Novel two-dimensional kagome metal-organic frameworks with mononuclear Zr4+/Hf4+ nodes chelated by benzene-1,4-dihydroxamate linkers were synthesized. The MOFs, namely SUM-1, are chemically robust and kinetically favorable, as confirmed by theoretical and experimental studies. SUM-1(Zr) can be readily made into large (∼100 μm) single crystals and nanoplates (∼50 nm), constituting a versatile MOF platform.