Two new Lawrence eateries have opened recently, adding fresh options to the city’s food scene, and a chicken chain plans to open a second location.
Bon Chen, a women-owned, Vietnamese and Asian-fusion cafe, is set to celebrate its grand opening Friday, July 3 at 2540 Iowa St. That will include a performance by the KU Lion Dance Team starting at 10 a.m.
The cafe was inspired by Vietnamese families who have lived in Lawrence for years and wanted more diverse food options.
“After years of waiting for a taste of home, we decided to bring the diversity ourselves,” Tuyet Le, one of the owners, wrote in an email.
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Their menu includes bánh mì sandwiches, pho and spring rolls, and specialty drinks such as ceremonial matcha, lychee pink dragon refreshers and traditional Vietnamese cà phê.
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Meals are designed with students in mind, offering filling food that can be eaten on the go or shared with family and friends.
The cafe is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is closed on Tuesdays.
Doughnut Bar, a family-owned shop focused on potato-based spudnuts and cake donuts, is now open at 125 E. 10th St.
The location was previously home to Pizza Palace, which is no longer operating, though India Palace is still running next door.
Doughnut Bar is open from 6:30 a.m. to noon Wednesdays through Saturdays and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. The shop is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Wingstop also plans to open a second Lawrence location at the beginning of August.
It’s slated for 2020 W. 23rd St., Suite A, which is at the end of a strip on the northeast side of the intersection at 23rd and Iowa. The other location is at 2233 Louisiana St.
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Courtney Lane (she/her), reporting correspondent, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2026. Originally from Arkansas, she’s a graduate of KU’s Journalism school, where she worked as a reporter, opinion section editor, and eventually editor-in-chief for The Kansan.
Read her work for the Times at this link, and see her photography for the Times at this link.
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Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
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