‘Never settle’: He started small, now Drue Stewart is bringing TikTok-famous food to former Westport Ale House

‘Bigger, better, crazier; Never settle; The building had a dark cloud but we are going to bring new life to it’

Less than a year after opening Holy Brunch KC in Westport — and one small expansion — Drue Stewart is making an enormous leap.

He’ll go from 2,000-square-feet on one floor, to a 16,000-square-foot building with two floors and a rooftop; then open another concept in his current space.

Holy Brunch KC is scheduled to open in early June or early July at 4128 Broadway, previously home to Westport Ale House. The first floor of the brunch bar will be family-friendly and offer his made-from-scratch waffles and waffle sliders, along with stuffed french toast and more samplers.

A lower level is expected to be a high-end VIP, all-you-can-eat brunch space. Its rooftop will be for everyone.

During the pandemic, Stewart saw a void in food truck options: brunch.

So he rolled out Holy Brunch KC, stopping in spots from Lee’s Summit to Olathe.

“Not your normal breakfast — really different, funky, large portions,” he said.

Then, less than a year ago, Stewart took a 1,400-square-foot space at 204 Westport Road (the former Mario’s deli, long known for its grinders) for his first brick-and-mortar location. A few months after its summer opening, he expanded by taking over an additional 600-square-foot space next door.

It still wasn’t enough.

“I was turning down huge RSVP parties every weekend,” Stewart said. “Big brunch orders are not something people order to go.”

He expects to quickly grow into the 16,000-square-foot former Westport Ale House space and has had several months to plan for such a jump.

The former Westport Ale House building at 4128 Broadway Blvd. in Kansas City; photo by Joyce Smith

Stewart isn’t concerned about the building’s troubled past since his operation will be focused more on families, he said.

RELATED: A landlord-tenant dispute in Westport has unraveled into a $70 million lawsuit

A social-media worthy dish from Holy Brunch KC; courtesy photo

Holy Brunch specializes in made-from-scratch waffles topped with such ingredients as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, fresh strawberries, and Oreos; Monster breakfast burritos; pancakes; double decker french toast and hash; breakfast tacos; smash burgers; and loaded steak fries.

It also has waffle sliders with hash browns and a choice of meat (fried chicken, smoked sausage Philly cheesesteak or bacon).

Its Taste of Holy Brunch Sampler has eight wings, four tenders, fries and the dessert of the day — such as personal cheesecakes.

That’s also why Stewart isn’t worried about the nearby Snooze An A.M. Eatery on Broadway.

“They have to turn away customers when they get too busy. Guess where they will come?” he said. And while Snooze serves more classic items, Stewart wants to continue to serve food that “gets famous on TikTok.”

Click here to follow Holy Brunch KC on Instagram.

“Bigger, better, crazier. Never settle,” he said. “The building had a dark cloud but we are going to bring new life to it.”

Stewart will need about 60 employees, noting he’s a Second Chance employer (hiring people who have criminal records so they can reintegrate into society).

The Westport Ale House landlord couldn’t be reached for comment.

Once Holy Brunch relocates, Stewart is looking at opening Holy Ghost — hibachi, burritos, bowls and ramen — in his Westport Road space.

Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follow her on Bluesky, here for X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.