"A Special Dining Experience"

Before the Ventana Gourmet Grill opens for the evening owner Jill Rickart prepares for the dinner rush in downtown Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Jill and her younger sister Wendy Baldwin sample wine to decide which to purchase for the restaurant. They said their favourite tasting of the day was from DAOU Vineyard in Napa Valley, because they were moved by the Vineyard’s back story.

In preparation for a local’s wedding rehearsal dinner, Jill rearranges tables at the Ventana Gourmet Grill. With two large dining spaces, private parties can host their own gatherings in either room of the restaurant.

For dinner service, Jill cooks alongside chef Stephanie Hollis. The grill’s menu includes a wide variety of options such a Tuscany pasta, whisky-glazed salmon and a jalepeño cheddar chicken burger.

Tuesday is all-you-can-eat shrimp night at Ventana Gourmet Grill. The restaurant typically purchases sixty pounds of shrimp each week.

Employment opportunities are essential in small towns like Excelsior Springs. Ventana’s staff work hard preparing and serving food to their community in September 2022.

As the 2022 summer turns to fall in Excelsior Springs, hot homemade lasagna is a popular menu item. It is made with Grande cheese and Calderello sausage.

Many Ventana customers come to the Excelsior Springs restaurant on a regular basis and other clients save their visits for a special occasion.

The Ventana Gourmet Grill sits at the corner of Broadway and Marietta. The building is adorned with a mural that Jill facilitated through her community work with the Downtown Excelsior Spring Partnership.