A list of restaurants that will open in Wichita in 2026 — and when they’ll be ready
Another year has begun and brought with it the promise of new restaurants for Wichita.
But this won’t be just any year for Wichita, culinarily speaking. This will be the year that The Cheesecake Factory — a restaurant that Wichita has been fanatically fixated on for decades — will finally open.
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks putting together a comprehensive list of restaurants that Wichita can expect in 2026, along with updates on when they might be opening.
Keep in mind that many more will pop up as the year progresses, but this list is a good start. If you know of one I’m missing, email me at dneil@wichitaeagle.com
January
SK Donut, 1920 W. 21st St.: This quickly growing doughnut shop will open its sixth Wichita-area store in the former NAS Kitchen space by the end of January.
Tokizo, 5321 E. Central: Tokyo native Emiko Togashi is opening a grab-and-go sushi restaurant in the space where Angelo’s operated when it first reopened in 2016. She has said she hopes to have it open by later this month or sometime in February.
Pizza Shuttle, 4521 E 21st N, Suite #102: The inexpensive pizza that KU and K-State students have subsisted on for generations is about to come to Wichita. The owners of Social Tap in Braeburn Square on Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus, 21st and Oliver, have licensed a deal to open Wichita’s first Pizza Shuttle, a small restaurant chain based in Lawrence. It will offer a small amount of dine-in seating, a back patio, carry out and delivery. Opening day is scheduled for Jan. 29.
February
Pinnacle Pizza Company, 832 N. Webb Road: Larry and Kim Partlow are opening this pizza restaurant in the former Livingston’s Diner space at 832 N. Webb Road and hope to have it ready in early February. It will specialize in Arkansas-style pizza, which has a thicker thin crust and is cooked in heavy deck ovens. Kim, who has worked in management for restaurant chains including Wendy’s and Panera, will run the restaurant, and Larry, who works in trucking logistics, will help where needed.
Desi Dhaba, 21st and Oliver: The 5,000-square-foot black-and-yellow building that went up last year at 21st and Oliver will be home to a combination Indian restaurant and grocery called Desi Dhaba. Passage to India’s owner Md Zakir Hossen will run the restaurant part of the business, which should be ready by mid-February. It will be set up “Chipotle-stye,” said building owner Abdul Arif, who came up with the concept with his nephew and business partner Tariq Azmi. The restaurant will serve halal proteins like goat, lamb and chicken, which customers will be able to get over rice, quinoa and other bases. It will also offer items like dosa, curry dishes and pani puri. The restaurant will also serve coffee, doughnuts and fresh-baked Middle Eastern pastries and will include a halal meat market. The grocery portion of the building will likely open in April.
Mexican Burritos, 616 S. Tyler: Leticia Ortiz-Salas closed her Los Mexican Burritos restaurant at 3005 E. Pawnee in 2023 after road construction made it difficult for customers to access her building. Now, she’s teaming up with her daughter, Giselle Limon-Ortiz, to reopen the restaurant, which is a quick-service Mexican place specializing in super nachos, tortas, enchiladas and all-day breakfast burritos. It’s taking over the old Sticky Birds space near Kellogg and Tyler and will have a drive-through as well as limited indoor seating. It should be ready by the second week of February.
Coquetry Maison, 105 S. Emporia: Mohammed Sudais Ruknuddin is still working on his downtown coffee shop in the former A Legacy Antiques space and says he hopes to have it open by mid-February. It will serve espresso-based coffee drinks as well as Middle Eastern coffees, he said. It’ll also serve gelato, pastries and sandwiches and will be open late into the evening. At the moment, Ruknuddin is looking for employees — especially baristas. He encourages people interested in a job to email him at coquetrymaison1111@gmail.com
Birria Estilo Zacatecas, 1210 W. Pawnee: This Albuquerque-based Mexican food chain opened its first Wichita restaurant just before Thanksgiving in the old Noble House/Angela’s Cafe space at 2119 W. 21st St. The second location is taking over the former Fonda La Chona space at 1210 W. Pawnee. Owners are aiming for a Feb. 16 opening.
Banh Mi Bites, 2755 N. Maize Road: Christine and Vincent Pham, who used to own a Nail Salon in NewMarket Square, are opening a new Vietnamese restaurant just a few doors down from their old space (in the old Sesame Mediterranean Grill space.) It will be a build-your-own Vietnamese sandwich restaurant that will also serve spring rolls, egg rolls, dumplings, fries with Vietnamese spices, Vietnamese coffee and boba tea. A late February opening is planned.
Johnny’s Tavern, 1109 E. Douglas: The people who bought The Anchor building at auction in July have leased the restaurant space to Lawrence-based Johnny’s Tavern, whose owners had been looking for the right Wichita spot for nearly a decade. Johnny’s serves burgers, sandwiches, wings, pizza and other bar food. It also will be a place people can gather for a drink and to watch a game. The owners say they hope to have the new Johnny’s Tavern — which will be their 14th — open by late February. It will serve food until midnight, and its bar will be open until 1:30 a.m.
Alejandro’s Mexican Food, 1530 S. Oliver: This restaurant, which also has a location at 1212 S. Rock Road, is adding another in the same strip center at Harry and Oliver where USA Donuts operates. It should be open sometime in February.
March
Ziggi’s Coffee, 8669 W. 29th St. North: The first Wichita location of the Colorado-based Ziggi’s Coffee chain will open near 29th and Tyler in early March, said franchisee Adam Frey. Ziggi’s is a drive-through-only coffee shop known for its iced coffee drinks, energy drinks and dirty sodas.
Margarita’s Cantina, 725 E. Douglas: Margarita’s Cantina, whose owners at the end of last year left the building on East Douglas that the restaurant had occupied for 33 years, will reopen in Union Station, likely in mid-March. Margarita’s will take over the old luggage depot building previously occupied by The Kitchen then Express Kitchen. It will have the same menu as the original, but customers will order the food at the counter then take a seat.
April
Flatlanders Brewing Company, 623 W. Douglas: Picasso’s Pizzeria owners Kurt and Jessica Schmidt and a group of partners are in the midst of work on their new brewery, which they announced in March of last year. It will operate next door to Picasso’s in a space that’s been vacant since Visual Fusion left during COVID. The brewery will have two stories plus a rooftop patio looking out over Douglas. Schmidt said the owners are aiming for a March opening, but he thinks it could get pushed into April.
Mokas, 3851 N. Ridge Road: Wichita’s third Mokas is now under construction near 37th North and Ridge and should be open by April or May, said Jason Ingermanson, the owner of Moka’s parent company, JRI Hospitality. Mokas, which serves coffee drinks and a menu of sandwiches, salads and breakfast items, started as a single coffee shop in Salina in 2005 and has since grown into a chain that has locations not only in Wichita (143 N. McLean, 1344 N. Veranda Drive) and Salina but also in Colby and in Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona.
May
7 Brew, 3505 N. Rock Road: Franchisee Conner Johnson will launch a 7 Brew that will go on the site of the recently demolished IHOP building near 37th North and Rock Road. He thinks it should be open by May.
Spring
Black Bird Burger, 5510 E. Central: Red Bird owner Sebastian Gordon is adding a second east-side restaurant. Blackbird Burger will serve smash burgers that come with curly fries or sweet potato waffle fries. The restaurant, which he’ll own with his wife, Ashley, and his kitchen manager, Matt Edwards, is taking over the former Wendy’s near Central and Edgemoor that was most recently occupied by Chick N Max. Black Bird Burger will also have a drive-through and a bar serving beer, wine and a few house cocktails. Gordon said it should be open sometime this spring.
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Hawaiian Bros, 10291 W. 37th St. North: Wichita’s second Hawaiian Bros restaurant will open north of the Menards and east of the Kwik Shop at 37th and Maize in early spring, said Zach Fugate, president of Ohana Restaurant Group LLC. The group opened Wichita’s first Hawaiian Bros, which serves Hawaiian plate lunches, at 1360 N. Greenwich in November 2024.
The Big Biscuit, 106 S. Hydraulic: Wichita’s first location of Kansas City-based breakfast chain The Big Biscuit opened in December at 2330 N. Maize Road. The second, which is taking over the former Jimmy’s Egg space at Douglas and Hydraulic, should be open by spring, a spokesperson said.
July
Teriyaki Madness, 344-346 N. Hillside: Johnny Steven opened the first location of this Denver-based fast-casual chain last year at 3801 N. Ridge Road. His second will open near Central and Hillside and should be ready in July, said Brayden Steven, who is the director of guest operations for the Wichita restaurants. Teriyaki Madness offers made-to-order bowls featuring teriyaki chicken, steak, salmon and tofu as well as orange chicken, chicken katsu and yakisoba.
Summer
7 Brew, 10221 W. 21st St.: Yet another 7 Brew will open in Wichita in 2026. This one is going on the site where Jacob Liquor Exchange has operated since 1997. That building will be demolished to make way for franchisee Connor Johnson’s next coffee shop. Jacob Liquor owners have not yet shared their relocation plans, but Johnson said his coffee shop should be open on the spot by summer.
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Culver’s, 3620 N. Rock Road: Wichita’s second Culver’s is under construction near 37th North and Rock Road and should be open by summer, said franchisee Nick Campe, who opened the Culver’s at 3210 N. Maize Road in summer 2024. The popular chain is known for its butter burgers and frozen custard. A Culver’s also opened in December at 2801 S. Rock Road in Derby.
Izumi Sushi & Hibachi, 2636 Greenwich Court: The former Buffalo Wings and Rings building in Greenwich Place shopping center will be taken over in 2026 by this all-you-can-eat sushi chain, which is based in North Dakota. Originally, owner Scott Chen had planned to have the restaurant open earlier in the year, but the Wichita project was delayed by openings of restaurants in St. Louis and Oklahoma City. He’s aiming for a June or July opening.
Fall
The Cheesecake Factory, 2020 N. Rock Road: After years of pining, Wichita is finally getting its Cheesecake Factory, which should open this fall on the spot where Outback Steakhouse previously stood. The restaurant will serve The Cheesecake Factory’s full menu, which includes more than 250 dishes and more than 30 varieties of cheesecake and dessert.
SoCe Coffee Co., 1203 S. Broadway: This coffee shop will be part of SoCe Corner, an economic development project in Wichita’s south central neighborhood by the nonprofit Neighboring Movement. Founder Kristopher Swanson says it should be ready by fall.
Late 2026
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, 2824 N. Maize Road: The Firebirds chain has finally confirmed that it is building a west-side restaurant near 29th and Maize, but it won’t be open until the fourth quarter of the year. The address is southwest of the Hobby Lobby at 29th and Maize. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a chain that was started by onetime Wichitan and Lone Star Steakhouse founder Dennis Thompson and some partners 25 years ago in Charlotte, opened its first Wichita restaurant in 2013 at the Waterfront development.
Chipotle, 13333 W. Maple: The burrito chain has filed plans to build a new restaurant near Maple and 119th, and a local manager said it should be ready by late 2026.
The Big Biscuit, 7777 E. 21st St.: Wichita’s third Big Biscuit should be open sometime later this year in the former Jimmy’s Egg space at 29th and Rock, a spokesperson said. He didn’t yet have a more firm date.
Still unclear
Bella Luna Cafe, 1441 N. Webb Road: Landmark Commercial Real Estate agents said last year that Bella Luna owner Matteo Taha planned to leave Bradley Fair and relocate his east-side restaurant to the former Grimaldi’s space near Whole Foods. They said at the time that the move should happen in the first quarter of the year. So far, there hasn’t been much progress, and Taha didn’t return phone calls and messages. Stay tuned for updates as they’re available.
Scotty’s Seafood Kitchen, address TBD: Emanuel Ashiedu closed his Sam’s Southern Eatery restaurants at 2706 N. Amidon and 6600 W. Central over the summer, and at the time, he said he planned to cut ties with the franchise and start his own concept called Scotty’s Seafood Kitchen. He recently said he still wants to go forward with his plan but doesn’t yet have the details worked out.
Tianluo Bistro, 11309 E. Kellogg: This Chinese restaurant closed in September after four years in business, but the owner said that she plans to relocate. She recently said that she’s still looking for the right spot but that she hopes to reopen this year.
Unnamed Alex Eftekhar diner, Third and Wabash: March was the last time that Station 8 BBQ owner Alex Eftekhar spoke about his plans for the old Walt’s Klassics building, which he bought in 2022 and had relocated from Kellogg and Tyler to a lot across the street from Station 8. At the time, he said he hoped to have it open as a diner sometime in 2026. He hasn’t returned recent calls and messages, but stay tuned for updates.
Whataburger: This much-loved burger chain first announced in 2022 that it planned to expand to several cities in Kansas, including Wichita. Although the Kansas City area has since added several Whataburger restaurants, Wichita is still waiting. And it’s unclear how long that wait will continue. Whataburger representatives haven’t returned recent messages about the chain’s plans.
Champtown restaurants: Lange Real Estate announced in December that Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers as well as Bob & Luigi’s Pizzeria would be restaurant tenants in their new Champtown entertainment district in Park City. But they didn’t share any information about a timeline. Construction hasn’t yet started on the development, and Bob & Luigi’s owner said in December that she’d be ready in 12 months, so it will likely be 2027 before any restaurants are open there.
Derby openings
7 Brew, 2200 N. Rock Road, Derby: Local 7 Brew franchisee Conner Johnson is opening Derby’s first 7 Brew drive-through coffee chain at the corner of Tall Tree and Rock Road on Feb. 9.
Chicken Salad Chick, 2600 N. Rock Road, Derby: A Derby location of this restaurant, which entered the market in December with a restaurant at 10240 W. 29th St. North in Wichita., is tentatively planned to open in mid-May. The Atlanta-based chain serves chicken salad in flavors like traditional, savory, fruity and nutty, and spicy.
The Hen House, 120 N. Baltimore, Derby: Developer Brant Dumford said that his long-planned breakfast restaurant The Hen House should open in the next two to four weeks in the space where Little Firehouse Cafe once operated.
The Big Biscuit, 1906 N. Rock Road, Derby: The Big Biscuit will make its presence known in Derby when it takes over the building that IHOP vacated in September after eight years. It’s unclear when it will open, but a spokesperson previously said it wouldn’t be before the second half of 2026.
Not this year
Raising Cane’s, 111 S. Rock Road: As we reported in October, Raising Cane’s is opening an east-side restaurant in the spot at Douglas and Rock where B.D.’s Mongolian Grill used to be. But they’re not planning to open until summer 2027.
Tacos TJ 664, Goddard: Goddard approved plans in September for Wichita’s popular Tacos TJ 664 to open near Kellogg and 183rd Street. But the owner recently said that his plans have since changed. Though he still wants to open a restaurant in Goddard, he said, it likely won’t be until 2027 or 2028.
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