IT WOULD BE EASY to typecast Kansas City, Mo., as the most bread-and-butter metropolis in the country, the Heartland personified, its very soul wrapped in butcher paper. After all, it’s the birthplace of Charlie Parker-style jazz, Hallmark Cards and Walt Disney animation, and a mecca of low-and-slow barbecue. In downtown K.C., streets flicker with vintage neon signs and old warehouses hulk on the corners, evoking Edward Hopper’s stark paintings, while the old-guard residential neighborhoods are full of Prairie School-style manses built by the captains of cattle and railroads. So, yes, Kansas City is as “Americana” as it gets, but it throws visitors plenty of curveballs, too. The 1930s Nelson-Atkins Museum, for one, is known for its collection of Chinese paintings, as well as the 17-foot-tall shuttlecocks on its lawn. The West Bottoms ’hood, formerly stockyards, is now home to suave eateries and shops, while the Power & Light district is a newly throbbing music hub, and in the arty Crossroads area indie bands perform beside train tracks. With 240 neighborhoods, not counting those just across the Kansas state line, a little local guidance goes a long way.

Andy Spade

The Trendsetter | Andy Spade

Co-founder, Partners & Spade and Sleepy Jones; married to fashion designer and Kansas City native Kate Spade

SHELL GAME // The Peanut. This standout corner bar has been around since 1933. There are peanut bowls on the bar and peanut shells on the floor, and it’s known for triple BLTs, Buffalo wings and homemade blue cheese dressing. 5000 Main St. (original location), peanutkc.com

KC ROYALTY // Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue. Calvin Trillin called this the world’s best restaurant, not to mention its best barbecue pit. 1727 Brooklyn Ave. (original location), arthurbryantsbbq.com

SWING SHIFT // Mutual Musicians Foundation International. After midnight on weekends, legendary jazz musicians getting off gigs around town come for jam sessions at this 1930s landmark. 1823 Highland Ave., mutualmusiciansfoundation.org

FRY FOR ALL // Stroud’s Fairway. Kate and I always go to Stroud’s, just across the state line, for their famous pan-fried chicken. Kate’s been going since she was a kid. 4200 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Kan., fairway.stroudsrestaurant.com

Gates Bar-B-Q Photo: Chris Mullins for The Wall Street Journal

Matt Baldwin

The Blues Man | Matt Baldwin

Owner/designer of Kansas City-based Baldwin Denim & Collection

AWESOME SAUCE // Gates Bar-B-Q. Simply the best ribs in Kansas City. The spicy ketchup-vinegar sauce is a hometown favorite. Six locations,gatesbbq.com

CHIC EATS // Genessee Royale Bistro. This fashionable cafe in the Stockyards District draws the city’s creative types for lunch or for a late-afternoon glass of wine. 1531 Genessee St., genesseeroyale.com

ART ATTACK // Haw Contemporary. This influential West Bottoms gallery—owned by Bill Haw, Jr., a pioneer in the city’s art scene and the son of a prominent cattle rancher and developer—primarily shows works from local and regional artists, including abstract painter Eric Sall. 1600 Liberty St., hawcontemporary.com

FOR KICKS // Sporting K.C. America’s first European-style soccer club and stadium, it’s making K.C. the soccer capital of the U.S. Children’s Mercy Park, 1 Sporting Way, Kansas City, Kan., sportingkc.com

Colby and Megan Garrelts

The Restaurateurs | Colby and Megan Garrelts

Chef-owners of Bluestem, in Kansas City; and Rye, in Leawood, Kansas

RARE FIND // The Majestic Restaurant. In the heart of downtown, this iconic steakhouse looks like it’s from the Prohibition era, with high tin ceilings and old mosaic floor tiles. The KC strip and porterhouse are amazing. Start with the artichoke dip. 931 Broadway Blvd., majestickc.com

SHORE LEAVE // The Ship. This sexy 2-year-old dive bar and live-music club, off an alley in the West Bottoms district, was restored from a 1930s nightclub. 1217 Union Ave., theshipkc.com

YEEHAW JUNCTION // Harry’s Country Club. Honky-tonk-loving dudes in chinos frequent this live-music spot. Get the “Sea Hogs,” bacon-wrapped shrimp with horseradish sauce. 112 Missouri Ave., harryscountryclub.com

TO DYE FOR // Baldwin KC. One of the flagship stores for the Kansas City-born denim label that cuts American-made and finely tailored staples. Every style-savvy guy in K.C. has to own a pair of these jeans. 340 W. 47th St., baldwin.co

Oak Street Mansion Photo: Chris Mullins for The Wall Street Journal

Julian Zugazagoitia

The Curator | Julian Zugazagoitia

Director, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

SOUND TRACKS // Knuckleheads Saloon. This fascinating music club has a great outdoor stage and bar by the train tracks. The rumble of passing trains only adds to the sound of the horns. 2715 Rochester St., knuckleheadskc.com

ARTFUL LODGER // Oak Street Mansion. An art-centric hotel housed in a stately old redbrick manse. The rooms have different themes—Cuban, Impressionists—and pop with color. From about $150 a night, oakstreetmansion.com

SCENIC SCENE // Bar Rosso at Hotel Sorella. The bar and bistro in this new hotel is housed in an elegant rotunda. It’s become a local hot spot during happy hour and after the hotel’s black-tie events. 901 W. 48th Place, hotelsorella-countryclubplaza.com

DIG THIS // Urban Mining. A huge midcentury furnishings and architectural-salvage market, Urban Mining is open only the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each month. 3923 Main St., urbanminingvintage.com

Plus, Don’t Miss…

Port Fonda A former food-truck phenom and James Beard Foundation semifinalist, chef Patrick Ryan serves excellent, innovative Mexican food. 4141 Pennsylvania Ave. (original location), portfonda.com

Hi Hat Coffee Set inside a former filling station, this is the coolest little java hut around. 5012 State Line Rd., Westwood Hills, Kan.

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que You’ll have to wait in long lines at this temple to all things smoked, but it’s worth it. The owners have won countless barbecue pit competitions. 3002 W. 47th Ave., Kansas City, Kan. (original location), joeskc.com

The Bloch Building of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Opened in 2007, this glass-walled architectural stunner houses rotating shows and permanent photo exhibits. At night, it’s lit up like a UFO. nelson-atkins.org