Acre in Parkville takes meat and potatoes to a new level.
Midwestern cuisine is often thought of as being based on beef and potatoes. Acre in Parkville, a suburb of Kansas City, brings this concept to an entirely different level.
Owned and operated by Chef Andrew Longres, Acre opened in 2022 and was named as an homage to Andrew’s family’s farm, Rolling Acres, which is only a 20-minute drive from the restaurant. I recently interviewed Chef Andrew, and he explained his core concept for Acre: “to provide genuine Midwestern hospitality with amazing ingredients that are indigenous to the area.”
Andrew began his culinary education at the Scottsdale Institute in Arizona. He was then awarded a Chaîne des Rôtisseurs scholarship that gave him the chance to train in fine kitchens in Paris, London, and Spain. His training was followed by stagiaires (short externships) and jobs in some of the nation’s top culinary destinations, most notably at The French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Chef Andrew has a fascinating feature in his restaurant: a wood-fired grill that uses native oak, hickory, and walnut. From this live-fire cooking arena, situated in the open-galley style kitchen, many of the specialties of the restaurant are produced. Some of these are the Black Angus steaks, aged in-house for 45 days, and the smoked chicken from Campo Lindo Farms, which is initially brined and then slowly roasted above the hearth. Another popular favorite that comes from the hearth is his house-made smoked ricotta appetizer that is served with the restaurant’s own handcrafted fried saltine crackers and cherry habanero jam—a tantalizing way to start a meal.
Chef Andrew’s love for the land and heritage of traditional foods found in the region is apparent on the menu, which changes with the seasons, often rotating 16 times or more annually. He often uses farm-raised game such as bison, duck, or venison, which, according to Chef Andrew, was once a mainstay for the survival of early settlers to the area. The restaurant also features seasonal produce in many dishes, like field peas, spring lamb, mushrooms, and elderberries.
At Acre, the wine, beer, and cocktails are given the same amount of attention as the exceptional food. I enjoyed reading the list of cocktails, which were all given whimsical names such as the Emerald Isle Sour and the Wooded Acre Martini. I also enjoyed perusing their wine selection, which offers many notable vintages that pair perfectly with the food. The wine program focuses on solid quality vintages—all of which are produced without added sulfites. Sulfites are often used by wine makers to halt the process of fermentation of the wine during specific stages in the production process. During our conversation about Acre’s many delicious spirits, Chef Andrew described the popular Swidden Acre Old Fashioned. It is made with a bourbon blend of American brandy, LBV port, maple syrup, and aromatic bitters and is presented smoking in a small bourbon barrel.
Although many of the dishes are lofty in their preparation and plating composition, the service is anything but overbearing, which is not always the case in fine dining establishments. The service staff is led by Jensine Stewart, the general manager, who strives to always make the dining experience welcoming and comfortable.
Due to my love and admiration for dessert and sweet endings, I inquired about their desserts. Chef Andrew told me about his Maxine’s Lemon Cake, named after his grandmother’s home-style dessert. This cake is made with lemon curd, rich buttercream, and served with macerated berries in homemade elderberry syrup. He also described the Basque Cheesecake—a dessert that he learned how to make while training in Spain, where it originated. This crustless cake is served with apple cider, caramel, confit apples, and oat crumble.
Andrew’s restaurant has the warm, welcoming hospitality passed down from generations of farmers who built their homes in the heartland of the Midwest. I applaud him for keeping the fire alive and the hospitality genuine at Acre. If you make the trip to Acre in Parkville, please give Chef Andrew my regards!
To see Acre’s latest offerings, visit the website: AcreKC.com.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2025 edition of Missouri Life.
All photos courtesy of Acre.
