Arthur Bryant's BBQ

The history of Arthur Bryant's is closely connected to the larger history of Kansas City. One of the oldest and most influential restaurants in establishing the unique flavor of Kansas City barbeque, Arthur Bryant’s dates back to 1908 when Henry Perry began serving barbecued meats from a cart in Kansas City's Garment District. In the decades that followed, Charlie and Arthur Bryant learned the craft while working for Perry. In 1949, Arthur Bryant established this restaurant which quickly established a strong reputation among diverse groups of Kansas City residents. The restaurant's fame spread following a 1972 article by food critic Calvin Trillin that declared Arthur Bryant's "the single best restaurant in the world." In the decades that followed, American Presidents, politicians, civil rights leaders, actors, and athletes from all around the United States and the world have made a pilgrimage to experience what some consider to be the best BBQ ribs in the world.

Arthur Bryant’s history begins in 1908 when the future father of Kansas City BBQ, Henry Perry, began serving cuts of meat that were available at low costs using his unique preparation methods that added flavor while making tougher cuts more tender. With some of the largest slaughterhouses in the world just miles away, Perry was able to acquire cuts of meat like brisket and ribs that were often discarded. Perry trained many of Kansas City's future BBQ legends, including Arthur Bryant and George Gates who began Gates BBQ. Perry later opened a restaurant at 18th and Euclid where he trained many of Kansas City's future barbeque masters, including brothers Charlie and Arthur Bryant. Charlie entered the barbeque business as a proprietor in 1940, followed by Arthur six years later. Recognizing the potential of this location owing to its proximity to Municipal Stadium, Arthur Bryant moved the business here in 1949.

Mr. Perry made BBQ famous in Kansas City by adding and incorporating different ingredients and smoking styles, using a combination of slow smoking with a vinegar-based sauce and a host of secret spices. After Perry's death, Arthur Bryant bought the business and moved it to this location in 1949, hoping to serve the diverse populations who came to the area to enjoy baseball and football games at Municipal Stadium.

The restaurant was not only a culinary landmark but also a place where diverse people dined with each other. And even if they did not always share the same table, this proximity was a step forward within a heavily segregated city. As a result, this restaurant was sometimes the site of civil rights gatherings in the 60's and 70's. Leaders would meet to discuss events and community gatherings. With the restaurant being so close to Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium, the restaurant quickly became a cultural hub for players and fans until 1976, when the new stadium complex was built. In many ways, the history of Arthur Bryant's is the history of Kansas City.

Famous patrons who have dined here include Presidents Jimmy Carter, Harry Truman, and Barack Obama, as well as actors and directors like Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg. For Kansas City civil rights activists, food and fellowship have gone hand in hand. For many Kansas City residents, including African Americans, cooking and creating BBQ has been key to commercial success.

Jump up to:^a b Ogintz, Eileen (October 28, 2015). "Best of Kansas City barbecue". Fox News. Retrieved February 21, 2018.

"Death of a Legend". Kansas City, Missouri: Kansas City Public Library. December 28, 1982. Retrieved January 27, 2012.

“Biography of Arthur Bryant (1902-1982), Founder of Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue | KC History.” Kchistory.org, 2021, kchistory.org/islandora/object/kchistory%253A115403. Accessed 6 Oct. 2021.

Jump up to:^a b "Kansas City's Barbecue Rift Is Settled". The New York Times. July 4, 1992. Retrieved February 21, 2018.

Bender, Jonathan (September 1, 2011). "Zagat names Arthur Bryant's one of the top 10 barbecue meccas". The Pitch. Kansas City, Missouri. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.

Janovy, CJ (September 18, 2008). "In Lee's Summit, Missouri, John McCain and Sarah Palin refute reality". The Pitch. Kansas City, Missouri. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2012. In Kansas City last week, John McCain and Sarah Palin make the obligatory stop at Arthur Bryant's.

"K.C. restaurant is reopened". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. Associated Press. February 22, 1983. p. 4B. Retrieved January 27, 2012.

"Lunch in K.C." The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. Associated Press. October 16, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved January 27, 2012. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn enjoyed barbecue sandwiches at Arthur Bryant's restaurant in Kansas City.

"Kansas City Eatery Getting Spot on Map". The Vindicator. Youngstown, Ohio. United Press International. August 14, 1976. p. 13. Retrieved January 27, 2012.

Trillin, Calvin (1974). American Fried: Adventures of a Happy Eater (1st ed.). Garden City, New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-00440-0. LCCN 73011637.

Wittig, Eileen L. “Barbecue vs. Riots | Eileen L. Wittig.” Fee.org, 23 Feb. 2017, fee.org/articles/barbecue-vs-riots/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2021.

Shahin, Jim. “They Fed the Civil Rights Movement. Now Are Black-Owned Barbecue Joints Dying?” Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/they-fed-the-civil-rights-movement-now-are-Black-owned-barbecue-joints-dying/2016/02/22/382079de-d506-11e5-be55-2cc3c1e4b76b_story.html. Accessed 6 Oct. 2021.

‌ “Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque Closes Legends Location in KCK.” FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports, 3 Dec. 2019, fox4kc.com/news/arthur-bryants-closes-legends-location/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2021.

Jackson, David. “Obama Dines at Arthur Bryant’s.” USA TODAY, www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/07/30/obama-kansas-city-arthur-bryant-barbecue-letter-writers/13351655/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2021.