When I was a young man training in pastry and baking in Düsseldorf, Germany, I took a train trip to the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It was there that I tried to get a job in the Swiss confiserie Cafe Sprüngli, the sister company of the world-famous Lindt chocolate company. Unfortunately, the job was not to be, but on that trip, I discovered the extraordinary styles of pastry, chocolate, and dining found in that magical part of Europe. Today, it can also be experienced at André’s Confiserie Suisse in Kansas City.
Nestled on the southern flank of the Country Club Plaza, the revered pastry shop and restaurant is celebrating 68 years in business. André’s is known for its classic Swiss-style chocolates and pastries, but it is also open for breakfast and lunch, so you can enjoy a light meal prior to indulging in all those sweet delights.
You’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the Alps when you step into the Swiss chalet-style tea room decorated with flags from the Swiss cantons (states) draped on the walls. The restaurant and pastry shop are currently operated by the third generation of the Bollier family; Pastry Chef René and his wife, Nancy, uphold the Bollier family tradition using traditional Swiss recipes. Since René’s grandfather, Master Konditor—Confiseur Andre Bollier, first launched the chocolate shop, the business has been at the heart of the chocolate and pastry scene in KC.
Open for breakfast and lunch, the tearoom was first started by André Bollier’s wife, Elsbeth, in the hope that diners would come in for a meal, then take some fresh-baked pastries or chocolates home afterward. Today, that concept is still popular with light, European-inspired lunch specials such as Swiss-style Quiche Lorraine and Chicken Vol au Vent—diced chicken and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce served in a butter pastry shell.
Their menu also changes with weekly lunch specials that feature Swiss-Germanic regional-centric foods that were once popular in the US dining scene but are hard to find these days. Some recent offerings included Poulet Schnitzel, Paprika Pork.
When I was a young man training in pastry and baking in Düsseldorf, Germany, I took a train trip to the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It was there that I tried to get a job in the Swiss confiserie Cafe Sprüngli, the sister company of the world-famous Lindt chocolate company. Unfortunately, the job was not to be, but on that trip, I discovered the extraordinary styles of pastry, chocolate, and dining found in that magical part of Europe. Today, it can also be experienced at André’s Confiserie Suisse in Kansas City.
Nestled on the southern flank of the Country Club Plaza, the revered pastry shop and restaurant is celebrating 68 years in business. André’s is known for its classic Swiss-style chocolates and pastries, but it is also open for breakfast and lunch, so you can enjoy a light meal prior to indulging in all those sweet delights.
You’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the Alps when you step into the Swiss chalet-style tea room decorated with flags from the Swiss cantons (states) draped on the walls. The restaurant and pastry shop are currently operated by the third generation of the Bollier family; Pastry Chef René and his wife, Nancy, uphold the Bollier family tradition using traditional Swiss recipes. Since René’s grandfather, Master Konditor—Confiseur Andre Bollier, first launched the chocolate shop, the business has been at the heart of the chocolate and pastry scene in KC.
Open for breakfast and lunch, the tearoom was first started by André Bollier’s wife, Elsbeth, in the hope that diners would come in for a meal, then take some fresh-baked pastries or chocolates home afterward. Today, that concept is still popular with light, European-inspired lunch specials such as Swiss-style Quiche Lorraine and Chicken Vol au Vent—diced chicken and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce served in a butter pastry shell.
Their menu also changes with weekly lunch specials that feature Swiss-Germanic regional-centric foods that were once popular in the US dining scene but are hard to find these days. Some recent offerings included Poulet Schnitzel, Paprika Pork.
To check out André’s latest offerings and specials, visit AndresChocolates.com/pages/kansas-city-location
This article originally appeared in the May 2024 edition of Missouri Life.
