If you think you know college-town dining, Lawrence will upend your expectations. This city’s appetite is as unpredictable as its weather: one night, you’re sipping natural wine in a converted bank; the next, you’re elbow-deep in barbecue sauce, watching Jayhawk fans dissect the latest game.
So to find the best Lawrence places right now, our team scoured the city, trying everything from dive bars to fine dining on Massachusetts Street. Here are the 16 best restaurants in Lawrence, each one a reason to skip the chain joints and eat like you actually live here. —Eric Barton
1. 715
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If you need a reminder that this is a real city, not just a college town wrapped in wheat fields and nostalgia, go to 715. The room glows like an old movie—soft bulbs over the bar, clink of wine glasses, the kind of murmured conversation that makes you sit up straighter. Chef Michael Beard’s menu is tight and precise. A salad of burrata and the freshest of sliced tomatoes. The tagliatelle Bolognese, house-made and braised so long it tastes like it came from someone’s Italian nonna with a beard and a chef’s coat. The pork ragu could pass for fine dining in Chicago, and the cocktails are better than they have to be. I’ve had louder meals, cheaper meals, meals with more Instagrammable plates—but for a place that reminds you that Lawrence knows how to do grown-up dining, come here. —Eric Barton
2. Mass Street Fish House
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Seafood in Kansas is a hard sell, but Mass Street Fish House pulls it off with fresh oysters, lobster rolls, and a gin and tonic program that’s quietly one of the city’s best. The nautical-chic design is a welcome break from the usual, and the bar is a magnet for anyone who prefers their martinis with a side of brine. —Eric Barton
3. Wine Dive + Kitchen
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Wine Dive is where you go when you want to drink something interesting and eat something even better. The steak frites are a staple, the wine list is deep, and the staff actually knows what they’re pouring. Upscale without the attitude, it’s the kind of place that makes you want to linger. —Rebecca Thompson
4. Culinaria
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Stepping into Culinaria Mediterranean Kitchen, I’m greeted by a wall of vibrantly bottled spices and the aroma of garlic and lemon zest. Chefs Regan Lehman Pillar and Aaron Pillar transformed a humble East Lawrence spot into a glowing homage to the Mediterranean coast. Their menu reads like a journey through Israel, Sicily, and Spain – and the execution is as heartfelt as a home-cooked meal. One visit, I tore into local lamb served atop silky hummus, studded with olives and scooped up with za’atar-dusted flatbread; the dish was rustic and elegant all at once. Another time I indulged in pillowy gnocchi tossed with roasted eggplant and a harissa tomato sauce, a clever Kansas-meets-Morocco creation. The dining room’s exposed brick and hanging plants give it a relaxed glow, and Pillar often pops out of the open kitchen to chat about the seasonal produce he’s sourced that week. With its fresh-squeezed citrus cocktails and genuinely warm service, Culinaria feels less like a restaurant and more like a dinner party thrown by your culinarily gifted friends – the kind of friends who finish the night with silky olive oil cake and a splash of arak. —Eric Barton
5. Bon Bon!
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At this East Lawrence bistro, Chef Simon Bates – whom locals know from the Burger Stand – set out to create the kind of spot he and his wife, Codi, always craved. The result is Bon Bon, a neighborhood hangout that’s equal parts inventive kitchen and community living room. I love grabbing a seat at the bar, beneath strings of patio lights, and starting with an order of tempura catfish fingers dunked in herb mayo – Midwestern comfort with a playful twist. The menu hops from Kansas to Asia with ease: one night I devoured their okonomiyaki, a Japanese-style savory pancake piled with local pork belly and drizzled in smoky-sweet sauce. The next, I kept it classic with their perfectly medium-rare steak frites (yes, they still honor meat-and-potatoes folks). There’s a joyous, unpretentious vibe here; the staff might call you by name on your second visit. At Bon Bon, Simon isn’t just pushing Midwestern cuisine’s limits – he’s creating the place I’d happily eat every week, where cheese fries share the table with kimchi and nobody bats an eye. —Eric Barton
6. Lucky Seb’s
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Lucky Seb’s Dumpling Bar & Grill is shooting high, blending Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Midwestern barbecue influences into a single menu, and serving it in a teal-painted tavern decked with gold-accented lanterns. But the moment I tuck into Lucky Seb’s pork dumplings, I’m sold. They arrive plump and seared, bathed in chili oil that tingles my lips with ginger and garlic as a cloud of steam fogs my glasses. Next up, I demolish a plate of kimchi cheese fries – an indulgent, spicy-sour heap that somehow perfectly accompanies a frosty local IPA. Chef and owner Will Soo, a Chinese-American barbecue fanatic, rolls out mashups like masala chicken potstickers and a smoked brisket curry rice bowl, reflecting his playful culinary identity. The vibe inside is lively and a touch loud – the sizzle from the open kitchen matching the buzz of diners discovering new flavor combos. It’s a delicious reminder that rules are meant to be broken, one dumpling at a time. —Eric Barton
7. Merchants Pub & Plate
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Downtown’s historic bank-turned-bistro, Merchants Pub & Plate, remains the city’s gold standard for farm-to-table dining. Chef-driven plates like the seared salmon with smoked tomato spaghetti squash and olive chutney are as thoughtful as the 30 taps of craft beer behind the bar. Don’t skip the famous brussels sprouts or the chocolate budino, which might just be the city’s best dessert.—Rebecca Thompson
8. Big Mill
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Housed in a rehabbed laundromat with tin ceilings and a historic windmill’s name, Big Mill hits Lawrence with Motor City swagger. I bite into a Detroit Deluxe slice, its cheese caramelized at the edges and dotted with ricotta and pecorino on a light, airy crust–it’s a crunchy, savory revelation far from your usual pie. The kitchen’s not shy about Kansas flair either: the signature “Mill” burger comes draped in housemade Korean chili sauce, a spicy nod to college-town tastes. Owner Brad Ziegler’s bar pedigree shows in the relaxed vibe, from the restored wood floors to the late-night coney dogs. It’s a come-as-you-are pizza pub that delivers something decidedly new for Lawrence, and I’m here for it. —Maria Rodriguez
9. Taqueria La Pasadita
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No frills, no fuss – just damn good tacos. That’s the promise at La Pasadita, a tiny cinderblock taqueria run by the Andrade family. Blink and you might miss it off 19th Street, but you’ll know you’re there from the intoxicating scent of al pastor pork spinning on the trompo. The menu is straightforward Mexican street food: pick your protein and decide if you want it in taco, burrito, torta, or quesadilla (“gringa”) form. I often opt for two carnitas tacos and a birria gringa – the braised beef in the gringa is rich and spicy, oozing with melted Oaxaca cheese when I crisp it up on the flat-top. They even occasionally have delicacies like tender tripa tacos or seasonal tamales if you’re lucky. Each bite transports me to a Mexico City street corner, especially when I add a spoonful of tangy salsa verde and a squeeze of lime. Sure, the parking is scarce and seating limited, but I’ll happily lean on my car hood and devour these tacos any day – they’re that good. —Maria Rodriguez
10. Encore Asian Bistro
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Encore sits on the edge of town, wedged between a med spa and a hardware store, which is exactly the kind of strip mall camouflage I’ve learned to trust. Inside, though, it’s all lacquered wood and dim lighting, with jazz on the speakers and the unmistakable sound of someone taking Szechuan heat personally. The menu’s a tightrope walk: glossy orange chicken for the hesitant, chili oil–slicked dumplings and mapo tofu for the rest of us. I usually start with the potstickers, which arrive golden and blistered, then move on to the dan dan noodles, served with a tangle of scallions and enough Sichuan peppercorn to make my lips buzz like bad gossip. It’s the kind of place where I always over-order and never regret it—half for now, half for tomorrow, if I can hold out that long.—Rebecca Thompson
11. Free State Brewing Company
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Kansas’s original craft brewery, Free State is equal parts community hub and restaurant. The cheddar ale soup is legendary, and the fish and chips are crisp and golden. The beer list is a crash course in Midwestern brewing, and the historic downtown space buzzes on game days.—Rebecca Thompson
12. Cellar Door Café & Pâtisserie
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Tucked beneath a historic building downtown, Cellar Door feels like a secret bakery lab where every day’s experiment is a new treat. Owner-baker Louis Wigen-Toccalino opened this cozy café in 2020, and he’s been wooing Lawrence with his whims ever since – from flaky croissants to whatever pastry strikes his fancy that morning. I’m obsessed with his English muffins, which are griddled not baked, yielding an addictive sourdough tang and craggy nooks that soak up butter in all the right places. These become the base for breakfast sandwiches that redefine the genre. The vibe is vintage and relaxed: sun streaming in, vinyl spinning, and the smell of yeast and coffee enveloping everything. Self-taught and guided by nostalgia (Grandma’s recipes adorn the walls), Wigen-Toccalino has created a community hub for carb lovers. I often find myself lingering over a latte and an extra muffin to-go – purely for later research, of course. —Eric Barton
13. WheatFields Bakery Café
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Yes, I know it’s been around a while, but Wheatfields deserves a spot because they’re still baking like it’s the only thing that matters. The bread crusts crackle, the crumb sings, and the counter staff actually knows how to pronounce “ciabatta.” I grab a ham and Swiss on their dense, tangy sourdough and a chocolate chip cookie that’s more structure than dessert—thick, brown-edged, and warm enough to ruin me for every gas station snack from here to Topeka. Come early if you want anything with croissant dough; come often if you care about bread.—Maria Rodriguez
14. Terrebonne Po' Boys
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Blink and you’ll miss this counter-service shack tucked next to the gas station, but locals already know the fried shrimp po’ boy is the closest you’ll get to New Orleans without leaving Douglas County. It’s messy, crunchy, hot, and so loaded with remoulade that you’ll need extra napkins and maybe a post-lunch nap. There’s gumbo, too, with dark roux and real okra, and every time I order it I’m surprised they haven’t run out. The whole thing feels stubbornly authentic, like someone’s uncle from Baton Rouge decided to move north and cook only the food he missed.—Maria Rodriguez
15. The Burger Stand
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A Mass Street staple, The Burger Stand at the Casbah has earned national acclaim (including a nod from Zagat as a Top 25 Burger Joint). The Fire Burger, with habanero and cactus jam, is as bold as the crowd, and the truffle fries are a must. The vibe is unfussy, the shakes are thick, and the menu’s creativity never flags.—Rebecca Thompson
16. J. Wilson’s
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Brunch is a competitive sport in Lawrence, and J. Wilson’s is the reigning champ. Lemon ricotta pancakes, house-cured salmon, and a Bloody Mary that could double as lunch-this is where you go to recover from a long week or celebrate surviving finals. Dinner leans American bistro, with a burger that’s quietly one of the city’s best. —Maria Rodriguez
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist. He has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades and has written for publications including Food & Wine, Outside, and Men’s Health. Email him here.
