10 Wichita Restaurants You Didn't Know About

2806 S. Hydraulic
Mon-Sat: 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sun: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Maybe you’re looking for a place that cares about keeping it simple - good food at decent prices. You won’t want to glance over this family diner where you can still get an affordable 3-course meal! Daily specials (yes, I meant plural), a full menu and attentive wait staff make this a great place to try for your next meal!

1321 W. Douglas Ave.
Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sat: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

This place makes a bold claim as the king of a certain, delicious fried snack! Located just outside the historic Delano district, you won’t regret stopping in and asking for the Family Delight. Some people claim to have made it in and out in under 10 minutes. Fast service. Good fried food. Egg roll, anyone?

4817 E. Douglas Ave.
Mon-Thurs: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri-Sat: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

When one thinks about Wichita, they may not think about pizza. But, just a short drive from downtown Wichita is a gem in the city’s restaurant selection. Il Vicino uses a wood fire oven to cook all of its pizza and serves many other Italian specialties such as sandwiches, salads, lasagna and calzones. If you’re from Wichita, you may know the place well, but if you are visiting then you’ll want to be sure to stop in.

1064 N Waco Ave

If it’s Mexican you crave, then you absolutely can’t miss Molino’s. With traditional Mexican fare and creative margaritas, your tastebuds will thank you for a stop here. The contemporary Mexican cuisine looks as good as it tastes with a menu full of all of the traditional classics, and even a few specialties that might surprise you. If you’re like me, you won’t want to miss out on the Chimichanga dinner. 

4701 E Douglas Ave
Mon-Fri: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sat: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Maybe you’re looking for something lighter to eat? If you need a great lunch menu then you must check out Watermark Books & Cafe. Attached to the bookstore is a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Named after literary classics, the sandwiches include the Streetcar Named Desire, the Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby and my personal favorite, the Lolita. The cafe also serves smoothies, salads, coffee and more cafe favorites. When you’re done, peruse the book aisles. 

2409 W. 13th St. N.
Tues-Sat.: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. 

Offering deli sandwiches, sandwiches from the grill, mouthwatering steaks cooked over an open broiler and pizzas, it can be easy to forget that Copper Oven Cafe also serves delectable desserts fresh from the bakery! Running a little behind in the morning? That’s okay, they’ll serve breakfast until 2 p.m. for any (ahem) late sleepers.

2419 S. Glendale
Chinese
Mon-Sat: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

The Google profile says, “Low-key, cash-only take-out eatery serving fried rice & other familiar Chinese sides,” but this place is in a league of its own. Their specialty? You know it - fried rice. For $4 cash, you’ll be in and out in minutes with fried rice, egg rolls and a drink. No mess. No fuss. Who could ask for more?

120 N West St
Lunch hours:
  Tues-Fri: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Dinner hours:
  Mon-Thurs: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
  Fri-Sat.: 5 p.m. -10 p.m.

If you should find yourself on the west side of Wichita, you can’t forget a visit to this bistro. You can expect fresh, homemade and traditional Italian dishes in a quiet atmosphere that’s perfect for a date night. With weekend dinner specials, you’ll walk away wondering how you never knew about this place.

255 N. Washington
Mon: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Tues - Thurs: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fri: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sat: 1 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Sun: 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Wichita isn’t shy about its sushi places. But you don’t want to miss out on this one located right in the heart of the city in historic Oldtown. With a recently renovated space, this may be one of the coolest spots in town to have all the signature sushi rolls you can imagine. Did someone say sake bar? Once you’re done there, you’ll be on your way to checking out the heart of Wichita.

2202 E. Douglas
Mon-Sat: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sun: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

If you’ve been to Wichita for even a short amount of time, then you’ve probably heard of Reverie Coffee Roasters. But what you might not know is that with a new location, Reverie has expanded to include even more under its roof.

The well-known coffee roaster has brought a chef on staff to develop the Founder’s Bakery, which offers quick-prepared coffees and bakery items like croissants, scones, muffins and galettes that can be enjoyed in-house or to-go.

On the east side of the location, is a familiar Reverie with a twist, designed for those who want to linger over coffee, craft beer, wine and cocktails. The new Reverie location offers breakfast and lunch too, with a focus on brunch-type items like poached eggs with salmon, homemade sausages and more.