Artego History
After working with a collaborator to open a delivery-only pizza concept for downtown in 2013, I began to have a growing interest in creating a new pizza experience for Kansas City. As the downtown concept began to take shape, the entrepreneur within insisted that this wasn't quite “it” which pushed me to continue working toward my vision & pursue my own location. In it, I envisioned
the perfect central space to gather for great pizza, small plates, and cocktails. A place that you could pop in for a happy hour with coworkers, dinner with the family, or a nightcap with a slice of hangover prevention. I saw an eclectic room with a friendly vibe, polished concrete floors, reclaimed aged pallet wood and rusted steel from local scrap yards just waiting to be up-cycled. By integrating pieces of the past I was able to bring a personality to the restaurant that is as rich as KC’s history. The art that fills the walls was a pleasant coincidence manifested through left over materials from the build out and a last minute collaboration between myself and local homeless man. He was looking to reinvent himself and his bold style meshed itself nicely with my concept for visual stimulation. Drop cloths, old lumber, and late night painting combined into an organic partnership which resulted in the hyper-realism/Jackson Po***ck chaos that surrounds the room today.. Most of all, I strived to create a space that’s all Kansas City; one that historical Midtown could call its own. A restaurant that could add a new chapter to Midtown's already iconic locale with a menu that was as unique as the area & venue. A place where the local spirit of today meets the local spirit of yesterday, where the community neighborhoods that built Kansas City still feels as alive now as it was then, a place that looks towards the future while keeping our ties strong with togetherness from roots that prepare us for the path that lies ahead . With the new development of our outdoor patio over looking historical 39th St. and our newest quest to expand into the space next-door in the coming weeks, we continue to grow our vision of providing an exceptional product, atmosphere, and service experience to both our current patrons and the one's of tomorrow! We love serving our new family of customers and look forward to creating more friends and lifelong memories in the coming years. We at Artego are humbled to be a part of Kansas City's amazing culinary scene and love what we do!
