Bryan Stalder 
Contributor 

A new neighborhood restaurant is already finding its footing in Kansas City’s historic Northeast.

After months of anticipation, Dear Donna, 549 Gillis St, held its soft opening weekend in Columbus Park between Thursday, March 5 and Sunday, March 8., and the response from the community was immediate: a full dining room, a steady line out the door, and a sense that the neighborhood’s newest gathering place had already begun to feel like home. Helen Jo and Johnny Leach have partnered with Sondy Bojanic to bring Dear Donna to the Columbus Park community.

“The neighborhood filled up our dining room,” Bojanic said. “It was bustling, jovial and emotional to see people gathered and having a good time.”

Opening weekend brought out a wide mix of neighbors, including longtime regulars from Happy Gillis, the popular restaurant which previously occupied the space. Many of those customers stopped in to see what this new restaurant offered.

Community support was clear from the start. The owners said it was especially meaningful to be welcomed by longtime neighborhood figure Jo Marie — often affectionately referred to as the “mayor” of Columbus Park — whose family once ran Chee-Bay’s, a beloved soda fountain and grocer that operated in the building many decades ago.

“It means a lot to be welcomed,” Leach said.

One moment from the soft opening that will likely be remembered for years? The City health inspector, arriving just ten minutes after the doors opened — right as a large crowd formed outside.

“All went well across both fronts,” Bojanic told us.

Though the kitchen is intentionally small, the early menu is already drawing enthusiastic reactions. Among the most popular items so far are their egg sandwiches and the fried chicken Dutch baby served with hot buttered maple syrup. Leach is also encouraging guests not to overlook some of the quieter stars of the menu.

“We put a lot of love into our salads,” she told us, adding that desserts are another highlight.

Dear Donna plans to keep its menu focused, due to the limited kitchen space, but expects seasonal evolution. A rotating vegetarian soup option will also keep things fresh for returning diners.

While the restaurant won’t feature a full bar, the beverage program is designed to complement the food. Guests can expect a curated list that includes wine by the glass, a small beer selection, mimosas and Bloody Marys. One standout will be the restaurant’s Bloody Mary, made with house-made giardiniera as a nod to the area’s historic Italian community. Coffee was also carefully considered. Dear Donna partnered with Broadway Roasting Company to develop an exclusive house blend.

“We are as intentional about our drinks menu as our food,” Leach said.

Dear Donna’s connection to the community runs deeper than its location. The owners live nearby in Pendleton Heights, just a short distance away. That proximity helped shape everything from the restaurant’s service style to its interior design.

“Keeping it friendly and human,” they said, was a guiding principle.

The restaurant has already hired some immediate neighbors, and the team hopes to build a workplace where staff members stay long-term.

“We want to be someone’s work home for a long time,” they said.

The owners say their biggest goal is for Dear Donna to become a natural gathering place for residents across Northeast and Columbus Park neighborhoods.

“We want to feel like a neighbor to our direct geographic neighbors and the rest of the city,” they said.

Even during the soft opening, they noticed something encouraging: people returning multiple days in a row. Opening week also reinforced something they already suspected about the Northeast community.

“These are neighbors you can count on,” Leach said.

The long-term vision for Dear Donna is simple but meaningful.If everything goes according to plan, a year from now the owners hope the restaurant will be “a beloved neighborhood ritual.” More than anything, they want guests to feel comfortable lingering over coffee, meals and conversation.

“This is a place that feels like home,” the owners said. “And a place where people want to spend their time.”