Wichita’s Old Town has a new spot designed for good food, good music, and grown-folks vibes.
Haven Restaurant & Lounge — newly opened in the former Todd Brian’s space in Old Town Square — was built to fill a gap many Black Wichitans talk about: a polished, welcoming place to gather without “special-occasion” prices.
The vision is unapologetically rooted in Black culture — R&B and neo-soul on rotation instead of loud rap, a mix of DJs, and an atmosphere that invites couples, coworkers, and friends to relax.
Food with a Touch of Soul
Haven’s menu is southern-inspired with a soul-infused twist. Dishes like shrimp & grits and catfish with spaghetti share space with other comfort-driven favorites. You know it’s a restaurant with soulful roots, with cornbread, sweet potatoes, grits and peach cobbler on the menu.
Owner Kasi Ross personally curated the menu, fine-tuning flavors and accents. He calls himself a foodie, but Haven isn’t meant to be a chef-driven concept. Instead, it’s about consistently great food that people will want to come back for week after week. Most entrées land in the $20 range — a deliberate choice to keep date nights and happy hours approachable.
The restaurant opened with what Ross calls a “test menu.” Expect adjustments as feedback comes in: some dishes will be added, others may fade away. Diners are encouraged to share suggestions. Vegetarian and vegan options are already under consideration.
Happy Hour, Brunch & Late-Night Eats
Ross envisions Haven as more than a dinner spot. Happy hour will roll out on Wednesdays and Thursdays, tailored to young professionals. While the menu is still being finalized, expect discounted appetizers and a handful of drink specials.
On weekends, Haven becomes a brunch destination. Saturdays and Sundays from opening until 3 p.m., DJs set the mood with easygoing R&B while diners linger over mimosas, flights, and hearty plates.
Looking further ahead, Haven plans to become one of the few places in Old Town with a late-night dining option. Ross is still fine-tuning logistics, but the vision is to keep the kitchen open after hours for either dine-in or to-go orders. “Everybody loves late-night food,” he said, “but it needs to be intentional.”
The Look & Feel
Haven’s atmosphere is as carefully curated as its menu. The owners inherited much of the existing restaurant equipment, which made for a smoother transition, but Ross insisted on upgrades that give Haven its signature feel.
- Fresh paint, a new bar top, backsplash, and modern lighting set the tone.
- Soft lighting creates a laid-back but intimate mood — equally right for date night or a relaxed evening with friends.
- Sconces on the walls and candelabra-style light fixtures at each table make the dining room glow once the sun sets.
- Every table is dressed with a cloth tablecloth, replaced after each guest, along with cloth napkins — an upscale touch rarely seen in mid-priced Wichita restaurants.
- Ross even hand-selected the plates, glasses, and silverware to fit the brand’s sense of elegance.
It’s an ambiance that blends upscale polish with easy comfort, reflecting Haven’s three guiding principles: excellence, elegance, and for everyone.
Who’s Behind Haven?
Though the restaurant is new, Ross is no stranger to business. A 27-year-old Wichita East High graduate, he earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Kansas before working at Ernst & Young in Atlanta.
When his grandmother became ill in 2022, he returned home to support family, and soon realized Wichita offered both affordability and opportunity. Within months, he left corporate life and turned to entrepreneurship full-time.
Since then, Ross has launched Whiz Kid Consulting, Brand New Day (a program supporting foster-care youth, operated with his mother), a sports-gaming venture, and a handful of rental properties. Haven, he admits, is his most ambitious project yet. His business partner, Iasiah Zhang, a longtime friend with family roots in entrepreneurship, brings additional business acumen and operational savvy.
Ross’s accounting background informs Haven’s day-to-day operations. He’s meticulous about inventory, labor costs, and pricing, pitfalls that often trip up new restaurants. At the same time, his frequent travels inspire the kind of menus, cocktails, and ambiance he wants to introduce Wichita to.
A Gathering Place by Design
At its core, Haven is designed to be a safe, stylish home base for Wichita’s Black community — a place to hear familiar music, enjoy good food, and feel welcome. But Ross also emphasizes that Haven is for everyone. “Anybody who walks in the door should feel appreciated,” he said.
For Ross, Haven isn’t just about food and cocktails — it’s about creating the kind of space he longed for after moving back from Atlanta. Wichita, he believed, lacked a place where Black professionals, families, and couples could feel fully at home in an elegant yet approachable setting. Haven was built to be that place.
IF YOU GO:
HAVEN RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
315 N. Mead, Wichita
Around the Old Town Square, near the Boulevard Theater
Hours:
Wed.–Thu.: 11 a.m.–midnight
Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–1 a.m.
Sun: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
Brunch: Sat.–Sun., open–3 p.m.
