As road vacations become more popular, some previously overlooked states are receiving a second look. Great Bend is a family-friendly economic destination in central Kansas. If you just have a few hours at Great Bend, I suggest visiting the Kansas Wetlands Education Center and Cheyenne Bottoms. If you go during the spring or autumn migration seasons, birdwatchers and photographers may spend the whole day there. Cheyenne Bottoms has the largest extensive wetlands in the American heartland, covering around 41,000 acres. Don’t miss the Cheyenne Bottoms guided bus excursions. Although admittance is free, there is a nominal fee for tours.
Therefore, while you’re out having fun exploring Great Bend, you’ll need something to keep you going. These are seven eateries that will give you the energy you need to keep exploring.
It should be noted that my visit was hosted by Great Bend.
Visiting other places in Kansas? Check out our gastronomy guides to the cities listed below:
- 6 Must-Try Lenexa Restaurants
- 5 Best Things To Do In Kansas City, Kansas
- 8 Best Restaurants On The KCK Taco Trail
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Great Bend Kansas Restaurants
An American Cafe on the Page
620-792-870010th Street
The Page has a relaxed elegance. The exposed brick walls of the restaurant are ornamented with framed photos. You’ll look great with a solid pair of jeans or something a little dressier. Although they have everything youd expect to find in a steakhouse, they also have more casual menu options like sandwiches and wraps.
Taste their house-made potato soup, which is presented in the style of a loaded baked potato. Green onions for a light onion taste, melted cheddar cheese, and bacon pieces are used to decorate the meal.
Pro Tip: If you want to match the local Rosewood wines with supper, go to The Page, which has Rosewood wines on its wine list.
Mexican Restaurant Delgados
620-793-37862210 10th Avenue
When you tell a local you ate at Delgados, the first question they ask is, did you receive the half and half? They’re talking about Delgados basket of chips, which may be ordered with half flour and half corn chips. They cook the chips to order, and they arrive at the table warm. The flour chips are an interesting twist since they puff out much more than the corn chips, providing a great contrast. For a typical start to your Mexican supper, pair them with the house-made salsa.
Next, sample Delgados’ famed pork chili, which has soft bits of pork, tomatoes, and mild spices. Although I had it in a bowl, they also serve the pork chili burrito-style wrapped in a tortilla with beans and hamburger or spooned on top enchilada-style as a soup starter. Another option is to top potatoes with cheese and pork chili. This lightly flavored fork-tender meal is a must-try no matter how you prepare it.
Dinner options include typical Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, tacos, and tostadas, all served with beans and your choice of sopa or rice. Next they serve four meals with weird titles, the Beaver, Dutchman, Texican, and Apache; nonetheless, each dish consists of a 10-inch flour tortilla loaded with a filling and topped with something. The chef incorporates the pig chili into the meal in all circumstances.
I always had ice cream after a Mexican lunch, and the fried ice cream served in a deep-fried bowl-shaped flour tortilla sundae-style finished my meal at Delgados.
Vibrant purple and turquoise provide colorful hues to this 84-seat Mexican eatery. The colors and decor of the restaurant gave it a fiesta atmosphere. Although reservations are not usually required, they do accept them.
Pro Tip: Delgados does not accept credit cards, so bring cash.
Flavored Celebrations at Lizzie’s Cottage
1315 Stone Street, 620-793-0664
Delicious Celebrations at Lizzies Cottage is Great Bend’s best-kept secret. It’s a private restaurant that only opens when Kat King, the proprietor, has bookings. Although there is no fixed restaurant menu, you phone ahead, discuss what your party would like to eat, and Kat handles the rest. The whole group then eats the same dinner, with the exception of those with dietary requirements. Although eating at Lizzies Cottage involves some forethought, you will not be disappointed.
Our salad started with mixed greens, then English peas, chopped cucumber, zucchini, and avocado, all of which contributed to the overall green motif. Purple onions offered a flash of color, followed by a grating of asiago cheese for extra color diversity. The salad was then topped with toasted croissant croutons and a blush wine vinaigrette by Kat. Salads were served with rosemary bread.
The Parmesan-crusted garlic New York strip steak with Hasselback potatoes and roasted asparagus was Kat’s best-seller for the entree.
Our dessert was a luscious, delectable Nutella torte with hazelnuts and chocolate. I recommend adding this to your menu when ordering for the chocolate enthusiasts in your party.
Pro Tip: Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
Coffee Shop RePerks
Main Street 620-786-23341216 Main Street
When you see RePerks Coffee Shop, you instantly think of a location where you can get a cup of coffee and a croissant. You certainly can. Nonetheless, RePerks is a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and supper. They’re so much more than a coffee shop that the name feels a little misleading. I mean, how many coffee shops do you know where you can get a prime rib supper on a Saturday night? You may, however, do so at RePerks Coffee Shop. The meal includes a salad, potato, veggie, dessert, drink, and, of course, prime rib.
Although RePerks is a typical restaurant, they do provide take-out family meals. You may pick up your food after 5:00 p.m. if you order it before 3:00 p.m. On Saturdays, the prime rib supper is available, but other evenings, you may have meatloaf, fried chicken, or fish, to mention a few options, all with traditional sides.
In terms of coffee, I loved the caramel mocha, which is only one of the coffee and tea beverages available at this coffee shop.
RePerks, which is situated in downtown Great Bend, is ideal if you want to do some shopping while you’re there. The community has worked hard to establish a distinct retail experience. The commercial area has a number of sculptures that liven up the streets. The Rosewood Wine Cellar is one of my favorite businesses, where you can pick up award-winning wine to mix with a picnic or rest in your hotel after a long day of touring. If you need anything for folks you left at home, the Heart of Kansas Mercantile Shop and Miss Pretty Pickles both sell Kansas-made presents.
RePerks Coffee Shop is not open on Sunday.
Great Bend Coffee Company
2015 Lakin Avenue 620-603-6465
Although Great Bend Coffee is a fantastic spot to start your day or wake up with a cup of Joe, it is much more than that. They provide a broad range of breakfast and lunch meals. Check out their Facebook page, where they publish daily breakfast and lunch offers, as well as images to persuade you to attend.
With pizza names like Florence, Rome, and Milano, their lunch menu has a very Italian flavor. The Italian theme is continued with their trademark Pasta Fagioli soup. If you want something other than Italian, try one of the daily soups, which include options like clam chowder and broccoli cheddar. To round off your dinner, serve it with a cold wrap or salad.
They provide a variety of brick-oven cooked hot sandwiches with kettle chips and a pickle. If you like some fruit, replace the chips with a crisp Fuji apple.
Pro Tip: Great Bend Coffee is open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed all day Sunday.
Bar & Grill Handle
620-603-667-6807 10th St.
Neon beer signs, liquor posters, and motorbike photographs adorn the walls. Although the ambiance is similar to that of a lively biker bar, the guests are diverse. On a Saturday night, for example, you may see a bunch of motorcyclists in the bar, a local ladies softball team celebrating a victory, and a family eating supper.
Although the menu features burgers and hot dogs, salads, and sandwiches, the HandleBar is particularly recognized for its hot beef sandwiches. I distinctly remember my parents purchasing hot beef sandwiches when I was a youngster, so the hot beef sandwich at the HandleBar & Grill brought those memories rushing back. It’s perhaps the greatest hot beef sandwich in town, with ample quantities of meat.
If you want something more than a sandwich or salad, try the steaks, chicken-fried steak, or burned ends. These dinners come with two sides and grilled Texas toast.
HandleBar and Grill is not open on Mondays.
Thai Restaurant Sarocha
30 South Patton Road (620) 792-3100
Sarocha Thai Restaurant, situated just off Highway 56, has a beautiful, soothing atmosphere in which to enjoy your dinner. We began with Tom Yum, a Thai spicy and sour chicken soup. Thai spicy and sour chicken broth is combined with tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, and lemongrass as the base. Then they sprinkle it with cilantro.
Our main course was a yellow curry made with yellow curry paste and coconut milk. After that, they added potatoes and carrots.
Finish your meal with fried banana dessert. It came with five pieces; you may share if you want, but you’ll want to keep it all to yourself. House-made spring rolls stuffed with banana, coconut, and cream cheese, served with a honey dipping sauce.
They accept bookings and are closed on Sundays.