Our little guides to what to eat in Wichita are becoming a bit of a tradition. Two years ago, we put out a list of “50 Wichita Restaurants You Should Try,” and then last year, we got more specific, offering “50 Wichita Dishes You Have to Try.”

This year, we’re adding another couple of categories — and another palate.

In this guide, you’ll find Dining with Denise’s suggestions for 25 Appetizers to try. It’s a collection of some of Wichita’s best small bites, both well-known and waiting to be discovered.

You’ll also find Keeper of the Plans Matt Riedl’s guide to 25 Cocktails to try. He spent weeks exhaustively researching his nominations (someone’s got to do it) but he reports that he was honored to make the sacrifice to help readers make good drinking decisions.

We hope this guide will help you plan your next happy hour.

Here’s the fifth group of 10 on the list, which appeared in a special booklet that was inserted in Sunday’s newspaper. There’s also a version of this guide that you can get for free inside the VIP Wichita magazine, which is available on racks all over town. (Look for the August issue with local rocker Jenny Wood on the cover.)

By all means, let us know what you think we missed. Just go to Dining with Denise or Keeper of the Plans on Facebook and leave a comment.

APPETIZERS, by Denise Neil

41. Wine Dive, Drunken Bread

This Wichita restaurant is a great place to stop for a glass of wine and an appetizer to share, and a good one to share is this rich and unusual “casserole” made with crumbled baguette, gruyere cheese and prosciutto that’s been mixed with a white wine sauce, topped with Parmesan and fresh thyme and then baked. $10, 4714 E. Douglas, 316-613-2772

42. Chisholm’s American Beef & Ale House, Short Rib Spring Rolls

Short ribs are good just about any way you eat them. But this new restaurant inside the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wichita Airport has come up with an inventive way to serve it: stuffed inside a spring roll wrapper with black beans and corn then deep fried. The crunchy appetizer rolls are served atop a smoked gouda fondue. $9, 2098 S. Airport Road, 316-945-1966

43. Bella Luna, Hummus

Wichita has no shortage of top-rate hummus. After all, this is the unofficial Lebanese food capital of the country. But there’s something special about the hummus at local favorite Bella Luna. It’s perfectly creamy and rich and always topped with pine nuts and a gherkin. And Bella Luna’s pita chips, coated with a tangy za’atar seasoning, are an appetizer all their own. Make it a meal by adding steak and mushrooms. $7.95, 2132 N. Rock, 316-634-0008; 2441 N. Maize, 316-613-3320

44. Savute’s Italian Ristorante, Fried Provolone Cheese

One of Wichita’s oldest restaurants (it’ll turn 75 next year) is still serving up one of Wichita’s favorite dishes. While most restaurants fry mozzarella, Savute’s fries provolone that’s been coated in an unforgettable breading encasing a hunk of stretchy, melty cheese. Dip it in Ranch or marinara. $6.49, 3303 N. Broadway, 316-838-0455

45. Lola’s Bistro, Lumpia

Lola’s Bistro owner Michael Abay grew up eating and cooking authentic Filipino lumpia, and now his fine-dining restaurant serves a fine version of this traditional appetizer, a spring roll stuffed with pork, shrimp and vegetables, fried until crispy and served with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce. Also try the pork belly bao buns. $7, 2146 N. Collective Lane, 316-613-2223

COCKTAILS, by Matt Riedl

46. Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill, Double Black Diamond Martini

This popular drink is a mainstay at the upscale Firebirds bar. The drink is a pineapple-infused martini, made with fresh pineapples infused for 21 days with New Amsterdam vodka. It’s then garnished with a full-on pineapple slice. It’s served ice-cold and to the brim of the glass, so much so that you’ll have to sip it with a straw before you can actually drink it, to avoid overflow. It’s a very good martini. $10.50, 10095 E. 13th Street, 316-616-0969

47. Public at the Brickyard, Lavender Lemonata

This summer beverage is sure to hit the spot if you’re out at Public or the Brickyard. Made with Tito’s vodka and house-made lemon-lavender soda, the cocktail is a little sweeter than I typically prefer lemonades to be. Regardless, Public’s concoction is likely the one time I’ll truly appreciate a sweet lemonade. It’s served with sugar on the rim. Be sure to drink it quickly, as it does tend to get a tad watered-down as the ice melts. $7, 129 N. Rock Island, 316-263-4044

48. The Monarch, Moscow Mule

This is it, perhaps the purest example of a Moscow Mule in Wichita. The Monarch is known for this particular drink, which is interesting to note, given the bar specializes in bourbon. This Moscow Mule is much less tart than other mules in town, allowing the drinker to taste the vodka more clearly. It still isn’t enough to overpower or have a strong bite. It’s a smooth, almost flavorless beverage sure to be a year-round hit. $9, 579 W. Douglas, 316-201-6626

49. HomeGrown, Mimosa

It wouldn’t be fair to make a list of the best cocktails in Wichita and not include at least one mimosa. This particular concoction from the west side’s HomeGrown benefitted in particular from the Kansas Legislature’s recent decision to allow alcohol sales in the early morning. HomeGrown serves its mimosa with fresh-squeezed orange juice and Prosecco – starting at 6:30 a.m. Oh yeah. $7, 2835 N. Maize, 316-351-5783

50. Peerless, Moscow Mule

For those looking for the tartness of a Moscow Mule but who are perhaps on a budget, you could do much worse than Peerless’ offering. This Old Town bar has a rotating selection of cocktails, the “drink of the week,” all worth checking out – and it also stocks absinthe in the bar. This Moscow Mule is plain and simple. It’s refreshing and not too small for the money. $6, 919 E. Douglas, 316-516-7275

This story was originally published August 16, 2018 at 4:15 PM.