and, the most exciting part for me, there’s a full bar.
There are only a handful of seats, but if you can snag one, you’ll get a great spot. The previous lounge-style area was cute, but now it’s more functional and accommodates a full cocktail menu.
The spirits are well curated, and the cocktails are what you’d expect to complement the level of the food: premium local spirits, fresh juices and house-made ingredients.
The space still has the classic vibe of dark wood tables and earth-tone walls, but a more modern style. It’s less lodge and more country club. Weather permitting, there are still several tables outside.
I’d classify the food as “upscale bistro.” There are bits and pieces of all different world cuisines. Italian and fresh pasta are still a big focus — focaccia, bruschetta, burrata, and at least four pasta options for lunch and dinner.
But there are also other global ingredients like za’atar, dukkah, nori and tobiko. But don’t worry, the pulled pork and Kenwood burger haven’t gone anywhere. Neither have the perfect pancakes with the pistachio butter — a brunch must-have.
Dinner offers three fully composed entrees spanning seafood, white meat and red meat. The veggie and gluten-free crowd shouldn’t have trouble finding something they can enjoy.
My last visit was for brunch during their “grand opening” weekend. Yay, free banana bread! I was fortunate to be with some of my Hill & Lake Press colleagues and we “brunched hard,” as the cool kids would say. The place was full and hopping. However, along with that came quite a bit of noise. I suspect the owners are aware, and I hope some acoustic panels are on the way.
The Kenwood has been around in its current form since 2012. Ownership changed hands in 2021, but overall, it stayed relatively the same.
"It’s a neighborhood staple. Let’s try to keep it that way."
I write this just after the news of the closing of The Lowry, another favorite neighborhood spot, and the announcement of the closing of Cardamom. The restaurant business is hard … like really, really hard. If you’ve never worked at one, or owned one, I promise you have no idea … even if you think you do.
Changing consumer behavior and spending, rising product cost, rising rent, rising insurance, rising utilities, rising labor costs, construction, federal occupation, navigating the Family and Medical Leave Act and more are all hacking away at already razor-thin margins. There’s only so much that a consumer will pay for a burger.
Jason Suss spent 15 years in tech before leaving the corporate world to pursue his passion for cocktails. For the past 12 years, he has worked on both sides of the bar at local restaurants. He now lives in Lowry Hill and owns @AProperPour.
