KC Turkey Leggman Lands on the New York Times’ Best Restaurants List

Is KC Turkey Leggman, a tiny takeout barbecue stand near 18th and Quindaro in Kansas City, Kansas, one of the 50 best restaurants in America?

Of course not, despite the New York Times declaring it so earlier this year. But their unique featured dish, a barbecued turkey leg, is a truly outstanding exemplar of classic KC ’cue.

The Times is the Times, so ever since the article was posted on Sept. 8, the once-quiet restaurant has had lines of people waiting outside, ready to devour a turkey leg when the doors open, says owner Matthew Montgomery, aka the Turkey Leggman.

Now that he’s nationally famous, has success changed him, his restaurant or his food?

“Not really,” Montgomery says. “No ad lib. Just stick to the script.”

Brett Anderson, who wrote the 113-word paean to Leggman for the Times, has the bona fides to make a “best-of” call. He was restaurant critic at the Times-Picayune in New Orleans from 2000 to 2019 before becoming a contributor to the Times food desk, and he’s won three James Beard awards.

Still, the list is a committee project made by 14 NYT writers and editors. I suspect that, collectively, this is a classic example of coastal types poking around flyover country and saying “aw, isn’t that quaint.”

Which is not to take anything away from how good the food is. You should go get some ’cue there. Soon.

The turkey leg is a sight to behold as well as a delight to eat. It’s huge and looks medieval, but it tastes divine: tender, moist, subtly smoked and seasoned, and deeply flavorful. If the turkey legs at the KC Renaissance Festival tasted like this, I’d buy a ticket every week just to eat one. Shards of deep brown skin come away in the process of cutting it up (no way could I eat the whole thing in one sitting). They’re anything but crisp, but they’re still a smoky, fatty, delightful indulgence.

Montgomery’s special seasoning is a secret he won’t divulge. He smokes the turkey legs and other meats over a variety of woods including hickory, pecan and cherry.

Four different sauces are available: BBQ, jerk, buffalo and honey gold. BBQ and jerk are the most popular. The BBQ is dark and sweet. The jerk sauce is strongly flavored with vinegar and chilies, buffered with molasses; used sparingly, it enhances the turkey without overpowering it.

Other offerings include both turkey and beef smoked sausages and tasty burnt ends served sloppy joe-style with plenty of sauce on a burger bun. Smoked chicken wings and turkey ribs (yes, you read that right) round out the menu.

Leggman is famous for the Bustdown, a turkey leg served over a bed of their most popular side—macaroni and cheese. The mac features nicely firm elbow pasta in a creamy white cheese sauce. Stewed greens, also very popular, are richly flavorful with a sneak-up-on-you spiciness. Their beans are sweet and peppery, with both chilies and bell pepper playing key roles. Simply because it’s takeout only, french fries suffer from the trip home in a closed Styrofoam container.

Montgomery isn’t looking to expand his modest takeout stand or add a slew of new offerings. For the future, he’s focused on the upcoming World Cup games in Kansas City and hopes to be on the scene with a new food truck.

Hey, once you’re nationally renowned, why not shoot for global recognition?   

Check it out: 1916 Quindaro Blvd., KCK, kcturkeyleggman.com.

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