Ragazza was opened in 2013 by lifelong Kansas City resident Laura Norris, starting as an 8-table restaurant in Westport that began life as an Italian deli concept before expanding into full-service dining at the urging of friends and family. The name means "girl" in Italian, a nod to its standing as a woman-owned small business built on recipes passed down through Norris's family, including her grandmother Lauricella and mother Marie.
The kitchen works from that family recipe box: lasagna bolognese, an eggplant parmesan Ragazza credits directly to "Mom's Recipe Box," bucatini all'amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and a six-hour Sunday Sauce with pork, sausage, and meatballs over rigatoni. Housemade meatballs, burrata, and arancini round out the starters, alongside a rotating Sunday brunch and daily happy hour.
In 2019, Ragazza moved into a larger historic building at 43rd and Main, nearly tripling its original seating. The restaurant has a sister location, Enzo Bistro & Bar, which opened in the City Market in 2022.
The kitchen works from that family recipe box: lasagna bolognese, an eggplant parmesan Ragazza credits directly to "Mom's Recipe Box," bucatini all'amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and a six-hour Sunday Sauce with pork, sausage, and meatballs over rigatoni. Housemade meatballs, burrata, and arancini round out the starters, alongside a rotating Sunday brunch and daily happy hour.
In 2019, Ragazza moved into a larger historic building at 43rd and Main, nearly tripling its original seating. The restaurant has a sister location, Enzo Bistro & Bar, which opened in the City Market in 2022.