Why a City Market favorite is jumping the state line — to the food court at Oak Park Mall
August 29, 2025 | Joyce Smith
Its Brazilian dishes — using recipes the owners grew up eating in São Paulo — have been a City Market draw for more than a decade. Now Taste of Brazil restaurant is expanding to Johnson County, but as a quick-serve kiosk with a limited menu.
Taste of Brazil Express plans a late September opening in the food court of Oak Park Mall, 11149 W. 95th St., near Macy’s.
Owners Marco Rabello and Cristian Maciel, who signed a five-year lease, liked the mall’s year-round foot traffic, the visitability it would give their brand, and an opportunity to try out their offerings on the Kansas side of the metro.
“That’s a busy, busy location and we believe we have products that the clientele that goes there will love — the most popular Brazilian street snacks,” Rabello said. “We are really happy about introducing Brazilian cuisine to customers.”
Taste of Brazil Express will serve fan favorite snacks and desserts such as coxinhas (marinated shredded chicken and cream cheese croquettes with chimichurri sauce), açaí bowls, and pão de queijo (gluten-free cheese bread), along with Brazilian sodas and tropical juices. It will have four employees.
Oak Park Mall’s food court entrance; photo by Joyce Smith
“We’re thrilled to welcome Taste of Brazil to our Oak Park Mall food court,” said Christine Poehling, Oak Park Mall marketing director, in a statement. “Their vibrant flavors and authentic Brazilian cuisine bring a fresh and exciting addition to our dining lineup, and we look forward to the unique culinary experience they’ll offer our guests.”
Rabello earned a full scholarship to play volleyball at Park University in 2002. Two years later, his coach recruited his best friend Maciel.
The friends always planned to return to their homeland. But they met and married local women and started raising their families here, while also working at area hotels and Brazilian restaurants.
In 2013, they started sharing their family recipes at their Taste of Brazil restaurant in the City Market. They later moved next door to 21 E. Third St. so they would have a basement for a prep kitchen.
The restaurant offers sandwiches such as porção (grilled Brazilian pork sausage on a baguette with cheese and chimichurri), risole (fried dough filled with ham, provolone, mozzarella and chimichurri sauce), and Brazilian-style lasagna. It also serves Brazilian beer, sangria, wine and cocktails.
Cheese bread from Taste of Brazil; photo by Joyce Smith
A small retail area offers Taste of Brazil’s frozen cheese bread, which also is sold at some area grocery stores.
They rolled out a food truck in 2017 for festivals and private events including weddings.
Oak Park Mall’s food court has mostly national chains as Chipotle, Panda Express, and Mrs. Fields Cookies.
But Taste of Brazil will join such local tenants as Acapulco Paradise, and another City Market neighbor, Dragonfly Tea Zone, which just opened a shop by the food court.
Dragonfly Tea Zone founder Duc Phung said he had longed for a Kansas location, but waited until he had a trusted manager in place to keep standards high.
“Definitely a lot of folks at Oak Park Mall already know us from the City Market,” said Phung, who has four locations. “And I can reach out to more people faster that don’t know us.”
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.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Equal Minded Cafe serves a wealth of wins as taste buds power Troost bistro’s word-of-mouth appeal
Dontavious Young will happily brew customers at Equal Minded Cafe a chai or latte, but his main goal is to blend ideas, not ingredients. “Our mission is to provide resources, opportunities, and connections to people from all districts of Kansas City,” said Young, the property owner, event coordinator, and cafe manager at Equal Minded Cafe.…
City leader: Newly OK’d limits on Airbnbs will help keep Kansas Citians from being priced out of homes by unchecked rentals
Voter approval of a pair of ballot measures that regulate and tax short-term rentals will boost the city budget and make neighborhoods more affordable as brands like Airbnb and Vrbo continue to operate in Kansas City, said Eric Bunch. “The successful ballot questions are really about making this city whole on our financial expectations and…
Grow with us: The Rolling Garden plants perennial vibes from its new North KC shop
A houseplant oasis on wheels is putting down roots in the Iron District as the small business’ life cycle sprouts new opportunities for owners Tryce Nelson and Steven Morrill. “We’ve rolled all over Kansas City this past year — popping up at wineries, breweries, coffee shops, universities, events,” said Nelson, who co-founded The Rolling Garden…
Wanderfest returns April 23 to Midtown alongside Flavorpak jam and other Tower East oddities
After a four-year hiatus, community members are once again invited to wander and explore a collection of local businesses dubbed the Tower East District for a special day of spring events. Wanderfest is returning April 23 to the area near 31st Street and Gillham Road, shared organizers — and the sisters behind Two Tone Press…