Wichita should be extra caffeinated with all these coffee shop ...

If you’re a caffeine junkie, Wichita is a good place to live lately. Barely a week goes by without news of a new coffee shop on its way. Since we last talked, Pennant Coffee has opened in the former Leslie spot in Delano. Cargill employee Byron McSwain has announced he will open Greater Grounds Coffee shop at 922 E. Douglas. And Leaf Teahouse ICT has shared its plan to take over the Kookaburra Coffee spot near Central and Tyler next month. Not only that, but Dutch Bros Coffee has opened its newest Wichita-area drive through shops at 47th and Broadway and in Andover.

Those who live in Benjamin Hills can look forward to a new restaurant in the neighborhood soon. Sam’s Southern Eatery is about to open in the former DeFazio’s space at 29th and Amidon. Though its specialty is fried fish, the restaurant’s owner has decided he’ll use DeFazio’s left-behind pizza ovens and serve pizza as well. Opening day is Tuesday.

Also, those who’d meant to get to the Rail Hoppers restaurant that opened a year ago at K-96 and Oliver need to get that done in March. Owner Schane Gross plans to close the year-old restaurant in early April and devote her energies to her original venture, The Anchor. After that, Natasha Gandhi-Rue will take over the space and open a second location of her popular downtown restaurant The Kitchen. It should open in April.