Chacko's: Galumphing Strong

If you are living in Kansas City, you need to go over to the Kansas side and visit Chacko’s Bakery. Yes, I know, you thought there would never be a good enough reason, but you were wrong. Chacko’s is an excellent reason. Plus, it’s awesome and cheap. Lucky you.

Chacko’s is only open from Tuesday to Saturday, so if you’re having a pastry emergency on Monday or Sunday, you’ll be entirely out of luck, which serves you right for not planning ahead. Also, it’s only open from 7 to 3 (am to pm, respectively), so if you have one of those “real jobs”, you might be out of luck during the week. However, if you are in or near the neighborhood of downtown Mission at the right time, you should really stop in. Once you get that far, the rest is easy.

Inside, the counter and pastry case are very accessible. On my last visit, the owner greeted me from behind the register, which speaks to the level of service they offer at Chacko’s. I’ve also been helped by the regular staff, and every one of them is just as smiley, personable, and helpful as the owner. As far as customer service goes, you can’t really lose here. Regardless, the most important thing about Chacko’s, as with any bakery, is the food.

At any given time, there are no less than twenty different fresh-baked items to choose from the case. These include cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns, individual sour cherry pies, key lime white chocolate bars, apple slab pie, dark chocolate hazelnut bars, a variety of festively decorated cookies, and a bunch of tasty-looking cakes. On top of all that, you can also buy loaves of their bread, ranging from honey whole wheat to pepper scallion. Also, there’s lunch. Chacko’s offers homemade soups, sandwiches, and salads, too.

Many Kansas City bakery-goers know Chacko’s as the home of the city’s best cinnamon rolls. The rolls have a lot to live up to, and they certainly don’t disappoint. For a mere $1.95, you can have a five-inch square cinnamon roll, served cold. Need a microwave to warm it up? Too bad. There is no microwave at Chacko’s. Why? Because the staff would rather warm it up for you in their oven, which is something this pastry eater has never been offered anywhere else.

Fortunately, the cinnamon roll is wonderful, even cold, if that’s your style. Topped with a perfectly-portioned serving of not-too-sweet icing, Chacko’s super cinnamon roll has layer after layer of flaky-but-firm pastry wrapped around a delightful cinnamon center. It’s an amazing feat of cinnamatics, and it just might be the best cinnamon roll in Kansas City.

I give it 4.5 out of five capybaras.

Chacko's Bakery

6001 Johnson Drive
Mission, KS 66202-337
(913) 671-8199
Mon.-Sat. 7 AM - 3 PM

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