KCK restaurant serving up soul food for nearly 40 years

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Order up at Ms. R’s Cafe.

This Kansas City, Kansas, restaurant has been cooking up soul food for almost four decades, but the family behind the food lost an important person last fall. 

“I’m going to make some chili,” Eddie Scover said.

He’s in charge of putting the savory in their soul food. 

“It’s deeply in the soul,” Scover said. “It’s not from the books or nothing; it’s straight from the soul.”

There’s a different menu every day.

“We’re having ‘chitlins’ tomorrow,” Scover said.

Some fan favorites are chicken and dressing, smothered pork chops and the famous peach cobbler.

“I’ve been coming here at least 30-35 years,” loyal customer Xanthe Avery said.

She drives a half-hour to KCK just to get a bite of their classic burger. 

“I just got through eating half of it,” Avery said. “I’m trying to save a little bit more.”

Ms. R’s is rich with history, too. They’ve been feeding the community for nearly 40 years.

“Black History Month, it brings a real good meaning to be able to be at your own place, cooking soul food, especially being a minority,” Scover said.

He was 12 when his mom Ruth bought the building. Now, there’s an important piece missing. Last September, Ruth passed away at the age of 64.

“I’m kind of built for it, but you know, we’re only human and being in here, a place that I shared with her and she brought me up in and taught me the roles of it, it’s hard,” Scover said. “But we’ve got to keep going.”

Scover is continuing more than one tradition at Ms. R’s Cafe. 

Every Christmas Eve for about three decades, Ruth and her son would make food and give it to the community — free of charge. 

Customers miss Ruth’s hospitality. They said she was generous, loving and cooked from the heart. 

“She was such a sweet lady,” Avery said. “She would love to cook, and I would love to eat her food.”

Scover said it’s been tough for his family, but they do it for her — a beautiful soul that enjoyed filling people with some of the best soul food.